11
God used Paul to do some very special miracles.
12
Some people took handkerchiefs and clothes that Paul had used and put them on the sick. When they did this, the sick were healed and evil spirits left them.
13
But some Jews also were traveling around and making evil spirits go out of people. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to force the evil spirits out. They would say, "By the same Jesus that Paul talks about, I order you to come out!"
14
Seven sons of Sceva, a leading Jewish priest, were doing this.
15
But one time an evil spirit said to them, "I know Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?"
16
Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them. Because he was so much stronger than all of them, they ran away from the house naked and hurt.
17
All the people in Ephesus -- Jews and Greeks -- learned about this and were filled with fear and gave great honor to the Lord Jesus.
18
Many of the believers began to confess openly and tell all the evil things they had done.
19
Some of them who had used magic brought their magic books and burned them before everyone. Those books were worth about fifty thousand silver coins.
20
So in a powerful way the word of the Lord kept spreading and growing.
21
After these things, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, planning to go through the countries of Macedonia and Southern Greece and then on to Jerusalem. He said, "After I have been to Jerusalem, I must also visit Rome."