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The Seven Sons of Sceva

11 God was performing extraordinary[a] miracles by Paul’s hands, 12 so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body[b] were brought[c] to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.[d] 13 But some itinerant[e] Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name[f] of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by[g] evil spirits, saying, “I sternly warn[h] you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 (Now seven sons of a man named[i] Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.)[j] 15 But the evil spirit replied to them,[k] “I know about Jesus[l] and I am acquainted with[m] Paul, but who are you?”[n] 16 Then the man who was possessed by[o] the evil spirit jumped on[p] them and beat them all into submission.[q] He prevailed[r] against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 19:11 tn BDAG 1019 s.v. τυγχάνω 2.d states, “δυνάμεις οὐ τὰς τυχούσας extraordinary miracles Ac 19:11.”
  2. Acts 19:12 tn Or “skin” (the outer surface of the body).
  3. Acts 19:12 tn Or “were taken.” It might be that as word went out into the region that since the sick could not come to Paul, healing was brought to them this way. The “handkerchiefs” are probably face cloths for wiping perspiration (see BDAG 934 s.v. σουδάριον) while the “aprons” might be material worn by workmen (BDAG 923-24 s.v. σιμικίνθιον).
  4. Acts 19:12 tn The words “of them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
  5. Acts 19:13 tn Grk “some Jewish exorcists who traveled about.” The adjectival participle περιερχομένων (perierchomenōn) has been translated as “itinerant.”
  6. Acts 19:13 tn Grk “to name the name.”
  7. Acts 19:13 tn Grk “who had.” Here ἔχω (echō) is used of demon possession, a common usage according to BDAG 421 s.v. ἔχω 7.a.α.
  8. Acts 19:13 sn The expression I sternly warn you means “I charge you as under oath.”
  9. Acts 19:14 tn Grk “a certain Sceva.”
  10. Acts 19:14 sn Within the sequence of the narrative, this amounts to a parenthetical note by the author.
  11. Acts 19:15 tn Grk “answered and said to them.” The expression, redundant in English, has been simplified to “replied.”
  12. Acts 19:15 tn Grk “Jesus I know about.” Here ᾿Ιησοῦν (Iēsoun) is in emphatic position in Greek, but placing the object first is not normal in contemporary English style.
  13. Acts 19:15 tn BDAG 380 s.v. ἐπίσταμαι 2 has “know, be acquainted with τινάτὸν Παῦλον Ac 19:15.” Here the translation “be acquainted with” was used to differentiate from the previous phrase which has γινώσκω (ginōskō).
  14. Acts 19:15 sn But who are you? This account shows how the power of Paul was so distinct that parallel claims to access that power were denied. In fact, such manipulation, by those who did not know Jesus, was judged (v. 16). The indirect way in which the exorcists made the appeal shows their distance from Jesus.
  15. Acts 19:16 tn Grk “in whom the evil spirit was.”
  16. Acts 19:16 tn Grk “the man in whom the evil spirit was, jumping on them.” The participle ἐφαλόμενος (ephalomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. L&N 15.239 has “ἐφαλόμενος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς ‘the man jumped on them’ Ac 19:16.”
  17. Acts 19:16 tn Grk “and beating them all into submission.” The participle κατακυριεύσας (katakurieusas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. According to W. Foerster, TDNT 3:1098, the word means “the exercise of dominion against someone, i.e., to one’s own advantage.” These exorcists were shown to be powerless in comparison to Jesus who was working through Paul.
  18. Acts 19:16 tn BDAG 484 s.v. ἰσχύω 3 has “win out, prevailκατά τινος over, against someone Ac 19:16.”

Miracles in Ephesus

11 And God was doing (A)extraordinary [a]miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 (B)so that cloths or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and (C)the evil spirits went out. 13 But also some of the Jewish (D)exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I implore you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Now seven sons of one named Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them, subdued all of them, and utterly prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 19:11 Or works of power