Acts 19:11-20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 19:8-12

Paul is here very busy at Ephesus to do good. I. He begins, as usual, in the Jews? synagogue, and makes the first offer of the gospel to them, that he might gather in the lost sheep of the house of Israel, who were now scattered upon the mountains. Observe, 1. Where he preached to them: in their synagogue (Acts 19:8), as Christ used to do. He went and joined them in their synagogue-worship, to take off their prejudices against him, and to ingratiate himself with them, while there was any hope... read more

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 19:8-12

19:8-12 He came into the synagogue and for three months he spoke with boldness, debating and persuading people about the things connected with the kingdom of God. When some made themselves difficult and would not believe, and when they spoke ill of The Way before the congregation he left them and withdrew the disciples from them and debated daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all who lived in Asia, Jews and Greek alike, heard the word of God; and God kept on... 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 19:11

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul. For the confirmation of the doctrine which he preached, and of his mission, as an apostle; and these were not any sort of miracles, common and vulgar ones, and much less things of chance, and what were merely accidental, as the word may signify; but they were rare and uncommon ones, and in which there was a visible display of the power of God; to whom as the efficient cause they are ascribed, the apostle being only an instrument God made... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:12

So that from his body were brought unto the sick ,.... The Ethiopic version renders it, "from the extremity", or "border of his garment"; and the Syriac version, "from the garments which were upon his body"; were brought and put upon the sick; that is, of the clothes which the apostle wore, some of them were taken and carried to sick persons, and used by them: particularly "handkerchiefs" or "aprons"; the former were such as he might use to wipe his face with, and remove sweat, or any filth... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:13

Then certain of the vagabond Jews ,.... Who strolled about from place to place, pretending to tell fortunes, cure diseases by charms, and dispossess devils by conjuration, and therefore are called as follows, exorcists ; such there were among the Jews, as Justin Martyr observes F8 Dialog. cum Tryphon. p. 311. , who adjured by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: these took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus ; they imitated the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:14

And there were seven sons of one Sceva a Jew ,.... Who strolled about the country, and used exorcisms: and chief of the priests ; that were at Ephesus; not the high priest of the Jews, for he would have been at Jerusalem, and not at Ephesus; though indeed it does not necessarily follow from the words, that Sceva himself was there, only his seven sons: however, no such name appears in the catalogue of the Jewish high priests, nor is it reasonable to think, that seven sons of an high... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:15

And the evil spirit answered and said ,.... The Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, add, "to them"; to the seven sons of Sceva: Jesus I know ; to be the Son of God and Messiah, and own that he has power of dispossessing spirits, of which there were many instances in the days of his flesh: and Paul I know ; and own to be a servant of the most high God, by whom miracles of this kind have been wrought: but who are ye ? you are not the disciples of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:16

And the man in whom the evil spirit was ,.... Being agitated by him: leapt upon them ; with great agility and force, and laid hold on them, and struggled with them, and beat and wounded them, and stripped them naked: and overcame them, and prevailed against them ; the Alexandrian copy, Beza's most ancient one, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version read, "and overcame both"; as if only two of these seven sons had made this attempt, and were so used; though the Ethiopic... read more

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