¹⁷ This became known to everyone who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. They were all overcome with fear, and they held the name of the Lord Jesus in high honor. ¹⁸ Also many of those who had become believers came forward, confessing and admitting their actions. ¹⁹ And a large number of those who had practiced magic arts^[a] collected their books and burned them in front of everyone. They added up the cost of the books and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.^{[b] 20} In this way the word of the Lord was growing and gaining strength.