World English Bible · Under Rome
Acts 19
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While was at , , having passed through the upper country, came to and found certain . He said to them, "Did you receive when you ?" They said to him, "No, we haven't even heard that there is a ." He said, "Into what then were you ?" They said, "Into ." said, " indeed with the of , saying to the people that they should in the one who would come after him, that is, in Christ ." When they heard this, they were in the name of . When had on them, came on them and they spoke with and prophesied. 7They were about twelve men in all. He entered into the and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning Kingdom. But when some were hardened and , speaking evil of before , he departed from them and separated , reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in heard the word of , both and . worked special miracles by the hands of , so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out. But some of the itinerant , exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of , saying, "We adjure you by whom preaches." 14There were seven sons of one , a , who did this. The answered, " I know, and I know, but who are you?" The man in whom the was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house and wounded. This became known to all, both and , who lived at . Fear fell on them all, and the name of was magnified. Many also of those who had came, confessing and declaring their deeds. Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of was growing and becoming mighty. Now after these things had ended, determined in , when he had passed through and , to go to , saying, "After I have been there, I must also see ." Having sent into two of those who him, and , he himself stayed in for a while. About that time there arose no small disturbance concerning . For a certain man named , a silversmith who made silver shrines of , brought no little business to the craftsmen, whom he gathered together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, "Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth. You see and hear that not at alone, but almost throughout all , this has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods that are made with hands. Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that of the great goddess will be counted as nothing and her majesty destroyed, whom all and the world worships." When they heard this they were filled with , and cried out, saying, "Great is of the Ephesians!" The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized and , men of , companions in travel. When wanted to enter in to the people, didn't allow him. Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for was in confusion. Most of them didn't know why they had come together. They brought out of , the putting him forward. beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people. But when they perceived that he was a , all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, "Great is of the Ephesians!" When the town clerk had quieted , he said, "You men of , what man is there who doesn't know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess , and of the which fell down from ? Seeing then that these things can't be denied, you ought to be quiet and to do nothing rash. For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. If therefore and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another. 39But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular . For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning today's riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn't be able to give an account of this commotion." When he had thus spoken, he dismissed .
A public domain modern English translation, free to read and share. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.