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Scripture • World English Bible
Acts 19:11–20
11God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul,
12so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.
13But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
14There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.
15The evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?”
16The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
18Many also of those who had believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds.
19Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.
World English Bible (WEB) • Public Domain
Reflection
Acts 19 paints a vivid scene: God worked extraordinary signs through Paul, and people noticed. Some tried to borrow that power by invoking the name of Jesus as a formula—men who had no true relationship with Christ attempted to command evil spirits by repeating words they did not truly own. The outcome was humiliating and instructive: the spirits recognized Jesus and Paul, but not the pretenders; those who misused the name were overpowered and fled wounded. The result in Ephesus was not triumphalism about human success but a sober, widespread reverence for Jesus. Fear fell on the city, many who believed openly confessed their wrongs, and those involved in occult practices publicly renounced them, burning costly books. The word of the Lord grew and prevailed.
Several truths stand out for us. First, the name of Jesus is not a magic charm. Power belongs to him, not to formulas. Trying to wield his name apart from faith and surrender produces no true spiritual authority and can expose the emptiness of presumption. Second, authentic encounters with Jesus lead to conviction and repentance. The miracles and the failure of the exorcists pushed people to see the difference between show and reality. Repentance in Ephesus was concrete and costly—people counted the value of what they were abandoning and burned it—and that kind of surrender propelled the gospel forward. Third, public, visible change magnifies Christ. When the community saw the contrast between those who trusted Jesus and those who tried to manipulate him, the name of the Lord was lifted high and the Word grew.
This passage comforts and challenges us. It comforts us because the Lord’s name is powerful and his work is not ultimately dependent on our skillful techniques—God’s word grows. It challenges us to examine how we treat Jesus’ name and whether our spiritual life rests on true relationship and the Spirit’s work rather than appearances, clever words, or old habits. Genuine faith results in humble dependence on Jesus, honest confession, and a readiness to abandon whatever competes with him. The Ephesian believers offer a model: when conviction came, they acted together, publicly, and sacrificially, and the gospel advanced.
So live with reverence for the name of Jesus. Pray with dependence, preach with humility, and when conviction comes, obey with courage. Let your life display that the Lord is not a thing to be used but a Savior to be trusted—so that his name is magnified in your community and the Word of the Lord grows and becomes mighty.
Putting Faith Into Action
- If you’ve dabbled in or been influenced by occult practices, confess this to a trusted pastor or brother and take concrete steps to renounce them—remove or destroy objects, cancel occult subscriptions, and join an accountability relationship.
- When you pray or witness, use the name of Jesus with humility and dependence—avoid treating his name as a formula and instead explain who Jesus is and what he has done for you; point people to relationship with Christ, not words alone.
- When you see religious showmanship or empty spiritual jargon, gently expose it by contrasting it with gospel truth—speak the name of Jesus faithfully, call others to repentance, and model the costly, visible discipleship that honors Christ.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, magnify your name in my life. Give me humility to trust you, courage to confess and turn from what dishonors you, and boldness to point others to your saving power. Fill me with your Spirit so that my words and actions bring glory to you, not to myself. Amen.
Memory Verse
Acts 19:17 — This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. (WEB)
“This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.”
Bible Context
Read all of Acts 19
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Bible Context
Read all of Acts 19
Acts 19
World English Bible • WEB
1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.
2He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
3He said, “Into what then were you baptized?”
4Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.”
5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.
7They were about twelve men in all.
8He entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.
9But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
10This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
11God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul,
12so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.
13But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
14There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.
15The evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?”
16The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
18Many also of those who had believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds.
19Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.
21Now after these things had ended, Paul determined 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.”
22Having sent into Macedonia two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
23About that time there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way.
24For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen,
25whom he gathered together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth.
26You see and hear that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods that are made with hands.
27Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.”
28When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.
30When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn’t allow him.
31Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater.
32Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Most of them didn’t know why they had come together.
33They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people.
34But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35When the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he said, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?
36Seeing then that these things can’t be denied, you ought to be quiet and to do nothing rash.
37For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.
38If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another.
39But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly.
40For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning today’s riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn’t be able to give an account of this commotion.”
41When he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
World English Bible (WEB) • Public Domain
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