Acts 19:8-41

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

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

John Gill

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

Many also of them which used curious arts ..... Magic arts, soothsaying, necromancy, conjuration, and the like, being convinced of the folly and wickedness of them: brought their books together ; by which they had learned these arts; Ephesus was famous for this sort of learning; here Apollonius Tyaneus, in the beginning of Nero's reign, opened a school and taught magic, and such like things: frequent mention is made of the Ephesian letters, which were no other than enchantments; and even... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:20

So mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed. Over conjuring books, conjurers themselves, yea, even the devils; the power of God going along with it, many were converted; which is meant by the increase of it, and were delivered from the power of darkness, out of the hands of Satan, and translated into the kingdom of Christ. Beza's ancient copy reads, the "faith" of God; and the Syriac version, "faith in God". read more

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