Act 19:1 ¶ 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,

Act 19:2 He said unto them, Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. COMMENT: These are Jewish disciples. Israel did not teach a triune God in the days of John the Baptist and Jesus, so it was foreign to them and to Jewish people attending Synagogues everywhere. That is why these wandering Jewish disciples of John the Baptist's had not heard there was any Holy Ghost.

Act 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were you baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

Act 19:4 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.

Act 19:5 When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. COMMENT: By leading believers to be baptized in water, it is expected the Holy Ghost might come upon them; and baptize them in the Spirit if their hearts are right.

Act 19:6 And when Paul had laid [his] hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied. COMMENT: Once again, we have a Scripture the foolish point to as proof they should speak with tongues when they are baptized by the Holy Ghost. These were disciples whose lives were already set apart unto God. To say new believers employed secularly ought to speak in tongues and prophesy when baptised by the Holy Ghost is not wise. It is okay to believe in the gifts of the Spirit, but to say secular believers ought to manifest the gifts, invites religious theatre in the congregations of America.

Act 19:7 And all the men were about twelve.

Act 19:8 And he went into the Synagogue, and spoke boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. COMMENT: There were disputes during those three months, but Paul managed to retain the ears of those in attendance in the Synagogue until...

Act 19:9 But when diverse were hardened, and believed not, but spoke evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. COMMENT: Once a group of diverse unbelieving Jews were hardened, to where they spoke evil of the way that is in Christ; Saint Paul departed from them. And when he did, he SEPARATED THE DISCIPLES who are most likely the twelve he baptised.

Act 19:10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelled in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. COMMENT: Many having heard Paul was stopped from going into Asia, thought the Asians were forsaken by God; but here we find "all they which dwelled in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus.

Act 19:11 ¶ And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 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. COMMENT: Saint Paul found a way to multiply miracles.

Act 19:13 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 preaches."

Act 19:14 And there were seven sons of [one] Sceva, a Jew, [and] Chief of the priests, which did so.

Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" COMMENT: Evil spirits lack virtue, but they are intelligent. Here we find an evil spirit speaking out of the mouth of a man he possess.

Act 19:16 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. COMMENT: A demon possessed man can be a very powerful adversary as we learn in the gospels where Legion possessed by many demons was able to break the chains by which the towns people attempted to bind him. And demons have no fear of man. They do fear the Spirit of the Lord. So the seven Jewish exorcists were driven out of the house naked and wounded; where they tried to cast out the demon in the man.

Act 19:17 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. COMMENT: Resistance melted down in Ephesus when the disaster the seven exorcists experienced became known, and the fear of God fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ was magnified.

Act 19:18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. COMMENT: Repentance should always be accompanied by action faith.

Act 19:19 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. COMMENT: Fifty thousand pieces of silver was no small price.

Act 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. COMMENT: The Word of God grows in believers when their faith is active and they are attempting to grow in spiritual understanding.

Act 19:21 ¶ 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." COMMENT: Paul's desire to go to Jerusalem and to Rome were "PURPOSED IN THE SPIRIT."

Act 19:22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season. COMMENT: Let those who have ears to hear, hear what the Spirit is saying. Saint Paul struggled diligently in the Spirit to preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, but Timothy and Erastus ministered to him. It is not good for a man to preach the gospel alone.

Act 19:23/25 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain [man] named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, "Sirs, you know that by this craft we have our wealth." COMMENT: They apparently made silver shrines for idols of Diana which men worshiped.

Act 19:26 Moreover you see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: COMMENT: Every idol worshiper who converted to Jesus Christ no longer worshiped idols nor had any further need of them, and were a witness against idol worship themselves; so others also gave up buying and worshiping idols.

Act 19:27 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 worships. COMMENT: So the Spirit of God through Saint Paul in particular was putting the makers of idols and of silver shrines unto Diana out of business, and the temple of Diana was becoming despised.

Act 19:28 And when they heard [these sayings], they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, "Great [is] Diana of the Ephesians." COMMENT: Yet it was not the god they were concerned with as much as the loss of their prosperity. "THE HEART IS DECEITFUL AND DESPERATELY WICKED, WHO CAN KNOW IT?" And you can be sure demons were stirring the people up to do violence.

Act 19:29 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. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. COMMENT: The saying "suffered him not" means there was a struggle on their part to keep Paul from going into the arena to deal with this insurrection against the work of God.

Act 19:31 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. COMMENT: Saint Paul's friends knew the temper of the people and their confusion which would have made them the more difficult to manage since they were not of one mind in their errors.

Act 19:32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. COMMENT: There are three distinct factions identified here: One faction crying one thing, another faction crying another; and the third knew not why they had come together.

Act 19:33 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. COMMENT: Saint Paul's friends were right. The multitude was out of control.

Act 19:34 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. COMMENT: This was their way of saying they had their god and would not hear of Christ.

Act 19:35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, [You] men of Ephesus, what man is there that knows 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? Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

Act 19:37 For you have brought here these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. COMMENT: The preacher can preach against idol worship without saying a thing about the object of worship which in this case was their goddess, and by this means the preacher can avoid the accusation of having blasphemed their gods or goddesses.

Act 19:38 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. COMMENT: The towns clerk was indeed wise in the way he calmed the out of control multitude.

Act 19:39 But if you enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.

Act 19:40 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. COMMENT: The Romans who ruled the Empire would not appreciate any kind of rioting under their government, for it threatened their rule.

Act 19:41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.