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1While He Tears Down (Apollos) was at Village of Pleasure (Corinth) , Small Man (Paul) journeyed through the inland territories and arrived at Village of Desire (Ephesus) , where he found some followers.
2“When you put your trust in Creator Sets Free (Jesus) ,” Small Man (Paul) asked them, “did you receive the Holy Spirit?”
“What do you mean?” they replied. “We have not even heard about this ‘Holy Spirit.’”
3“What kind of purification ceremony did you participate in?” he asked.
“It was the purification ceremony performed by Gift of Goodwill (John) ,” they answered.
4“Gift of Goodwill (John) performed a purification ceremony for the ones who turned to Creator’s right ways of thinking and doing,” Small Man (Paul) said to them. “In this way they would be ready to put their trust in Creator Sets Free (Jesus) , the one he was preparing the way for.”
5When they heard this, they participated in the purification ceremony done in the name of our Honored Chief Creator Sets Free (Jesus) .
6-7Small Man (Paul) then laid his hands on the men, about twelve in all, and they spoke in languages they had not learned and prophesied when the Holy Spirit came down upon them.
8Then for three moons Small Man (Paul) went to their tribal gathering house and spoke out boldly to convince the people living there about Creator’s good road.
9But some, who were stubborn, with hearts like stone, refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way to all who gathered there.
So Small Man (Paul) left there, taking with him the new followers. He went to the teaching lodge of Harsh Ruler (Tyrannus) to teach there.
10He continued this for two winters, until all the Tribal Members and Wisdom Seekers (Greeks) who lived in Land of the Rising Sun (Asia) had heard the message about our Honored One.
11Through the hands of Small Man (Paul) , Creator was doing some unusually powerful signs.
12Face cloths and sashes that had touched his body were taken to heal the sick and force out evil spirits.
13Then some Tribal Members who traveled about forcing out evil spirits tried to use the name of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) over those with evil spirits, saying, “I force you out by the sacred power of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) , the one whom Small Man (Paul) proclaims.”
14These men were the seven sons of Weak Hand (Sceva) , a Tribal Member who was representing himself as a chief holy man.
15But the evil spirit spoke back to them, “I know of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and I have heard of Small Man (Paul) , but who are you?”
16Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and so overpowered them that they ran from the house naked, bruised, and bleeding.
17Word spread to all the Tribal Members and the Wisdom Seekers (Greeks) who lived in Village of Desire (Ephesus) . Great awe and respect came upon all, and the name of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was spoken of with respect.
18Many who had chosen to follow Creator Sets Free (Jesus) came forward and admitted to their evil practices.
19A number of them who had practiced bad medicine gathered their mystic writings and burned them in the sight of all. These books were found to be worth about fifty thousand silver coins.[#19:19 Each coin was worth a day’s wages.]
20In this way Creator’s message grew strong and spread like wildfire.
21After this, Small Man (Paul) decided in his spirit that he should travel through Land of Tall People (Macedonia) and Land of Sorrow (Achaia) and then on to Village of Peace (Jerusalem) . “After that,” he said, “I must also go to Village of Iron (Rome) .”
22So he sent his two helpers, He Gives Honor (Timothy) and Much Desired (Erastus) , ahead of him to Land of Tall People (Macedonia) , while he remained for a time in Land of the Rising Sun (Asia) .
23Now during that time there was a great uprising at Village of Desire (Ephesus) about the Way.
24There was a man there named Corn Spirit (Demetrius) , who worked with silver and made little silver lodges for the spirit-image of Hunting Woman (Artemis) . His work helped support many of the artists who traded there.
25He gathered them together, along with the others who also worked with silver.
“Fellow workers,” he said to them, “you all know that this work we do provides for us.
26You have all seen and heard what this Small Man (Paul) has done, not only in our village but also in most of Land of the Rising Sun (Asia) . He has convinced many people to turn away from our spirit-images, saying that spirit-images made by hands are not powerful spirits.”
27“We are in danger that the work we do will be looked down on, and that the sacred lodge of the spirit-image of Hunting Woman (Artemis) , the one whom all in Land of the Rising Sun (Asia) and the world bows down to, will be seen as worthless, and her great beauty and power will fall to the ground.”
28When the crowd heard this, a great anger filled their hearts, and they shouted, “Great is Hunting Woman (Artemis) of Village of Desire (Ephesus) !”
29The whole village was thrown into confusion. With one purpose they ran into the teaching lodge, dragging with them Glad Heart (Gaius) and Good Chief (Aristarchus) from Land of Tall People (Macedonia) , who were traveling with Small Man (Paul) .
30Small Man (Paul) wanted to go into the crowd, but the other followers would not let him.
31Also, some of the village leaders who were friendly toward him sent word for him not to come into the teaching lodge.
32The gathering became one of turmoil and confusion. Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most did not even know why they had gathered!
33Some of the Tribal Members in the crowd pushed Man Fighter (Alexander) to the front, instructing him what to say . He motioned with his hand that he wanted to speak,
34but when they saw that he was a man of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) , they cried out with one voice, “Great is Hunting Woman (Artemis) of Village of Desire (Ephesus) !”
Over and over again they kept shouting as the day wore on,
35until the village scroll keeper finally quieted them down.
“People of Village of Desire (Ephesus) ,” he said to all, “who among us does not know that the people of Village of Desire (Ephesus) are the sacred lodge keepers of the great Hunting Woman (Artemis) and of her spirit-image that fell from the spirit-world above?
36Since these things cannot be denied, you should lower your voices and do nothing without thinking clearly first.
37“The men you have brought here did not come to steal from your sacred lodge and they do not speak against Hunting Woman (Artemis) .
38If Corn Spirit (Demetrius) and the other artists with him want to accuse anyone, let them bring these accusations to the village council or the local officials.
39Anything else should also be brought to the village council meeting.
40For we are in danger today of being charged with causing an uprising, with no good reason for it.”
41After saying this, he sent the crowd away.