of the strolling Jews “took upon them to name over them that had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth.”  When two of the sons of Sceva undertook to do this, the man possessed of the evil spirit “leaped on them and mastered both of them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded.”  There were stirring times in Ephesus in those days.  Fear fell upon the people, “and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.”  Many of the believers “came confessing, and declaring their deeds.  And not a few of them that practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.”  “So mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed.”

“And about that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.  For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no little business unto the craftsmen; whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this business we have our wealth.  And 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 are no gods that are made with hands:  and not only is there danger that our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana be made of no account, and that she should even be deposed from her magnificence, whom all Asia and the world worshipeth.  And when they heard this they were filled with wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.  And the city was filled with the confusion:  and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.  And when Paul was minded to enter in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.  And certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent unto him and besought him not to adventure himself into the theater.  Some therefore cried one thing, and some another:  for the assembly was in confusion; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.  And they brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward.  And Alexander beckoned with the hand and would have made a defense unto the people.  But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.  And when the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he saith, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?  Seeing then that these things can not be gainsaid, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash.  For ye have brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.  If therefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen