Acts 19:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 19:13-17

The prompt exposure and punishment of human iniquity by an evil spirit. Of the character of these exorcists there can be no doubt Their deceiving and iniquitous profession was one for gain, and gain only was in their hearts. With less hesitation even than Simon Magus ( Acts 8:18 , Acts 8:19 ), they propose to themselves to take their chance at least in using and abusing the "glorious and fearful Name." And they suffer for their blasphemous and profane attempt. Notice— I. THE ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Acts 19:13

The vagabond Jews - Greek: Jews going about - περιερχομένων perierchomenōn. The word “vagabond” with us is now commonly used in a bad sense, to denote “a vagrant; a man who has no home; an idle, worthless fellow.” The word, however, properly means “one wandering from place to place, without any settled habitation, from whatever cause it may be.” Here it denotes “those Jews who wandered from place to place, practicing exorcism.”Exorcists - ἐξορκιστῶν exorkistōn. This word properly denotes... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Acts 19:13-16

Acts 19:13-16. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists Dr. Whitby, and several other critics, have produced many passages from Irenæus, Origen, Epiphanius, and Josephus, to prove that several of the Jews, about this time, pretended to a power of casting out devils, particularly by some arts or charms derived from Solomon. These men are called vagabond Jews, and exorcists, because they strolled through the countries of the Lesser Asia, practising that magic which was in such vogue... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Acts 19:8-32

Ephesus and the surrounding region (19:8-22)After Paul had preached for three months in the synagogue, the Jews forced him out, so he went and taught in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. He carried on his teaching work there for the next two years, during which the disciples took the message into the surrounding countryside (8-10). This activity seems to have resulted in churches being founded, without Paul’s help, in the towns of Colossae, Hierapolis and Laodicea (Colossians 2:1; Colossians 4:13),... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Acts 19:13

vagabond = roving. Greek. perierchomai. Only here, Acts 28:13 . 1 Timothy 5:13 .Hebrews 11:37 . Compare Genesis 4:14 . exorcists . Greek. exorkistes. Only here. The verb exorkizo, to adjure, only in Matthew 26:63 . took upon them = took in hand. Greek. epicheireo. See note on Acts 9:29 . call . . . the name = name. over . Greek. epi. App-104 . To get control over a demon, it was necessary to know its name (compare Mark 5:9 ) or to invoke the name of a superior power or spirit.... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Acts 19:13

But certain also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, took upon them to name over them that had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest, who did this.THE EXORCISTS EXORCISED!The very fact of these exorcists pretending to use the name of Jesus proves that they had no confidence in the methods they had been using; for if their previous methods had been effective, there would have been no... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Acts 19:13

Acts 19:13. Vagabond Jews, exorcists,— Several of the Jews about this time pretended to a power of casting out demons, particularly by some arts and charms pretended to be derived from Solomon. Some of these strolling exorcists, observing that St. Paul, by invoking the name of Jesus, did real miracles in the casting out of demons, resolved to attempt the same; the consequence of which was, not only the preventing such impostors from abusing the sacred and venerable name of Jesus in future, but... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Acts 19:13

13. vagabond Jews—simply, "wandering Jews," who went from place to place practicing exorcism, or the art of conjuring evil spirits to depart out of the possessed. That such a power did exist, for some time at least, seems implied in Matthew 12:27. But no doubt this would breed imposture; and the present case is very different from that referred to in Luke 9:49; Luke 9:50. We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth—a striking testimony to the power of Christ's name in Paul's mouth. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Acts 19:1-20

Paul’s ministry in Ephesus 19:1-20Luke’s account of Paul’s third missionary journey is essentially a record of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus, the city he probably tried to reach at the beginning of his second journey (cf. Acts 16:6). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Acts 19:6-20

C. The extension of the church to the Aegean shores 16:6-19:20The missionary outreach narrated in this section of the book took place in major cities along the Aegean coastline that major Roman roads connected. read more

Group of Brands