Acts 19:11-20 - Would-Be Exorcists

11 God continued to do extraordinary miracles through Paul. 12 When handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched his skin were taken to the sick, their diseases left them and evil spirits went out of them.

13 Then some Jews who went around trying to drive out demons attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had evil spirits, saying, "I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches!" 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit told them, "Jesus I know, and I am getting acquainted with Paul, but who are you?" 16 Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them, got the better of them, and so violently overpowered all of them that they fled out of the house naked and bruised. 17 When this became known to everyone living in Ephesus, Jews and Greeks alike, they all became terrified, and the name of the Lord Jesus began to be held in high honor. 18 Many who became believers kept coming to confess and talk about what they had been doing. 19 Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated their value and found them to have been worth 50,000 silver coins. 20 In that way the word of the Lord kept spreading and triumphing.


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