Acts 19 – NIRV & ASCB

New International Reader’s Version

Acts 19:1-41

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.

Asante Twi Contemporary Bible

Asomafoɔ 19:1-41

Honhom Kronkron Si Agyidifoɔ Bi So

1Ɛberɛ a Apolo wɔ Korinto no, Paulo tuu ɛkwan faa ɔmantam no atifi kɔduruu Efeso. Ɛhɔ na ɔhunuu agyidifoɔ bi 2bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Ɛberɛ a mogye diiɛ no, monyaa Honhom Kronkron no anaa?”

Wɔbuaa no sɛ, “Yɛntee mpo da sɛ Honhom Kronkron bi wɔ baabi.”

3Paulo bisaa wɔn bio sɛ, “Ɛnneɛ na asubɔ bɛn na wɔbɔɔ mo?”

Wɔbuaa sɛ, “Asubɔ a Yohane kaa ho asɛm no.”

4Paulo ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Yohane asubɔ no yɛ ahonu asubɔ. Ɔka kyerɛɛ Israelfoɔ no sɛ, wɔnnye onipa a ɔdi nʼakyi a ɔreba a ɔne Yesu no nni.” 5Wɔtee saa asɛm yi no, wɔmaa wɔbɔɔ wɔn asu wɔ Awurade Yesu din mu. 6Paulo de ne nsa guu wɔn so no, Honhom Kronkron baa wɔn so maa wɔkaa kasa foforɔ, hyɛɛ nkɔm. 7Na wɔn dodoɔ bɛyɛ mmarima dumienu.

8Paulo de nnam kyerɛkyerɛɛ Onyankopɔn Ahennie no ho asɛm wɔ hyiadan mu abosome mmiɛnsa pɛɛ sɛ ɔsakyera nnipa no adwene. 9Nanso, nnipa no mu bi pirimm wɔn akoma, annye nni, kasa tiaa nnipa a wɔka ekuo a wɔfrɛ no Ɛkwan no ho wɔ atiefoɔ no anim. Enti, Paulo firii hɔ de agyidifoɔ no kaa ne ho kɔeɛ. Na Paulo kyerɛkyerɛ wɔ obi a wɔfrɛ no Tirano suadan mu daa. 10Saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi kɔɔ so mfeɛ mmienu; enti ɛmaa nnipa a na wɔwɔ Asia mantam mu a Yudafoɔ ne Helafoɔ ka ho no tee Awurade asɛm no.

Skewa Mma Baason No

11Onyankopɔn nam Paulo so yɛɛ anwanwadeɛ akɛseakɛseɛ, 12maa mpo ne nnuku ne nʼatadeɛ nsɛnanimu a wɔde guu nnipa so no tumi saa nyarewa, tuu ahonhommɔne nso.

13Yudafoɔ bi a wɔnam asumansɛm so tu ahonhommɔne pɛɛ sɛ wɔde Awurade Yesu din tu ahonhommɔne. Wɔkankye kyerɛɛ ahonhommɔne no sɛ, “Meka Yesu a Paulo ka ne ho asɛm no sɛ, montu mfiri ne mu!” 14Yudafoɔ sɔfopanin bi a na ne din de Skewa no mma baason na na wɔyɛ yei. 15Honhommɔne no buaa sɛ, “Menim Yesu, na menim Paulo; na mo nso mone ɛhefoɔ?” 16Afei, ɔbarima a honhommɔne ahyɛ no ma yi to hyɛɛ wɔn so, pirapiraa wɔn maa wɔde adagya dwane firii efie hɔ.

17Yudafoɔ ne amanamanmufoɔ a wɔte Efeso no tee asɛm yi no, wɔbɔɔ hu na wɔyii Awurade Yesu ayɛ. 18Agyidifoɔ no mu bebree baa badwa mu bɛkaa wɔn bɔne ne wɔn kɔkoamsɛm. 19Wɔn mu nkonyaayifoɔ pii de wɔn nkonyaayie nwoma baeɛ maa wɔhyee wɔ nnipa no nyinaa anim. Wɔbuu nwoma a wɔhyeeɛ no boɔ no na ɛyɛ nnwetɛbena ɔpeduonum. 20Saa anwanwadeɛ ahodoɔ yi maa Onyankopɔn asɛm no trɛɛ tumi so.

Basabasa A Ɛsii Efeso

21Yeinom nyinaa akyi no Paulo yɛɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛfa Makedonia ne Akaia akɔ Yerusalem. Ɔkaa sɛ, “Meduru Yerusalem a, akyire no mɛkɔ Roma nso.” 22Paulo somaa Timoteo ne Erasto a wɔyɛ nʼaboafoɔ no dii nʼanim ɛkan kɔɔ Makedonia, nanso ɔno de, ɔtenaa Asia kyɛɛ kakra.

23Saa ɛberɛ yi ara mu na basabasa a emu yɛ den a ɛfa nnipa a wɔka ekuo a wɔfrɛ no Ɛkwan no ho sii wɔ Efeso. 24Dwetɛdwumfoɔ bi a wɔfrɛ no Demetrio yɛɛ Artemi abosonnan sɛso. Nʼadwuma no maa nʼadwumayɛfoɔ nyaa wɔn ho sei tam. 25Ɔfrɛfrɛɛ nʼadwumayɛfoɔ no ne wɔn a wɔdi saa dwuma ahodoɔ no ara bi no ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Anuanom, monim sɛ yɛn ahonya nyinaa gyina saa dwumadie yi so. 26Mo ara moahunu, na moate dwuma a saa Paulo yi redi. Ɔka sɛ, anyame a nnipa de wɔn nsa ayɛ no nyɛ anyame biara. Ɔnam saa asɛm yi so adane nnipa bebree adwene wɔ Efeso ha ne Asia nyinaa. 27Sɛ yɛanhwɛ no yie a, yɛn adwuma yi bɛgye din bɔne. Saa ara nso na obiara remfa ɔbosom Artemi a wɔsom no wɔ Asia ne ewiase nyinaa no nyɛ hwee bio na nʼanim agu ase.”

28Nnipadɔm no tee saa asɛm a Demetrio kaeɛ no, wɔn bo fuiɛ, hyɛɛ aseɛ yɛɛ basabasa, teateaam sɛ, “Efeso Artemi yɛ kɛse!” 29Basabasayɛ no trɛɛ wɔ kuro no mu nyinaa. Ɛdɔm no kyeree Makedoniafoɔ baanu a wɔn din de Gaio ne Aristarko a na wɔne Paulo retu ɛkwan no de wɔn kɔɔ adwabɔeɛ. 30Paulo pɛɛ sɛ anka ɔkɔ adwabɔeɛ hɔ kɔhyia dɔm no, nanso asuafoɔ no amma no kwan. 31Ɔmantam no mu mpanin no mu bi a na wɔyɛ Paulo nnamfo no soma kɔsrɛɛ no sɛ ɔnnkɔ adwabɔeɛ hɔ.

32Nhyiamu yi yɛɛ basabasa; nnipa no mu bi teateaam kaa nsɛm bi, na ebinom nso teaam kaa nsɛm foforɔ bi, ɛfiri sɛ, na wɔn mu dodoɔ no ara nnim asɛm ko a ɛde wɔn abɛhyia mu. 33Yudafoɔ no piapiaa Aleksandro kɔgyinaa dɔm no anim sɛ ɔnkasa. Yei maa nnipa no bi susuu sɛ Aleksandro enti na wɔahyia hɔ. Afei, Aleksandro nyamaa dɔm no pɛɛ sɛ ɔkasa yi ɔno ne ne nkurɔfoɔ ano. 34Ɛdɔm no hunuu sɛ Aleksandro yɛ Yudani no pɛ, wɔteateaam nnɔnhwere mmienu sɛ, “Efeso Artemi yɛ kɛse!”

35Kuro no sohwɛfoɔ no bɔɔ mmɔden maa dɔm no tɛm dinn. Afei, ɔkasa kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Efeso mmarima, obiara nim sɛ Efeso kuro yi na ɛhwɛ Artemi asɔrefie ne ohoni a ɛfiri soro bɛduruiɛ no so. 36Obiara rentumi nnye yei ho akyinnyeɛ enti monyɛ komm, monnyɛ basabasa biara. 37Mode saa nnipa yi aba ha wɔ ɛberɛ a wɔnwiaa biribiara mfirii yɛn asɔrefie, nkaa asɛmmɔne biara ntiaa yɛn nyame no. 38Sɛ Demetrio ne adwumfoɔ a wɔka ne ho no wɔ obi ho asɛm bi a, asɛnniiɛ ne mpanin wɔ hɔ, wɔmfa mmɛto dwa. 39Nanso, sɛ mowɔ biribi foforɔ bi ka a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔmanfoɔ hyia, fa mmara kwan so ka ho asɛm. 40Sɛ yɛanhwɛ yie a, wɔbɛka sɛ saa ɛnnɛ basabasayɛ yi firi yɛn. Saa basabasayɛ yi ho nhia. Sɛ wɔbisa yɛn ho asɛm a, yɛrennya anoyie biara.” 41Ɔkasa wieeɛ no, ɔtuu dwa no.