Book of Common Prayer

²¹ After this, Paul decided he would go through Macedonia and Achaia and then to Jerusalem. `After I have been there,' he said, `l must go to see the city of Rome also.'

²² He sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, into Macedonia. But he himself stayed in Asia Minor for a while.

²³ About that time there was much trouble because of the Christian way.

²⁴ A man named Demetrius made things from silver. He made little silver houses like the big house of the idol-god Diana. He and other men got much money from this work.

²⁵ Demetrius called them all together. He said, `Men, you know that we get our money from this work.

²⁶ Now you see and hear how this man Paul has talked. He has turned away many people in Ephesus. Not only that, but he has turned away the hearts of many people in almost all of Asia Minor. He says that things made by men's hands are not really gods.

²⁷ This will spoil our work. Not only that, but people will not respect the house of the great idol goddess Diana any more. All the people in Asia and in the whole world worship her now. But they will despise her!'

²⁸ When they heard this, the men were very angry and shouted, `Great is Diana of Ephesus!'

²⁹ All the people in the city were excited. They caught two men from Macedonia. Their names were Gaius and Aristarchus. They had travelled with Paul. Then they all rushed to the big meeting place with them.

³⁰ Paul wanted to go in and talk to the people, but the disciples would not let him.

³¹ Some of the leaders in Asia Minor liked Paul. They sent word to him and begged him not to go into the meeting place.

³² Some of the people were shouting one thing and some another. They were all stirred up. Most of the people did not know why they had come together.

³³ The Jews pushed Alexander forward. Some of the people put him in front. He put up his hand and wanted to talk to the people.

³⁴ But when they saw that he was a Jew, they all shouted together for two hours, `Great is Diana of Ephesus!'

³⁵ At last the city chief stopped the shouting. He said, `Men of Ephesus, everyone knows that all the people of Ephesus take care of the house of the great Diana. And they take care of the stone which fell from the sky.

³⁶ No person can say it is not true. So you should be quiet and not do anything foolish.

³⁷ The men whom you have brought here have not taken anything from the house. They have not even said anything wrong about our goddess.

³⁸ Now then, if Demetrius and the men who work with him have any complaint, let them take it to law. We have a court and we have judges.

³⁹ If you want anything more than that, it must be done in a meeting which has been called by law.

⁴⁰ We may have trouble because of what has happened today. There is not one good reason for it.'

⁴¹ When he had said this, he closed the meeting.

¹⁴ When they came to the disciples, they saw many people around them. Some scribes were talking with the disciples.

¹⁵ The people were all very much surprised when they saw Jesus. They ran to him and greeted him.

¹⁶ Jesus asked his disciples, `What are you talking about with them?'

¹⁷ One of the people said, `Teacher, I brought my son to you. A bad spirit is in him so he cannot talk.

¹⁸ Wherever it takes hold of him, it throws him around. It makes him foam at his mouth. It makes him make noises with his teeth. He is getting weak and thin. I asked your disciples to drive the bad spirit out, but they could not do it.'

¹⁹ Jesus said, `You people today do not believe. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.'

²⁰ So they brought the boy to him. As soon as the bad spirit saw him, he threw the boy around. The boy fell on the ground and rolled around. Foam was coming from his mouth.

²¹ Jesus asked the father, `How long has he had this spirit?' He answered, `Since he was a child.

²² Often it has thrown him in the fire and in the water. It has tried to kill him. If you can do anything for him, show us that you share our suffering by helping us.'

²³ Jesus said to him, `You say, "If you can." Anything can be done for the person who believes.'

²⁴ Right away the father of the child, with tears in his eyes, said loudly, `I do believe! Help me to believe more!'

²⁵ Jesus saw many people come running together. He talked to the bad spirit: `You bad spirit who stops the boy from hearing and talking! I tell you, come out of him and do not go into him again!'

²⁶ The bad spirit screamed and threw the boy around. Then it came out of him and left him like a dead person. Many of the people even said, `The boy is dead.'

²⁷ But Jesus took his hand and helped him to get up. The boy stood up.

²⁸ Jesus went into the house. His disciples were alone with him. They asked him, `Why could we not drive out the bad spirit?'

²⁹ Jesus said to them, `This kind of bad spirit does not come out unless people talk to God and fast.'