1 And it came to be, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Sha’ul, having passed through the upper parts, came to Ephesos. And having found some taught ones,
2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Set-apart Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Set-apart Spirit.”
3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you immersed?” And they said, “Into Yoḥanan’s immersion.”
4 And Sha’ul said, “Yoḥanan indeed immersed with an immersion of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the One who is coming after him, that is, in Messiah יהושע.”
5 And when they heard this, they were immersed in the Name of the Master יהושע.
6 And when Sha’ul had laid hands on them, the Set-apart Spirit came upon them, and they were speaking in tongues and prophesying.
7 And all the men were about twelve.
8 And having gone into the congregation he spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the reign of Elohim.
9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, speaking evil of the Way before the crowd, he withdrew from them and separated the taught ones, reasoning daily in the school of Turannos.
10 And this took place for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Master יהושע, both Yehuḏim and Greeks.
11 And Elohim worked unusual miracles through the hands of Sha’ul,
12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the wicked spirits went out of them.
13 But certain roving Yehuḏite exorcists took it upon themselves to call the Name of the Master יהושע over those who had wicked spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by יהושע whom Sha’ul proclaims.”
14 And there were seven sons of a certain Skeua, a Yehuḏite chief priest, who were doing this.
15 And the wicked spirit answering, said, “יהושע I know, and Sha’ul I know, but who are you?”
16 And the man in whom the wicked spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 And this became known to all, both Yehuḏim and Greeks dwelling in Ephesos. And fear fell on them all, and the Name of the Master יהושע was made great.
18 And many who had believed came confessing and declaring their deeds.
19 And many of those who had practised magic brought their books together, burning them before all. And they reckoned up the value of them, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 So the word of the Master was growing mightily and prevailing.
21 Now when these matters had been completed, Sha’ul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Makedonia and Achaia, to go to Yerushalayim, saying, “After I have been there, I have to see Rome too.”
22 And having sent into Makedonia two of those assisting him, Timothy and Ěrastos, he himself remained in Asia for a time.
23 And about that time there came to be a great commotion about the Way.
24 For a certain man named Demetrios, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, provided no little business to the craftsmen,
25 who, having called them together, with the workers of similar trade, said, “Men, you know that our wealth is from this business.
26 “And you see and hear that not only at Ephesos, but throughout almost all Asia, this Sha’ul has persuaded and turned away a large number, saying that they are not mighty ones which are made with hands.
27 “And not only is this trade of ours in danger of coming to rejection, but also that the temple of the great female mighty one Artemis whom all Asia and the world worship, shall be regarded as worthless and her greatness diminished.”
28 And having heard this, they were filled with rage and cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29 And the entire city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one mind into the theatre, having seized Gaios and Aristarchos, Makedonians, Sha’ul’s fellow travellers.
30 And Sha’ul, intending to go in among the mob, the taught ones did not allow him.
31 And some of the officials of Asia, being his friends, sent to him begging him not to risk himself into the theatre.
32 Then others indeed shouted this and others that, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
33 And some of the crowd instructed Alexander – the Yehuḏim putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wished to make his defence to the people.
34 But having recognised that he was a Yehuḏite, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 And the city clerk, having calmed the crowd, said, “Men of Ephesos, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of the great female mighty one Artemis, and of that which fell down from Zeus?
36 “Therefore, if these matters are undeniable, you need to be calm, and do not act rashly.
37 “For you have brought these men here who are neither temple-robbers nor speaking evil of your female mighty one.
38 “If truly then Demetrios and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them accuse one another.
39 “And if you have any further complaint, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
40 “For we are in danger of being accused of riot concerning today, there being no reason which we could give to account for this disorderly gathering.”
41 And having said this, he dismissed the assembly.