PAUL COMES TO EPHESUS AND STAYS THERE FOR TWO YEARS. DEMETRIUS STIRS UP THE WORKMEN AGAINST HIM. PAUL PREACHES AT TROAS, WHERE HE RAISES EUTYCHUS FROM THE DEAD. FROM MILETUS HE SENDS FOR THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS. HE GOES TO JERUSALEM, AND IS TAKEN BY THE JEWS WHILE WORSHIPPING AT THE TEMPLE.
AFTER this, Paul stayed in Corinth for a good while. Then he bade farewell to the brethren there, and sailed away to the land of Syria, and came to the city of Ephesus. He was in Ephesus for three years preaching the gospel, until all the people in that part of Asia, both Jews and Gentiles, heard it. And God gave him power to do wonderful miracles, so that handkerchiefs, or aprons, which he had touched, when taken to persons who were sick, or had evil spirits, made them well.
Then some idle Jews, who spent their time in wandering about from one place to another, thought they would try to cast out evil spirits also; and they spoke to them as Paul did, saying, We command you, in Jesus' name, to come out. There were seven brothers who did this; but the evil spirit answered them, and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was, leaped on them and beat them, so that they fled out of the house wounded and with their clothes torn from them. And all the people heard of it, and many who had been wicked, believed, and came to Paul confessing the evil they had done. Others, who before that time had deceived the people, pretending they could work by magic, brought the books which taught about such things, and burned them where all the people could see it. And when they had counted up the cost of the books, they found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. Yet the men to whom they belonged were willing to destroy them, rather than continue to use them in doing what they knew would offend God.
Now the people of Ephesus worshipped an idol which they pretended had fallen down from heaven. Its name was Diana; and they had in their city a very splendid temple where this idol was kept. The temple was built of cedar and cypress-wood, and of marble and gold. The people were two hundred and twenty years in building it. It was known among all nations, and persons from every land came to visit it; for it was thought to be one of the most beautiful and wonderful things in the world.
There were men at Ephesus who made little copies of this temple out of silver, with an image of Diana inside. These were called shrines. The men who made them sold them to the people, and in this way earned much money. One of the men was named Demetrius. When he heard Paul telling the people that they should not worship idols, and saw that many were obeying what Paul said, Demetrius called together all the workmen who made silver shrines for Diana, and said to them, Sirs, you know that it is by making these we get our wealth. Now you have heard that both here in Ephesus, and in almost every other city of Asia, this Paul has persuaded many persons, telling them that those are false gods which are made with men's hands. So there is danger, not only that we cannot sell our shrines, but also that the great goddess Diana shall not be worshipped any longer, and that the people will come to her beautiful temple no more.
When the workmen heard what Demetrius said, they were filled with rage and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was soon in confusion. Then the workmen, having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, two men who had come with Paul to Ephesus, rushed all together into the theatre. When Paul wanted to go in and speak with them, the disciples would not let him, fearing that harm might be done to him. Some of the chief men of the city also, who were his friends, sent him word not to go. For the people were in a great uproar, some of them crying one thing and some another; yet many who had followed the workmen into the theatre did not know why they had come. The Jews also came there to speak against Paul; and one of them, named Alexander, stood up and motioned with his hand for the people to be still and listen to what he said; yet they would not, but all the multitude cried out together, for about two hours, Great is Diana of the Then one of the chief officers of the city, called the town-clerk, came in among them, and, as soon as they were quiet, spoke to them, saying, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there among you who does not know that the people of our city are worshippers of the great goddess Diana, and of her image that fell down from heaven? Now, as no one denies this, you ought to be careful and do nothing in anger. For you have brought here the men called Christians, who have not robbed your temple, nor spoken evil of your goddess. Therefore, if Demetrius, and the workmen who are with him, have any complaint to make against them, let him go before the court and prove what evil they have done. For we are in danger of being blamed by our rulers for this day's disturbance, because we can give no reason Why it should have been made. When the town-clerk had spoken these words, he sent the people away.
After they were gone, Paul called to him the disciples, and bidding them farewell left them, and went again into the land of Macedonia. When he had preached in the different cities of that land, he came again to Troas, in Asia. And on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to eat of the bread and drink of the wine, as Jesus had commanded, Paul preached to them, for he was going to leave Troas the next day. There were many lights in the upper chamber where they met together, and Paul continued speaking till the middle of the night. And there sat in a window, listening to him, a young man named Eutychus, who, as Paul was long preaching, slept, and while asleep, fell from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down to him and putting his arms around him, said to those who stood by, Do not be troubled; he has come to life again. And the young man's friends, when they saw that he was alive, took him up and were comforted. When Paul had returned to the upper chamber and eaten with the disciples, and talked with them a long while, even till it was morning, he left them to go from Troas.
And he, and the brethren who were with him, sailed to the city of Miletus, which was not far from Ephesus. And because he did not wish to go to Ephesus at that time, he sent for the elders of the church there, to come and meet him. When they had come, he spoke to them, saying, You know, from the first day that I came among you, and for the three years that I stayed with you, how I lived at all times; serving the Lord humbly, yet having many sorrows and trials because of the Jews, who were always seeking to do me some harm. And you know that when I preached to you, I did not keep back anything that it was best for you to hear, even though it were something that might offend you; but I taught you in the synagogue and in your own houses, telling both the Jews and the Gentiles, that they should repent of their sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And now I am going up to Jerusalem, not knowing what shall happen to me there, except that in every city the Holy Spirit tells me, bonds and afflictions are waiting for me. Yet none of these things make me afraid, neither do I care, even though I be put to death, so that I may die with joy and finish the work which the Lord Jesus has given me, as his minister, to do. And now I know that all of you who have heard me preach the gospel so often, shall see my face no more. Therefore before I go, I want you to confess that if any of you be lost at the Judgment day, the fault will not be mine; for I have not neglected to tell you how you may be saved, as God sent me to tell you.
After Paul had said these things, he kneeled down and prayed with them. And they all wept greatly, and put their arms around his neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they should see his face no more. And they went with him to the ship in which he sailed away from Miletus.
And he came to the city of Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her burden. Finding some disciples there, he stayed with them seven days. As he was about to leave them, they, with their wives and children, came with him to the shore; and they all kneeled down together and prayed. And when they had bidden each other farewell, Paul and the brethren who journeyed with him, went into the ship, and the disciples returned to their own homes. And Paul came to the city of Cesarea, and went into the house of Philip, one of the seven deacons on whom the apostles had laid their hands; it was that Philip who preached the gospel to the eunuch, as he rode in his chariot going back from Jerusalem to Ethiopia.
While Paul was in Philip's house, a prophet, named Agabus, came there, who took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet with it, saying, The Holy Ghost has told me, that the Jews at Jerusalem shall so bind the man who owns this girdle, and shall give him to the Gentiles to be punished. When the disciples who were with Paul, heard these words, they wept, and begged him earnestly, not to go up to Jerusalem lest some evil should happen him. But he said to them, Why do you weep, to trouble me and break my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem, if they will kill me for preaching about Jesus. When they saw that he would not be persuaded to stay, they begged him no more, but said, Whatever the Lord will, let it be done.
After this Paul and his company left Cesarea and went up to Jerusalem; and the brethren at Jerusalem were glad when they saw him. The day afterward he went to the house of James, one of the apostles, and all the elders of the church were there to meet him. Then Paul told them of the places to which he had been, and how God had helped him, so that by his preaching many Gentiles believed. When they heard these things they rejoiced and thanked God for what had been done.
And Paul went up to the temple. But while he was there, some Jews from Asia saw him and took hold of him, crying out to all the people, Men of Israel, help us. This is the man who teaches the people everywhere not to obey the law of Moses, nor to worship here; and beside this, he has brought with him into the temple, Gentiles, who are not allowed to come in this holy place. And soon all the city was in an uproar, and the people ran together and took Paul and brought him away from the temple; and immediately the gates leading into the courts of the temple were shut. And as they were about to kill him, some person went and told the chief captain of the Roman soldiers, that stayed in a castle near the temple to guard it and keep order there.
Then the chief captain, taking some of his soldiers with him, ran down among the people, who, when they saw him coming, stopped beating Paul. And the chief captain took him from them and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and asked who he was and what he had done. And some of the multitude cried one thing and some another, so that no one could tell what they said. Then the chief captain ordered him to be taken into the castle. And when they came upon the stairs which led up to the castle, the soldiers carried Paul, to save him from the people, for they followed after him, crying out, Away with him! kill him!
And as the soldiers were leading Paul off to shut him up in the castle, he said to the chief captain, May I speak to thee? Now there had been, before this time, a man from Egypt who deceived the Jews. Pretending that he was a prophet, he persuaded them to follow him out into the wilderness, and caused many of them to be slain. When the chief captain saw the people so angry, he thought Paul was that man. Therefore he said to him, Art thou not that Egyptian who did lead men out into the wilderness? Paul answered, No, I am a Jew who was born in Tarsus, which is a well-known city, and I beseech thee let me speak to the people.
When permission had been given him, Paul stood on the stairs where the people could see him, and motioned with his hands for them to be still. As soon as there was silence among them, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, which he knew the Jews would understand. He said, I am in truth a man that is a Jew, who was born in Tarsus, but brought up in this city of Jerusalem; and I was taught by a learned Jew, named Gamaliel, all the laws which Moses spoke to our fathers. And I was as anxious that every one should obey those laws as you are this day; for I persecuted, and wanted to put to death, all who believed in Jesus, binding them and sending them to prison, both men and women. The high priest, and all the Council of the Sanhedrim, will tell you that what I say is true, for they gave me letters to the Jews at Damascus, that I might go and bind the Christians whom I found there, and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.
But as I went on my journey and came near to Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light around me. And I fell down to the ground, and heard a voice, saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? I answered, Who art thou, Lord? He said, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. The men who were with me saw the light and were afraid, but they could not understand the words that were spoken. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? The Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee what thou must do.
And when I could not see, because the brightness of that light had blinded me, I was led by the hand and came into Damascus. After three days, a disciple there, named Ananias, who feared God and was well thought of by all the Jews, came and stood by me and said, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And immediately I could see him. And he said to me, God has allowed thee to see Jesus and hear him speak, so that thou shouldst go and preach to all nations about him. And three years after that time, when I was in Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, I saw Jesus again, in a vision, and heard him say, Make haste; go quickly out of Jerusalem, for the Jews will not believe what thou tellest them about me, and I will send thee far away to preach among the Gentiles.
And all the multitude of the Jews, to whom Paul was speaking, listened until he had spoken these words about preaching to the Gentiles; then they cried out with loud voices, Kill him, for such a fellow is not fit to live. As they said this, and, in their rage, cast off their outer garments, and threw dust in the air, the chief captain commanded that Paul should be brought into the castle and scourged, to make him confess what evil he had done.
But as they bound him with cords, and made ready to scourge him, Paul said to the Centurion who stood near by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a free Roman, before any evil has been proved against him? When the Centurion heard this, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Be careful what thou doest, for this man is a Roman. Then the chief captain came and said to Paul, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He answered, Yes. The chief captain said, I paid a great sum of money to be made a free Roman. Paul answered, But I was born free. He said this, because his father was a freeman, as we have read. Then the men who were about to scourge him, went away and left him; and the chief captain, also, after he heard that Paul was a Roman, was afraid lest he might be punished for having bound him.
The next day, when the chief captain wanted to know certainly what the Jews accused him of, he commanded all the Council of the Sanhedrim to meet together, and brought Paul down and set him before them. And Paul looking earnestly upon them, said, Men and Brethren, I have done only those things that my conscience told me were right, until this day. Then Ananias, the high priest, ordered those who stood near Paul to smite him on the mouth. Paul said, God shall smite thee, thou hypocrite, for pretending to try me according to the law, and yet commanding me to be smitten before I am proved guilty, which is against the law. The Jews said to him, Dost thou insult the high priest? Paul answered, I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest.
Then Paul tried again to speak to the men in the council, but soon there rose such a great uproar among them, that the chief captain, fearing he might be torn in pieces, commanded the soldiers to go and take him from them, by force, and bring him into the castle.
The next night, while Paul was kept a prisoner, the Lord Jesus came and stood by him, and said, Fear not, Paul, for as thou hast spoken about me to the people here in Jerusalem, so shalt thou also speak about me in the city of Rome. And in the morning some of the Jews agreed together, and promised one another solemnly, that they would neither eat bread nor drink water till they had killed Paul. There were more than forty who made this promise. Then they went to the chief priests and elders, and said to them, We have agreed with one another that we will not eat nor drink, till we have slain Paul. Now, therefore, do you tell the chief captain to bring him down to-morrow before the council, as though you wanted to ask some more questions of him; and while he is being brought, we will come upon him and kill him.
But Paul's sister's son heard what the Jews said, and he went into the castle and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, saying, Bring this young man to the chief captain, for he has something to tell him. So the centurion took him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner begged me to bring this young man to thee.
Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and led him to a place alone and asked him, saying, What is it thou hast to tell me? The young man answered, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring Paul down to-morrow, before the council, pretending they wish to inquire something more of him. But do not thou bring him, for there will be hidden, by the way, more than forty of them, who have promised each other solemnly that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him. And they are now waiting, hoping that thou wilt do as they ask. Then the chief captain let the young man go, saying, See thou tell no one that thou hast spoken these things to me.
The Roman governor of Judea was named Felix. He did not live at Jerusalem, but at the city of Cesarea, which was on the sea coast, about sixty miles from Jerusalem. When the chief captain heard that the Jews wanted to kill Paul, he determined to send him to the governor. So he called to him two centurions, and said to them, Make ready two hundred foot soldiers, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, to go to Cesarea at the third hour of the night. And send also beasts for Paul, and the men who are with him, to ride upon, that he may be taken safe to Felix, the governor of Judea.
And the chief captain wrote a letter to the governor, saying, The man whom I send to thee was taken by the Jews, who were about to kill him; then I went with soldiers and took him from them, for I heard he was a Roman. And because I wanted to know what evil they accused him of, I brought him before their council, and found that he had not done anything for which he ought to be put to death. When it was told me that they were still determined to kill him, I sent him to thee, and commanded the Jews who accused him, to go and tell thee what they had against him. Farewell.
Then the soldiers took Paul and brought him by night, to the town of Antipatris, which was on the way to Cesarea. There the foot-soldiers left him and returned to the castle at Jerusalem, but the horsemen brought him the next day to the governor at Cesarea; and they gave the governor the letter which the chief captain had sent. After reading the letter the governor asked Paul in what part of the empire he was born; when Paul told him, he said, I will hear what thou hast to say when the Jews who accuse thee shall also come to Cesarea. And he commanded that Paul should be kept in prison till they came.