New International Reader's Version NIRV
Wycliffe WYC
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road to Ephesus. When he arrived, he found some believers there.
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And it befell [Forsooth it was done], when Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul when he had gone the higher coasts, he came to Ephesus [came to Ephesus], and found some of the disciples.
2 He asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" "No," they answered. "We haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
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And he said to them, Whether ye that believe have received the Holy Ghost? And they said to him, But neither have we heard, if the Holy Ghost is. [And he said to them, If ye have received the Holy Ghost believing? And they said to him, But neither we have heard, if the Holy Ghost is.]
3 So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied.
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And he said, Therefore in what thing be ye baptized? And they said, In the baptism of John.
4 Paul said, "John baptized people, calling them to turn away from their sins. He told them to believe in the one who was coming after him. Jesus is that one."
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And Paul said, John baptized the people in the baptism of penance, and taught, that they should believe in him that was to coming after him, that is, in Jesus. [Forsooth Paul said, John baptized in baptism of penance the people, saying, that they should believe into him that was to come after him, that is, into Jesus.]
5 After hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
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When they heard these things, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 Paul placed his hands on them. Then the Holy Spirit came on them. They spoke in languages they had not known before. They also prophesied.
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And when Paul had laid on them his hands, the Holy Ghost came into them [the Holy Ghost came on them], and they spake with languages, and prophesied.
7 There were about 12 of them in all.
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And all were almost twelve men.
8 Paul entered the synagogue. There he spoke boldly for three months. He tried to talk the people into accepting his teaching about God's kingdom.
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And he went into the synagogue, and spake with trust three months, disputing and treating of the kingdom of God [disputing and softly moving of the kingdom of God].
9 But some of them wouldn't listen. They refused to believe. In public they said evil things about the Way of Jesus. So Paul left them. He took the believers with him. Each day he talked with people in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
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But when some were harded, and believed not, and cursed the way of the Lord before the multitude, he went away from them, and separated the disciples, and disputed in the school of a mighty man each day. [+Soothly when some were endured, or made hard, and believed not, cursing the way of the Lord before the multitude, he went away from them, and parted the disciples, each day disputing in the school of some tyrant, or strong man.]
10 This went on for two years. So all the Jews and Greeks who lived in Asia Minor heard the word of the Lord.
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This was done by two years, so that all that dwelled in Asia heard the word of the Lord, Jews and heathen men.
11 God did amazing miracles through Paul.
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And God did works of power not small by the hand of Paul, [God did virtues not little by the hand of Paul,]
12 Even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to those who were sick. When this happened, their sicknesses were healed and evil spirits left them.
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so that on sick men the napkins [the sudaria, or girdles], were borne from his body, and sicknesses departed from them, and wicked spirits went out.
13 Some Jews went around driving out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to set free those who were controlled by demons. They said, "In Jesus' name I command you to come out. He is the Jesus that Paul is preaching about."
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But also some of the Jewish exorcists went about, and assayed to call the name of the Lord Jesus Christ on them that had evil spirits, and said [+Forsooth and some of the Jewish exorcists, or conjurers, going about, attempted to in-call the name of the Lord Jesus Christ on them that had evil spirits, saying], I conjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth.
14 Seven sons of Sceva were doing this. Sceva was a Jewish chief priest.
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And there were [some] seven sons of a Jew, Sceva, a prince of priests, that did this thing.
15 One day the evil spirit answered them, "I know Jesus. And I know about Paul. But who are you?"
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But the evil spirit answered, and said to them, I know Jesus, and I know Paul; but who be ye?
16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on Sceva's sons. He overpowered them all. He gave them a terrible beating. They ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
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And the man in which was the worst devil, leaped on them, and had victory on both [and having lordship of both], and was strong against them, that they naked and wounded fled away from that house.
17 The Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus heard about this. They were all overcome with fear. They held the name of the Lord Jesus in high honor.
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And this thing was made known to all the Jews and heathen men, that dwelled at Ephesus; and dread fell down on them all, and they magnified the name of the Lord Jesus.
18 Many who believed now came and openly admitted the evil they had done.
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And many men believed, and came [And many of them believing came], acknowledging and telling their deeds.
19 A number of those who had practiced evil magic brought their scrolls together. They set them on fire out in the open. They added up the value of the scrolls. They found that it would take more than two lifetimes to earn what the scrolls were worth.
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And many of them that followed curious things, brought together books, and burned them before all men; and when the prices of those were acounted [and the prices of them acounted], they found money of fifty thousand pence;
20 The word of the Lord spread everywhere. It became more and more powerful.
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so strongly the word of God waxed, and was confirmed.
21 After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem. He went through Macedonia and Achaia. "After I have been to Jerusalem," he said, "I must visit Rome also."
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And when these things were filled [Soothly these things fulfilled], Paul purposed in spirit, after that Macedonia was passed and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, and said, For after that I shall be there, it behooveth me also to see Rome [saying, For after that I shall be there, it behooveth me to see also Rome].
22 He sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, to Macedonia. But he stayed a little longer in Asia Minor.
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And he sent into Macedonia two men, that ministered to him, Timothy, and Erastus, and he dwelled [he dwelt] for a time in Asia.
23 At that time many people became very upset about the Way of Jesus.
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And a great troubling was made in that day, of the way of the Lord. [Therefore there was made in that day a troubling not least, in the way of the Lord.]
24 There was a man named Demetrius who made things out of silver. He made silver models of the temple of the goddess Artemis. He brought in a lot of business for the other skilled workers.
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For a man, Demetrius by name, a worker in silver, made silver houses to Diana, and gave to craftsmen much winning; [+Forsooth some man, Demetrius by name, an argentary, making silveren houses to Diana, that is, a false goddess, gave to craftsmen not little winning;]
25 One day he called them together. He also called others who were in the same kind of business. "Men," he said, "you know that we make good money from our work.
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which he called together [and] them that were such manner workmen [whom he called together, and them that were such manner workmen], and said, Men, ye know that of this craft winning is to us;
26 You have seen and heard what this fellow Paul is doing. He has talked to large numbers of people here in Ephesus. Almost everywhere in Asia Minor he has led people away from our gods. He says that the gods we make are not gods at all.
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and ye see and hear, that this Paul counseleth and turneth away much people, not only of Ephesus, but almost of all Asia, and said, that they be not gods, that be made with hands. [+and ye see and hear, that not only of Ephesus, but almost of all Asia, this Paul counseleth and turneth away much company, saying, that they be not gods, that be made by hands.]
27 Our work is in danger of losing its good name. People's faith in the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be weakened. Now she is worshiped through all of Asia Minor and the whole world. But soon she will be robbed of her greatness."
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And not only this part shall be in peril to us, to come into reproof, but also the temple of the great Diana shall be acounted into nought [shall be counted into nought]; yea, and the majesty of her shall begin to be destroyed [but and the majesty of her shall be destroyed], whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
28 When they heard this, they became very angry. They began shouting, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
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When these things were heard, they were filled with ire, and cried, and said, Great is the Diana of the Ephesians. [These things heard, they be full-filled with ire, and cried, saying, Great the Diana of Ephesians.]
29 Soon people were making trouble in the whole city. They all rushed into the theater. They dragged Gaius and Aristarchus along with them. These two men had come with Paul from Macedonia.
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And the city was filled with confusion, and they made an assault with one will into the theatre [the theatre, or common beholding place], and took Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, fellows of Paul.
30 Paul wanted to appear in front of the crowd. But the believers wouldn't let him.
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And when Paul would have entered into the people, the disciples suffered not.
31 Some of the officials in Asia Minor were friends of Paul. They sent him a message, begging him not to go into the theater.
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And also some of the princes of Asia, that were his friends, sent to him, and prayed [praying], that he should not give himself into the theatre.
32 The crowd didn't know what was going on. Some were shouting one thing and some another. Most of the people didn't even know why they were there.
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And other men cried other thing [Soothly other men cried other things]; for the church was confused, and many knew not for what cause they were come together.
33 The Jews pushed Alexander to the front. Some of the crowd tried to tell him what to say. But he motioned for them to be quiet. He wanted to speak up for himself in front of the people.
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But of the people they drew away one Alexander, while Jews putted him forth [Soothly of the company they withdrew some man Alexander, Jews putting him]. And Alexander asked with his hand silence, and would yield a reason to the people.
34 But then they realized that he was a Jew. So they all shouted the same thing for about two hours. "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" they yelled.
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And as they knew that he was a Jew, one voice of all men was made, crying as by twain hours [crying as by two hours], Great is Diana of Ephesians.
35 The city clerk quieted the crowd down. "Men of Ephesus!" he said. "The whole world knows that the city of Ephesus guards the temple of the great Artemis. They know that Ephesus guards her statue, which fell from heaven.
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And when the scribe, that is, a town clerk, had ceased the people, he said, Men of Ephesus, what man is he, that knoweth not, that the city of Ephesians is the worshipper of the great Diana, and of the child of Jupiter?
36 These facts can't be questioned. So calm down. Don't do anything foolish.
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Therefore when it may not be gainsaid to these things, it behooveth you to be ceased [Therefore when it may not be against-said to these things, it behooveth you to be ceased, or assuaged], and to do nothing follily;
37 "These men haven't robbed any temples. They haven't said evil things against our goddess. But you have brought them here anyhow.
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for ye have brought these men, neither sacrilegers, neither blaspheming your goddess.
38 Demetrius and the other skilled workers may feel they have been wronged by someone. Let them bring charges. The courts are open. We have our governors.
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That if Demetrius, and the workmen that be with him, have cause against any man, there be courts, and dooms, and judges; accuse they each other. [That if Demetrius, and the workmen that be with him, have cause against any man, coming together of dooms be done, and proconsuls, or justices, be; accuse they them together.]
39 Is there anything else you want to bring up? Settle it in a court of law.
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If ye seek aught of any other thing, it may be absolved in the lawful church. [If ye seek aught of any other thing, it may be assoiled in the lawful church.]
40 As it is, today we are in danger of being charged with causing all this trouble. But there is no reason for it. We wouldn't be able to explain what has happened."
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For why we be in peril to be reproved of this day's dissension, since no man is guilty, of whom we be able to yield reason of this running together. [For why and we be in peril to be reproved of this day's sedition, or dissension, since no man is guilty, of whom we may yield reason of this running together.]
41 After he said this, he sent the people away.
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And when he had said this thing, he let the people go. [And when he had said this thing, he left, or delivered, the church.]
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.