Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Acts 19

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  The Holy Ghost is given by Paul's hands.
8  The Jews blaspheme his doctrine, which is confirmed by miracles.
13  The Jewish exorcists,
16  are beaten by the devil.
19  Conjuring books are burnt.
21  Demetrius, for love of gain, raises an uproar against Paul;
35  which is appeased by the townclerk.
Verse 1

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
that
18:24-28, 1 Corinthians 1:12, 3:4-7, 16:12
Paul
18:23
came
18:19-21
Verse 2

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
Have ye
5, 2:17,38,39, 8:15-17, 10:44, 11:15-17, Romans 1:11
We have
1 Samuel 3:7, John 7:39, 1 Corinthians 6:19, 12:1-11, Galatians 3:5
Verse 3

And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Unto what
Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 12:13
Unto John's
18:25, Matthew 3:1-17, Luke 3:1-38
Verse 4

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
John
1:5, 11:16, 13:23-25, Matthew 3:11,12, 11:3-5, 21:25-32, Mark 1:1-12, Luke 1:76-79, 3:16-18, John 1:15,27,29-34, 3:28-36, 5:33-35
Verse 5

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
they
2:38, 8:12,16, Romans 6:3,4, 1 Corinthians 1:13-15, 10:2
Verse 6

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
laid
6:6, 8:17-19, 9:17, 1 Timothy 5:22, 2 Timothy 1:6
the Holy Ghost
2:4, 10:45,46, 13:2, 1 Corinthians 12:8-11,28-30
and prophesied
1 Corinthians 14:1-25
Verse 8

And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
went
13:14,46, 14:1, 26:22,23
disputing
9, 1:3, 9:20-22, 17:1-3,17, 18:4,19, 28:23, Jude 1:3
Verse 9

But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
Cir
A.M. 4061. A.D. 57. divers.
7:51, 13:45,46, 18:6, 2 Kings 17:14, 2 Chronicles 30:8, 36:16, Nehemiah 9:16,17,29, Psalms 95:8, Isaiah 8:14, Jeremiah 7:26, 19:15, John 12:40, Romans 9:18, 11:7; *marg:; Hebrews 3:13
but spake
23, 9:2, 22:4, 24:21, 28:22, 2 Timothy 1:15, 2 Peter 2:2,12, Jude 1:10
he departed
14:4, 17:4, 18:7,8, Matthew 15:14, 16:4, Luke 12:51-53, 1 Timothy 6:5, 2 Timothy 3:5
daily
20:31, Proverbs 8:34, Matthew 26:55, 2 Timothy 4:2
Verse 10

And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
this
18:11, 20:18,31, Romans 10:18
Asia
16:6, 2 Timothy 1:15, 1 Peter 1:1, Revelation 1:4,11
both
18:4, 20:20,21, Romans 1:16, 10:12, 1 Corinthians 1:22-24, Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11
Verse 11

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
5:12, 14:3, 15:12, 16:18, Mark 16:17-20, John 14:12, Romans 15:18,19, Galatians 3:5, Hebrews 2:4
Verse 12

So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
5:15, 2 Kings 4:29-31, 13:20,21
Verse 13

Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
vagabond
Genesis 4:12,14, Psalms 109:10
exorcists
Matthew 12:27, Luke 11:19
took
8:18,19, Mark 9:38, Luke 9:49
adjure
Joshua 6:26, 1 Samuel 14:24, 1 Kings 22:16, Matthew 26:63, Mark 5:7
Verse 15

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
16:17,18, Genesis 3:1-5, 1 Kings 22:21-23, Matthew 8:29-31, Mark 1:24,34, 5:9-13, Luke 4:33-35, 8:28-32
Verse 16

And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Mark 5:3,4,15, Luke 8:29,35
Verse 17

And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
all
and fear
2:43, 5:5,11,13, 13:12, Leviticus 10:3, 1 Samuel 6:20, 2 Samuel 6:9, Psalms 64:9, Luke 1:65, Luke 7:16
the name
Philippians 1:20, 2:9-11, 2 Thessalonians 1:12, 3:1, Hebrews 2:8,9, Revelation 5:12-14
Verse 18

And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
confessed
Leviticus 16:21, 26:40, Job 33:27,28, Psalms 32:5, Proverbs 28:13, Jeremiah 3:13, Ezekiel 16:63, 36:31, Matthew 3:6, Romans 10:10, 1 John 1:9
Verse 19

Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
used
8:9-11, 13:6,8, Exodus 7:11,22, Deuteronomy 18:10-12, 1 Samuel 28:7-9, 1 Chronicles 10:13, 2 Chronicles 33:6, Isaiah 8:19, 47:12,13, Daniel 2:2
curious
[periergos] curious, that is, magical arts, in which sense the word is used in the Greek writers. The study of magic was prosecuted with such zeal at Ephesus, that [Ephesios gramma
and burned
Genesis 35:4, Exodus 32:20, Deuteronomy 7:25,26, Isaiah 2:20,21, 30:22, Matthew 5:29,30, Luke 14:33, Hebrews 10:34
fifty
Probably Attic drachms; which at 7.®d. each, would amount to 1,562£. 10s. or at, 9d. each, to 1,875£.
Verse 20

So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
6:7, 12:24, Isaiah 55:11, 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Verse 21

After these things were ended, 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.
Cir
A.M. 4063. A.D. 59. these.
Romans 15:25-28, Galatians 2:1
purposed
16:6-10, 18:21, 20:22, Lamentations 3:37, Romans 1:13, 2 Corinthians 1:15-18
when
20:1-6
to go
20:16,22, 21:4,11-15,17, 24:17,18, Romans 15:25,26
I must
18:21, 23:11, 25:10-12, 27:1,24, 28:16,30,31, Romans 1:15, 15:23-29, Philippians 1:12-14
Verse 22

So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
Macedonia
16:9,10, 18:5, 20:1, 2 Corinthians 1:16, 2:13, 8:1, 11:9, 1 Thessalonians 1:8
that ministered
13:5, 16:3
Erastus
Romans 16:23, 2 Timothy 4:20
Verse 23

And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
there
2 Corinthians 1:8-10, 6:9
that
9, 9:2, 18:26, 22:4, 24:14,22
Verse 24

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
shrines
[Naus] temples, probably portable silver models of the temple of Diana, and small images of the goddess, somewhat like the Santa Casa purchased by pilgrims at Loretto.
Diana
27,28,34,35
brought
16:16, Isaiah 56:11,12, 1 Timothy 6:9,10
Verse 25

Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
ye know
16:19, Hosea 4:8, 12:7,8, 2 Peter 2:3, Revelation 18:3,11-19
Verse 26

Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
that not
10,18-20, 1 Corinthians 16:8,9, 1 Thessalonians 1:9
that they
14:15, 17:29, Psalms 115:4-8, 135:15-18, Isaiah 44:10-20, 46:5-8, Jeremiah 10:3-5,11,14,15, Hosea 8:6, 1 Corinthians 8:4, 10:19,20, 12:2, Galatians 4:8
made
Verse 27

So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
that not
21, Zephaniah 2:11, Matthew 23:14, 1 Timothy 6:5
whom
1 John 5:19, Revelation 13:3,8
Verse 28

And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
they
7:54, 16:19-24, 21:28-31, Psalms 2:2, Revelation 12:12
and cried
34,35, 1 Samuel 5:3-5, 1 Kings 18:26-29, Isaiah 41:5-7, Jeremiah 50:38, Revelation 13:4, Revelation 17:13
Verse 29

And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
the whole
32, 17:8, 21:30,38
Gaius
Romans 16:23, 1 Corinthians 1:14
Aristarchus
20:4, 27:2, Colossians 4:10, Philemon 1:24
Macedonia
Macedonia, an extensive province of Greece, was bounded on the north by the mountains of Haemus, on the south by Epirus and Achaia, on the east by the Aegean sea and Thrace, and on the west by the Adriatic sea; celebrated in all histories as being the third kingdom which, under Alexander the Great, obtained the empire of the world, and had under it 150 nations.
the theatre
1 Corinthians 4:9; *Gr:
Verse 30

And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
Paul
14:14-18, 17:22-31, 21:39
the disciples
2 Samuel 18:2,3, 21:17
Verse 31

And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
the chief
10, 16:6, Proverbs 16:7
desiring
21:12
Verse 32

Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
cried
29, 21:34
and the
40, Matthew 11:7-9, Luke 7:24-26
Verse 33

And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
Alexander
1 Timothy 1:20, 2 Timothy 4:14
beckoned
12:17, 13:16, 21:40, 24:10, Luke 1:22
his
22:1, 26:1,2, Philippians 1:7
Verse 34

But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
they knew
26, 16:20, Romans 2:22
all
1 Kings 18:26, Matthew 6:7
Great
28, Revelation 13:4
Verse 35

And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
Ye men
Ephesians 2:12
a worshipper
Gr. the temple-keeper. and of.
26, 2 Thessalonians 2:10,11, 1 Timothy 4:2
Jupiter
14:12,13
Verse 36

Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
ye ought
5:35-39, Proverbs 14:29, 25:8
Verse 37

For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
which
25:8, 1 Corinthians 10:32, 2 Corinthians 6:3
Verse 38

Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
Demetrius
have
18:14, Deuteronomy 17:8, 1 Corinthians 6:1
the law is open
or, the court-days are kept.
Verse 39

But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
lawful
or, ordinary.
Verse 40

For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
we are
17:5-8
uproar
20:1, 21:31,38, 1 Kings 1:41, Matthew 26:5
Verse 41

And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
when
Proverbs 15:1,2, Ecclesiastes 9:17
he dismissed
Psalms 65:7, 2 Corinthians 1:8-10

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