Acts 19:11-20

Common English Bible

¹¹ God was doing unusual miracles through Paul. ¹² Even the small towels and aprons that had touched his skin were taken to the sick, and their diseases were cured and the evil spirits left them.

¹³ There were some Jews who traveled around throwing out evil spirits. They tried to use the power of the name of the Lord Jesus against some people with evil spirits. They said, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you!” ¹⁴ The seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.

¹⁵ The evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus and I’m familiar with Paul, but who are you?” ¹⁶ The person who had an evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all with such force that they ran out of that house naked and wounded. ¹⁷ This became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus. Everyone was seized with fear and they held the name of the Lord Jesus in the highest regard.

¹⁸ Many of those who had come to believe came, confessing their past practices. ¹⁹ This included a number of people who practiced sorcery. They collected their sorcery texts and burned them publicly. The value of those materials was calculated at more than someone might make if they worked for one hundred sixty-five years.^{[a] 20} In this way the Lord’s word grew abundantly and strengthened powerfully.