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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 19:13-20

The preachers of the gospel were sent forth to carry on a war against Satan, and therein Christ went forth conquering and to conquer. The casting of evil spirits out of those that were possessed was one instance of Christ's victory over Satan; but, to show in how many ways Christ triumphed over that great enemy, we have here in these verses two remarkable instances of the conquest of Satan, not only in those that were violently possessed by him, but in those that were voluntarily devoted to... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 19:13-20

19:13-20 Some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists tried naming the name of Jesus over those who had evil spirits. They said, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches." There were seven sons of a certain Scaeva, a Jewish chief priest. who did this. The evil spirit answered them. "Jesus I know and Paul I understand, but who are you?" And the man, in whom the evil spirit was, leaped on them and mastered them all and overpowered them so that they fled naked and battered from that house. This... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:17

And this was known to all the Jews ,.... These men being Jews: and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus: for though it was done in a private house, yet there might be many spectators and witnesses, both Jews and Greeks, who spread this fact about the city, and who, were to be depended upon: and fear fell on them all ; on the enemies of Christ and his Gospel, so that others were deterred from making such an attempt for the future: and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified ; which had... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:18

And many that believed ,.... In Jesus Christ, whose name was spoken of with great respect, and which spread fear in every person: came ; to the apostle: and confessed ; their sins; and acknowledged what a wicked life they had led: and showed their deeds ; their former evil deeds, which they had been guilty of; one copy reads, "their sins"; see Matthew 3:6 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 19:17

The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified - They saw that there was a sovereign power in the name of Jesus, which could not be imitated by these lying exorcists: they therefore reverenced this name, and despised those pretenders. Exorcisms or adjurations of evil spirits were very frequent in the primitive Church: the name of Jesus was that alone which was used. The primitive fathers speak strong and decisive words concerning the power of this name; and how demons were tormented and expelled... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 19:17

Verse 17− 17.There came fear. The fruit of that vengeance which God brought upon those who did wickedly abuse the name of Christ is this, in that they were all touched with reverence, lest they should contemn that doctrine, whose revenger the Lord hath showed by an evident token and testimony he would be, and they were brought to reverence Christ. For, besides that God doth invite us by all his judgments to come thus far, that they may terrify us from sinning, in this example peculiarly was... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 19:18

Verse 18− 18.Many which believed. Luke bringeth forth one token of that fear whereof he spake. For they did indeed declare that they were thoroughly touched and moved with the fear of God, who, of their own accord, did confess the faults and offenses of their former life, lest, through their dissimulation, they should nourish the wrath of God within. We know what a hard matter it is to wring true confession out of those who have offended, for seeing men count nothing more precious than their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 19:1-20

The advance. The founding of a Church at Ephesus, the capital city of Proconsular Asia—a great center of Greek and Asiatic life, civil, religious, and commercial, the seat of the famous temple of Artemis, the place of concourse of all Ionia for its celebrated games—is one of those great epochs in the history of Christianity which arrest the attention and demand the consideration of the Christian reader. Not above two years (if so much) had elapsed since the Holy Ghost had expressly... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 19:8-17

The spiritual, the supernatural, and the natural. The faithful labors of Paul in the synagogue of the Jews and the room of Tyrannus, the unusually extensive employment of the miraculous, and the discomfiture of the exorcists suggest to us— I. THAT THE SUPERNATURAL IS TO BE SUBORDINATED TO THE SPIRITUAL . ( Acts 19:8-12 .) We remember how our Lord refused to gratify the unworthy craving for signs and wonders in his day: "There shall no sign be given to this... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 19:8-20

Work of Paul at Ephesus. Here we have the victory of the Divine Word over the power of falsehood and evil in the minds of men. Such episodes show on a small scale what the effect of the evangelical leaven is in the world on a large scale. I. THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL SEEN IN THE ACTIVITY OF PAUL . It becomes a two-edged sword in his hand against all the powers of darkness. Three months' continuous preaching of great evangelical truths may lay the foundation of... read more

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