使徒行传 19
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
在以弗所
19 亚波罗在哥林多的时候，保罗经过内地一带，来到以弗所。他遇见几个门徒， 2 问他们说：“你们信的时候，受了圣灵没有？”他们说：“没有，连圣灵赐下来这件事，我们也没有听过。” 3 保罗问：“那么你们受的是甚么洗呢？”他们说：“是约翰的洗礼。” 4 保罗说：“约翰施的是悔改的洗礼，他告诉人民当信在他以后要来的那一位，就是耶稣。” 5 他们听见了，就受洗归入主耶稣的名下。 6 保罗为他们按手，圣灵就降在他们身上，他们就用各种的语言讲话，并且说预言。 7 他们一共约有十二人。
8 一连三个月，保罗都到会堂里去，放胆宣讲，辩论 神的国的事，劝导人。 9 可是有些人心里刚硬，不受劝化，在群众面前毁谤这道，保罗就离开他们，也叫门徒与他们分开。他每天在推喇奴学院跟人辩论。 10 这样过了两年，全亚西亚的居民，无论犹太人或希腊人，都听见了主的道。
士基瓦的七个儿子
11 神借着保罗的手，行了一些不平凡的神迹。 12 甚至有人把保罗贴身的手巾围巾拿去，放在病人身上，病就好了，邪灵也出来了。 13 那时，有几个赶鬼的犹太人，周游各处，擅自用主耶稣的名，向身上有邪灵的人说：“我奉保罗所传的耶稣的名，命令你们出来。” 14 有一个犹太人士基瓦，是祭司长，他的七个儿子都作这事。 15 邪灵回答他们：“耶稣我认识，保罗我也知道；你们是谁？” 16 邪灵所附的那人就扑到他们身上，制伏了两人，胜过了他们，使他们赤着身带着伤，从那房子逃了出来。 17 所有住在以弗所的犹太人和希腊人，都知道这件事；大家都惧怕，尊主耶稣的名为大。 18 也有许多信了的人，来承认和述说自己行过的事。 19 又有许多行巫术的人，把他们的书堆在一起当众烧掉。他们估计书价，才知道共值五万块银子。 20 这样，主的道大有能力地兴旺起来，而且得胜。
以弗所的骚动
21 这些事以后，保罗心里定意要经过马其顿、亚该亚，往耶路撒冷去。他说：“我到了那边以后，也该去罗马看看。” 22 于是从服事他的人中，派了提摩太和以拉都两人去马其顿，自己暂时留在亚西亚。
23 那时，因这道起了大扰乱， 24 有一个银匠，名叫低米丢，是制造亚底米女神银龛的。他让技工们作了不少的生意。 25 他把这些人和同业的工人聚集起来，说：“各位，你们知道，我们是靠这生意赚钱的。 26 现在你们看见了，也听见了，这个保罗不单在以弗所，而且几乎在整个亚西亚，说服了，也带坏了许多人，说：‘人手所做的，都不是神。’ 27 这样，不只我们这一行要给人鄙视，就是大女神亚底米的庙也会给人撇弃，连全亚西亚和普天下所敬拜的女神也要垮台，威荣尽都失掉了。”
28 他们听了，怒气冲冲喊着说：“以弗所人的女神，伟大的亚底米啊！” 29 全城骚动起来，他们捉住了保罗的旅伴马其顿人该犹和亚里达古，齐心冲进了剧场。 30 保罗想要到人群当中去，门徒却不许。 31 还有几位亚西亚的首长，是保罗的朋友，派人来劝他，不要冒险到剧场里去。 32 那时大家叫这个喊那个，乱成一团，大多数的人都不知道聚集的原因。 33 犹太人把亚历山大推到前面，群众中有人把这事的因由告诉他。亚历山大作了一个手势，要向民众申辩。 34 大家一认出他是犹太人，就异口同声高呼：“以弗所人的女神，伟大的亚底米啊！”喊了约有两个钟头。 35 后来，书记官安抚群众说：“以弗所人哪！谁不知道你们的城，是看守大亚底米的庙，又是看守宙斯那里降下的神像的呢？ 36 这些事既然是驳不倒的，你们就应当平心静气，不可轻举妄动。 37 你们带来的这些人，既没有行劫庙宇，也没有亵渎我们的女神。 38 如果低米丢和同他一起的技工要控告谁，大可以告上法庭，或呈交总督；让他们彼此控告好了。 39 如果还有其他的事件，可以在合法的集会里，谋求解决。 40 今天的动乱，本来是无缘无故的，我们可能有被控告的危险；关于这次的骚动，我们实在无法解释。” 41 说了这些话，就把群众解散了。
使徒行传 19
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
保罗在以弗所传道
19 当亚波罗在哥林多时，保罗已取道内陆重回以弗所，在那里遇见几个门徒。 2 保罗问他们：“你们信的时候有没有领受圣灵？”
他们说：“没有！我们从来没有听过圣灵的事。”
3 保罗说：“那么，你们受的是什么洗礼呢？”
他们说：“是约翰的洗礼。”
4 保罗说：“约翰的洗礼是悔改的洗礼，约翰告诉百姓要信在他以后来的那位——耶稣。”
5 他们听后，立刻奉主耶稣的名受了洗。 6 保罗把手按在他们身上时，圣灵便降在他们身上，他们就说方言，讲上帝的信息。 7 这次共有十二个人。
8 保罗一连三个月勇敢地在会堂里传道，与人辩论上帝国的事，劝导他们。 9 可是有些人仍然顽固不信，还当众毁谤上帝的道。保罗便带着门徒离开他们，天天在推喇奴的学堂辩论。 10 这样持续了两年，亚细亚全境的居民，无论是犹太人还是希腊人，都听见了主的道。 11 上帝又借着保罗的手行了一些非凡的神迹， 12 甚至只要将保罗身上的手帕或围裙放在病人身上，病人就痊愈了，邪灵也会离开所附的人。
13 那时，有几个走江湖的犹太术士也想用耶稣的名赶鬼，他们向那些被邪灵附身的人说：“我奉保罗所传讲的耶稣之名，命令你们出来！” 14 做这事的有犹太祭司长士基瓦的七个儿子。
15 邪灵回答说：“耶稣，我认识；保罗，我也知道。但你们是谁？” 16 被邪灵附身的人随即扑向他们，攻击他们，制服了他们，使他们赤着身子带着伤从屋里逃走了。
17 全以弗所的犹太人和希腊人知道了这件事，都惊惧不已。主耶稣的名因此大受尊崇。 18 许多已经信耶稣的人都前来认罪，公开承认自己的恶行。 19 又有许多行邪术的人把他们的书堆在一起，当众焚烧。根据当时的估价，这些书约值五万银币。 20 主的道就这样传开了，大大兴旺起来。
21 这些事以后，保罗决定经过马其顿和亚该亚回到耶路撒冷。他说：“到了那里之后，我必须去罗马看看。” 22 于是，他派提摩太和以拉都两位同工先去马其顿，自己暂时留在亚细亚。
以弗所的骚乱
23 就在这时，由于主的道，以弗所又起了很大的骚乱。 24 一个名叫底米丢的银匠以制造亚底米女神银龛为业，使从事这门生意的工匠获利丰厚。 25 他召集了工匠和同行的人，说：“各位都知道我们靠这一行发财， 26 可是你们都看到了，也听见了，那个保罗在以弗所和亚细亚全境说服、误导了许多人，说什么人手所造的不是神。 27 这样下去，不但我们的行业会遭人贬抑，连亚底米女神庙也会被人轻看，甚至全亚细亚及普世尊崇的女神也会威严扫地！”
28 众人听后，怒气填胸，高声喊叫：“以弗所人的亚底米女神真伟大！” 29 全城陷入一片混乱。众人抓住保罗的两个同伴——马其顿人该犹和亚里达古，拖着他们冲进戏院。 30 保罗想进去，但门徒不许他去。 31 他的好友——亚细亚的几位官员也派人劝他别冒险进入戏院。
32 这时，戏院里面的人都在大喊大叫，混乱不堪。其实大部分人根本不知道自己为什么聚在那里。 33 这时，人群中的犹太人把亚历山大推到前面，请他解释。亚历山大举手示意大家安静，听他发言。 34 但众人认出他是个犹太人，便又开始一起高呼：“以弗所人的亚底米女神真伟大！”这样喊了两个小时。
35 最后，城里的书记官出面调停，说：“各位以弗所市民，谁不知道以弗所城守护着亚底米女神庙和从宙斯那里掉下来的神像呢？ 36 既然这是无可否认的事实，你们就该安静，不可鲁莽行事。 37 你们带来的这些人既没有偷庙里的东西，也没有亵渎我们的女神。 38 如果底米丢和他的同行要控告谁，大可到法庭或总督那里提出诉讼。 39 倘若你们还有其他的要求，也可以通过合法的会议解决。 40 今天的骚乱实在没有道理，难免会被查问，到时候我们很难交代。” 41 说完，便叫众人散去。
Acts 19
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 19
Paul in Ephesus.[a] 1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No. We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 He asked, “Then how were you baptized?” They answered, “With the baptism of John.”
4 Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve of them in all.
8 He then entered the synagogue, and during the next three months he spoke out fearlessly and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some remained stubborn in their disbelief and began to malign the Way publicly. So he withdrew from them, taking the disciples with him, and began to hold daily discussions in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, with the result that all the residents of the province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.
11 New Encounter of the Church with Magic.[b] So extraordinary were the wonders God worked through Paul 12 that when handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, they were cured of their diseases and the evil spirits came out of them.
13 Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists used the name of the Lord Jesus over those possessed by evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish leading priest named Sceva were among those who were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit responded, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit sprang at them, overpowered them, and prevailed over them so violently that they fled out of the house battered and naked.
17 When this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, everyone was awestruck, and the name of the Lord Jesus came to be held in ever increasing honor. 18 Moreover, many of those who had become believers came forward and openly confessed their deeds, 19 while a great number of those who practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly. When the value of these books was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver pieces.[c] 20 In such ways did the word of the Lord spread ever more widely and successfully.
21 Paul’s Future Plans.[d] After all this had been accomplished, Paul decided in the Spirit to visit Macedonia and Achaia and then return to Jerusalem. “And after I have been there,” he said, “I must also visit Rome.” 22 Then he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed a while longer in the province of Asia.
23 The Riot of the Silversmiths. About that time, a serious disturbance broke out concerning the Way. 24 A man named Demetrius was a silversmith who crafted silver shrines of Artemis[e] that provided considerable employment for the craftsmen. 25 He called a meeting of these craftsmen and of those in similar trades, and addressed them: “As you men know, our prosperity depends upon this business. 26 And as you can now see and hear, not only in Ephesus but also throughout most of the province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people by insisting that gods fashioned by human hands are not gods.
27 “Therefore, we are facing a dangerous situation. Not only may our business be discredited, but it could also happen that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will become an object of scorn, and that she who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the entire world will be deprived of her greatness.”
28 When they heard this, they became enraged and began to shout, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 The entire city was in an uproar, and the people all rushed to the theater, dragging along with them Gaius and Aristarchus,[f] Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions. 30 Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not permit him to do so. 31 Even some officials of the province of Asia who were friendly to him sent him a message urging him not to venture into the theater.[g]
32 Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in an uproar, and most of the people had no idea why they had all come together. 33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed forward. Then Alexander motioned for silence and tried to offer some type of defense. 34 However, as soon as the crowd recognized him to be a Jew, all of them shouted in unison for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 Finally, the town clerk quieted the crowd and said, “Citizens of Ephesus, is there anyone who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple[h] of the great Artemis and of her statue that descended from heaven? 36 Since these things cannot be denied, you ought to remain calm and do nothing rash. 37 These men whom you have brought here are not temple robbers, nor have they uttered any blasphemy against our goddess.
38 “Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow artisans have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges there against one another. 39 If there are further charges to present, let these be settled in the lawful assembly. 40 As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting today. There is no reason for it, and we will be unable to offer any justification for this commotion.” 41 When he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
Footnotes
- Acts 19:1 The foundation of the Church of Ephesus takes place in the house of a Greek professor. In all likelihood, during this same period Paul’s group established the nearby Churches, such as those of Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis.
- Acts 19:11 Here we have a new account of miracles analogous to those of Peter (Acts 5:15); the Gospel changes one’s life. Then the account becomes picturesque in reporting a new encounter with a milieu influenced by magic. From the Gospels, we know that there were Jewish exorcists (Mt 12:27) and that some even acted in the very name of Jesus (Mk 9:38; Lk 9:49). Those at Ephesus must have moved with ease in this city of superstition where books of magic proliferated. The feeling is that since there is a new name circulating—that of Paul’s Jesus—why not profit from that name so as to be up-to-date! However, once again we see the affirmation of the incompatibility between the magic enterprise and the Christian life. The Gospel will never be a secret act in the hands of sorcerers.
- Acts 19:19 Fifty thousand silver pieces was an enormous sum, representing the wages for 50,000 days of work.
- Acts 19:21 Luke announces the two stages that comprise the last part of Acts (21–28). He presents beforehand each cycle of new events in the course of the one that precedes.
- Acts 19:24 Artemis: the Greek name for the Roman goddess Diana. However, Artemis also had the characteristics of Cybele, the mother goddess of fertility worshiped in Asia Minor. She was one of the most widely worshiped female deities in the Hellenistic world (see Acts 19:27), and her temple at Ephesus was known as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
- Acts 19:29 Aristarchus: later he traveled with Paul from Corinth to Jerusalem (Acts 20:3f) and again from Jerusalem to Rome (Acts 27:1f; Col 4:10).
- Acts 19:31 The story mentions the sympathy Paul won from some officials of the province (“asiarchs,” “heads of Asia”). It also underscores the participation of lay believers in the struggle (vv. 29-30).
- Acts 19:35 Guardian of the temple: a title given by Rome to cities that provided a temple for the cult of the Emperor. Ephesus was recognized as the provider of the temple of Artemis and of the cult of the Emperor. The statue of the goddess (425 feet long and 220 feet wide, with 127 marble columns 62 feet high and less than four feet apart) was thought of as having descended from heaven.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
