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JULY 15
But those of everyone who is hasty,
surely to poverty.
Acts 19:1–20
19:13 itinerant Jewish exorcists. Simon
And it happened, while Apollos was at Magus (8:9–25) and Bar-Jesus (13:6–12) were
19 Corinth, that Paul, having passed other possible examples of such charlatans
through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. (Matt.12:27).In contrast to the absolute author-
And finding some disciples he said to them, ity exercised by Jesus and the apostles over
2
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you demons, those exorcists sought to expel the
believed?” demons by attempting to call on a more potent
So they said to him, “We have not so much spirit being—in this case the Lord Jesus.
as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 And he said to them, “Into what then were 19:15 Jesus…Paul I know. Recognizing that
you baptized?” the exorcists had no authority over him (unlike
Jesus and Paul), the demon rejected their
So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” attempt to expel him from his victim.This con-
Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with firms that the power to cast out demons
4
a baptism of repentance, saying to the people belonged to Jesus and the apostles and no one
that they should believe on Him who would else.Even the demons give testimony to that.
come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
5
When they heard this, they were baptized 19:19 books. Of secret magical spells.Burning
6
in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul them proved the genuineness of the magi-
had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came cians’ repentance. Having destroyed these
upon them, and they spoke with tongues and books,they could not easily resume their prac-
7
prophesied. Now the men were about twelve tices. fifty thousand pieces of silver. Fifty
in all. thousand days’wages for a common laborer—
And he went into the synagogue and spoke
8 an astonishing sum of money given to indi-
boldly for three months, reasoning and per- cate how widespread the practice of magic
suading concerning the things of the kingdom was in Ephesus.
of God. But when some were hardened and
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did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way 15
before the multitude, he departed from them And the evil spirit answered and said, “Je-
and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in sus I know, and Paul I know; but who are
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the school of Tyrannus. And this continued you?”
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for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia Then the man in whom the evil spirit was
heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews leaped on them, overpowered them, and pre-
and Greeks. vailed against them, so that they fled out of
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Now God worked unusual miracles by the
11 that house naked and wounded. This became
hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in
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aprons were brought from his body to the Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the
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sick, and the diseases left them and the evil name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And
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spirits went out of them. Then some of the many who had believed came confessing and
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itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon them- telling their deeds. Also, many of those who
selves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over had practiced magic brought their books
those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exor- together and burned them in the sight of all.
cise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” And they counted up the value of them, and it
20
Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jew-
14 totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the
ish chief priest, who did so. word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
DAY 15: How could the “disciples”of Acts 19:1 not have received the Holy Spirit?
Coming to Ephesus,Paul found “some disciples.”They were of John the Baptist (v.3),hence Old
Testament seekers. That they did not yet fully understand the Christian faith is evident from their
reply to Paul’s question (v. 2).The word “disciple”means “learner,”or “follower,”and does not always
refer to Christians (Matt. 9:14; 11:2; Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33; 7:18,19; 11:1; John 1:35; 6:66). Followers of
John the Baptist, like this group, existed into the second century.
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”(v. 2).The question reflects Paul’s uncer-
tainty about their spiritual status. Since all Christians receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of sal-
vation, their answer revealed they were not yet fully Christians.They had not yet received Christian
baptism (having been baptized only “into John’s baptism”),which further evidenced that they were
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