Paul Goes to Ephesus
1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road to Ephesus. When he arrived, he found some believers there. 2He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”
“No,” they answered. “We haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”
“John’s baptism,” they replied.
4Paul said, “John baptized people, calling them to turn away from their sins. He told them to believe in the one who was coming after him. Jesus is that one.” 5After hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6Paul placed his hands on them. Then the Holy Spirit came on them. They spoke in languages they had not known before. They also prophesied. 7There were about 12 men in all.
8Paul entered the synagogue. There he spoke boldly for three months. He gave good reasons for believing the truth about God’s kingdom. 9But some of them wouldn’t listen. They refused to believe. In public they said evil things about the Way of Jesus. So Paul left them. He took the believers with him. Each day he talked with people in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10This went on for two years. So all the Jews and Greeks who lived in Asia Minor heard the word of the Lord.
11God did amazing miracles through Paul. 12Even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to those who were sick. When this happened, their sicknesses were healed and evil spirits left them.
13Some Jews went around driving out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to set free those who were controlled by demons. They said, “In Jesus’ name I command you to come out. He is the Jesus that Paul is preaching about.” 14Seven sons of Sceva were doing this. Sceva was a Jewish chief priest. 15One day the evil spirit answered them, “I know Jesus. And I know about Paul. But who are you?” 16Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on Sceva’s sons. He overpowered them all. He gave them a terrible beating. They ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
17The Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus heard about this. They were all overcome with fear. They held the name of the Lord Jesus in high honor. 18Many who believed now came and openly admitted what they had done. 19A number of those who had practiced evil magic brought their scrolls together. They set them on fire out in the open. They added up the value of the scrolls. The scrolls were worth more than someone could earn in two lifetimes. 20The word of the Lord spread everywhere. It became more and more powerful.
21After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem. He went through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been to Jerusalem,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.” 22He sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, to Macedonia. But he stayed a little longer in Asia Minor.
Trouble in Ephesus
23At that time many people became very upset about the Way of Jesus. 24There was a man named Demetrius who made things out of silver. He made silver models of the temple of the goddess Artemis. He brought in a lot of business for the other skilled workers there. 25One day he called them together. He also called others who were in the same kind of business. “My friends,” he said, “you know that we make good money from our work. 26You have seen and heard what this fellow Paul is doing. He has talked to large numbers of people here in Ephesus. Almost everywhere in Asia Minor he has led people away from our gods. He says that the gods made by human hands are not gods at all. 27Our work is in danger of losing its good name. People’s faith in the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be weakened. Now she is worshiped all over Asia Minor and the whole world. But soon she will be robbed of her greatness.”
28When they heard this, they became very angry. They began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29Soon people were making trouble in the whole city. They all rushed into the theater. They dragged Gaius and Aristarchus along with them. These two men had come with Paul from Macedonia. 30Paul wanted to appear in front of the crowd. But the believers wouldn’t let him. 31Some of the officials in Asia Minor were friends of Paul. They sent him a message, begging him not to go into the theater.
32The crowd didn’t know what was going on. Some were shouting one thing and some another. Most of the people didn’t even know why they were there. 33The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front. They tried to tell him what to say. But he motioned for them to be quiet. He was about to give the people reasons for his actions. 34But then they realized that he was a Jew. So they all shouted the same thing for about two hours. “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” they yelled.
35The city clerk quieted the crowd down. “People of Ephesus!” he said. “The city of Ephesus guards the temple of the great Artemis. The whole world knows this. They know that Ephesus guards her statue, which fell from heaven. 36These facts can’t be questioned. So calm down. Don’t do anything foolish. 37These men haven’t robbed any temples. They haven’t said evil things against our female god. But you have brought them here anyhow. 38Demetrius and the other skilled workers may feel they have been wronged by someone. Let them bring charges. The courts are open. We have our governors. 39Is there anything else you want to bring up? Settle it in a court of law. 40As it is, we are in danger of being charged with a crime. We could be charged with causing all this trouble today. There is no reason for it. So we wouldn’t be able to explain what has happened.” 41After he said this, he sent the people away.
Honhom Kronkron Ba Adiyifo Bi So
1Bere a Apolo wɔ Korinto no, Paulo tuu kwan faa ɔmantam no atifi koduu Efeso. Ɛhɔ na ohuu agyidifo bi 2bisaa wɔn se, “Bere a mugye dii no, munyaa Honhom Kronkron no ana?”
Wobuaa no se, “Yɛntee mpo da sɛ Honhom Kronkron bi wɔ baabi.”
3Paulo bisaa wɔn bio se, “Ɛno de na asubɔ bɛn na wɔbɔɔ mo?”
Wobuae se, “Asubɔ a Yohane kaa ho asɛm no.”
4Paulo ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Yohane asubɔ no yɛ asu a wɔbɔ wɔn a wɔsakra wɔn adwene. Ɔka kyerɛɛ Israelfo no se, wonnye onipa a odi nʼakyi a ɔreba a ɔne Yesu no nni.” 5Wɔtee saa asɛm no, wɔma wɔbɔɔ wɔn asu wɔ Awurade Yesu din mu. 6Paulo de ne nsa guu wɔn so no, Honhom Kronkron baa wɔn so ma wɔkaa kasa foforo, hyɛɛ nkɔm. 7Na wɔn dodow bɛyɛ mmarima dumien.
8Paulo de nnam kyerɛkyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn Ahenni no ho asɛm wɔ hyiadan mu asram abiɛsa pɛɛ sɛ ɔsakra nnipa no adwene. 9Nanso nnipa no mu bi pirim wɔn koma, annye anni, kasa tiaa asɛm no wɔ atiefo no anim. Enti Paulo fii hɔ de agyidifo no kaa ne ho kɔe. Na Paulo kyerɛkyerɛ wɔ obi a wɔfrɛ no Tirano asuadan mu daa. 10Saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi kɔɔ so mfe abien; enti ɛmaa nnipa a na wɔwɔ Asia mantam mu a Yudafo ne Helafo ka ho no tee Awurade asɛm no.
Skewa Mma Baason No
11Onyankopɔn nam Paulo so yɛɛ anwonwade akɛseakɛse, 12maa mpo ne nnukuu ne nʼatade nsɛnanim a wɔde guu nnipa so no tumi saa nyarewa, tuu ahonhommɔne nso.
13Yudafo bi a wɔnam asumansɛm so tu ahonhommɔne pɛɛ sɛ wɔde Awurade Yesu din tu ahonhommɔne. Wɔkankye kyerɛɛ ahonhommɔne no se, “Meka Yesu a Paulo ka ne ho asɛm no sɛ, muntu mfi ne mu!” 14Yudafo sɔfopanyin bi a na ne din de Skewa no mma baason na na wɔyɛ eyi. 15Honhommɔne no buae se, “Minim Yesu, na minim Paulo; na mo nso mo ne hefo?” 16Afei ɔbarima a honhommɔne ahyɛ no ma yi tow hyɛɛ wɔn so, pirapiraa wɔn ma wɔde adagyaw guan fii fie hɔ.
17Yudafo ne amanamanmufo a wɔte Efeso no tee asɛm no, wɔbɔɔ hu na woyii Awurade Yesu ayɛ. 18Agyidifo no mu bebree baa bagua mu bɛkaa wɔn bɔne ne wɔn kokoamsɛm. 19Wɔn mu nkonyaayifo pii de wɔn nkonyaayi nhoma ba maa wɔhyew wɔ nnipa no nyinaa anim. Wobuu nhoma a wɔhyew no bo no na ɛyɛ nnwetɛbona mpem aduonum. 20Saa anwonwade ahorow yi maa Onyankopɔn asɛm no trɛw tumi so.
Basabasa A Esii Efeso
21Eyinom nyinaa akyi no, Paulo yɛɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛfa Makedonia ne Akaia akɔ Yerusalem. Ɔkae se, “Midu Yerusalem a, akyiri no mɛkɔ Roma nso.” 22Paulo somaa Timoteo ne Erasto a wɔyɛ nʼaboafo no dii nʼanim kan kɔɔ Makedonia, nanso ɔno de, ɔtenaa Asia kyɛɛ kakra.
23Saa bere yi ara mu na basabasa a emu yɛ den a ɛfa Awurade asɛm no ho no sii wɔ Efeso. 24Dwetɛdwumfo bi a wɔfrɛ no Demetrio yɛɛ Artemi abosonnan sɛso. Nʼadwuma no maa nʼadwumayɛfo nyaa wɔn ho sɛɛ tam. 25Ɔfrɛfrɛɛ nʼadwumayɛfo no ne wɔn a wodi saa dwuma ahorow no ara bi no ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Anuanom, munim sɛ yɛn ahonya nyinaa gyina saa dwumadi yi so. 26Mo ara moahu na moate dwuma a saa Paulo yi redi. Ɔka se anyame a nnipa de wɔn nsa ayɛ no nyɛ anyame biara. Ɔnam saa asɛm yi so adan nnipa bebree adwene wɔ Efeso ha ne Asia nyinaa. 27Sɛ yɛanhwɛ no yiye a, yɛn adwuma yi begye dimmɔne. Saa ara na obiara remfa ɔbosom Artemi a wɔsom no wɔ Asia ne wiase nyinaa no nyɛ hwee bio na nʼanim agu ase.”
28Nnipadɔm no tee saa asɛm a Demetrio kae no, wɔn bo fuw fii ase yɛɛ basabasa, teɛteɛɛ mu se, “Efeso Artemi yɛ kɛse!” 29Basabasayɛ no trɛw wɔ kurow no mu nyinaa. Dɔm no kyeree Makedoniafo baanu a wɔn din de Gaio ne Aristarko a na wɔne Paulo retu kwan no de wɔn kɔɔ aguabɔbea. 30Paulo pɛɛ sɛ anka ɔkɔ aguabɔbea hɔ kohyia dɔm no, nanso asuafo no amma no kwan. 31Ɔmantam no mu mpanyimfo bi a na wɔyɛ Paulo nnamfo no soma kɔsrɛɛ no sɛ ɔnkɔ aguabɔbea hɔ.
32Nhyiamu yi yɛɛ basabasa; nnipa no mu bi teɛteɛɛ mu kaa nsɛm bi na ebinom nso teɛɛ mu kaa nsɛm foforo bi, efisɛ na wɔn mu dodow no ara nnim asɛm ko a ɛde wɔn abehyia mu. 33Yudafo no piapiaa Aleksandro kogyinaa dɔm no anim sɛ ɔnkasa. Eyi maa nnipa no bi susuw sɛ Aleksandro nti na wɔahyia hɔ. Afei Aleksandro nyamaa dɔm no pɛɛ sɛ ɔkasa yi ɔno ne ne nkurɔfo ano. 34Dɔm no huu sɛ Aleksandro yɛ Yudani no, wɔteɛteɛ mu nnɔnhwerew abien se, “Efeso Artemi yɛ kɛse!”
35Kurow no sohwɛfo no bɔɔ mmɔden maa dɔm no tɛm dinn. Afei ɔkasa kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Efeso mmarima, obiara nim sɛ Efeso kurow yi na ɛhwɛ Artemi hyiadan ne ohoni a efi ɔsoro beduruu no so. 36Obiara rentumi nnye eyi ho akyinnye enti monyɛ komm, monnyɛ basabasa biara. 37Mode saa nnipa yi aba ha wɔ bere a wonwiaa biribiara mfii yɛn hyiadan mu, nkaa asɛmmɔne biara ntia yɛn nyame no. 38Sɛ Demetrio ne adwumfo a wɔka ne ho no wɔ obi ho asɛm bi a, asennii ne mpanyin wɔ hɔ, wɔmfa mmɛto gua. 39Nanso sɛ mowɔ biribi foforo bi ka a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔmanfo hyia na wɔfa mmara kwan so ka ho asɛm. 40Sɛ yɛanhwɛ yiye a, wɔbɛka se saa nnɛ basabasayɛ yi fi yɛn. Saa basabasayɛ yi ho nhia. Sɛ wobisa yɛn ho asɛm a, yɛrennya anoyi biara.” 41Ɔkasa wiei no, otuu gua no.
