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Acts Chapter 19 | Spiritual Warfare and City Transformation

And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”

So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 Now the men were about twelve in all.

8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.

15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”

16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

21 When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time.

23 And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 25 He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. 26 Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. 27 So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”

28 Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” 29 So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions. 30 And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him. 31 Then some of the officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater. 32 Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people. 34 But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

35 And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? 36 Therefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. 38 Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being called in question for today’s uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering.” 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

使徒行傳 19章｜屬靈爭戰與城巿轉化

亞波羅在哥林多的時候，保羅經過了上邊一帶地方，就來到以弗所。在那裡遇見幾個門徒， 2 問他們說：「你們信的時候受了聖靈沒有？」他們回答說：「沒有，也未曾聽見有聖靈賜下來。」 3 保羅說：「這樣，你們受的是什麼洗呢？」他們說：「是約翰的洗。」 4 保羅說：「約翰所行的是悔改的洗，告訴百姓當信那在他以後要來的，就是耶穌。」 5 他們聽見這話，就奉主耶穌的名受洗。 6 保羅按手在他們頭上，聖靈便降在他們身上，他們就說方言，又說預言。 7 一共約有十二個人。

8 保羅進會堂放膽講道，一連三個月，辯論神國的事，勸化眾人。 9 後來，有些人心裡剛硬不信，在眾人面前毀謗這道，保羅就離開他們，也叫門徒與他們分離，便在推喇奴的學房天天辯論。 10 這樣有兩年之久，叫一切住在亞細亞的，無論是猶太人是希臘人，都聽見主的道。 11 神藉保羅的手行了些非常的奇事， 12 甚至有人從保羅身上拿手巾或圍裙放在病人身上，病就退了，惡鬼也出去了。

13 那時，有幾個遊行各處、念咒趕鬼的猶太人，向那被惡鬼附的人擅自稱主耶穌的名，說：「我奉保羅所傳的耶穌，敕令你們出來！」 14 做這事的，有猶太祭司長士基瓦的七個兒子。 15 惡鬼回答他們說：「耶穌我認識，保羅我也知道，你們卻是誰呢？」 16 惡鬼所附的人就跳在他們身上，勝了其中二人，制伏他們，叫他們赤著身子受了傷，從那房子裡逃出去了。 17 凡住在以弗所的，無論是猶太人是希臘人，都知道這事，也都懼怕，主耶穌的名從此就尊大了。 18 那已經信的，多有人來承認訴說自己所行的事。

19 平素行邪術的，也有許多人把書拿來，堆積在眾人面前焚燒。他們算計書價，便知道共合五萬塊錢。 20 主的道大大興旺，而且得勝，就是這樣。

21 這些事完了，保羅心裡定意經過了馬其頓、亞該亞，就往耶路撒冷去，又說：「我到了那裡以後，也必須往羅馬去看看。」 22 於是從幫助他的人中打發提摩太、以拉都二人往馬其頓去，自己暫時等在亞細亞。

23 那時，因為這道起的擾亂不小。 24 有一個銀匠名叫底米丟，是製造亞底米神銀龕的，他使這樣手藝人生意發達。 25 他聚集他們和同行的工人，說：「眾位，你們知道我們是倚靠這生意發財。 26 這保羅不但在以弗所，也幾乎在亞細亞全地引誘迷惑許多人，說人手所做的不是神。這是你們所看見、所聽見的。 27 這樣，不獨我們這事業被人藐視，就是大女神亞底米的廟也要被人輕忽，連亞細亞全地和普天下所敬拜的大女神之威榮也要消滅了！」 28 眾人聽見，就怒氣填胸，喊著說：「大哉，以弗所人的亞底米啊！」 29 滿城都轟動起來。眾人拿住與保羅同行的馬其頓人該猶和亞里達古，齊心擁進戲園裡去。 30 保羅想要進去到百姓那裡，門徒卻不許他去。 31 還有亞細亞幾位首領，是保羅的朋友，打發人來勸他，不要冒險到戲園裡去。 32 聚集的人紛紛亂亂，有喊叫這個的，有喊叫那個的，大半不知道是為什麼聚集。 33 有人把亞歷山大從眾人中帶出來，猶太人推他往前，亞歷山大就擺手，要向百姓分訴。 34 只因他們認出他是猶太人，就大家同聲喊著說：「大哉，以弗所人的亞底米啊！」如此約有兩小時。

35 那城裡的書記安撫了眾人，就說：「以弗所人哪，誰不知道以弗所人的城是看守大亞底米的廟和從宙斯那裡落下來的像呢？ 36 這事既是駁不倒的，你們就當安靜，不可造次。 37 你們把這些人帶來，他們並沒有偷竊廟中之物，也沒有謗讟我們的女神。 38 若是底米丟和他同行的人有控告人的事，自有放告的日子，也有方伯可以彼此對告。 39 你們若問別的事，就可以照常例聚集斷定。 40 今日的擾亂本是無緣無故，我們難免被查問；論到這樣聚眾，我們也說不出所以然來。」 41 說了這話，便叫眾人散去。