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,
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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.
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And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
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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.
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When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
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And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
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And all the men were about twelve.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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And God wrought special* miracles by the hands of Paul:
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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.
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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.
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And there were seven sons of one Sceva*, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
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And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
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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.
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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.
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And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
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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.
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.
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So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
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And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
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For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
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Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
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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:
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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.
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And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
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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.
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And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
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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.
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Some therefore* cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought* to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
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For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
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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.
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But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
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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.
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And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
1 [A Psalm of David.] Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
