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English Standard Version

Acts 19:13

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Demons;   Ephesus;   Jesus Continued;   Miracles;   Paul;   Presumption;   Sceva;   Sorcery;   Superstition;   Thompson Chain Reference - Adjuration;   Demons;   Evil;   Satan-Evil Spirits;   Spirits, Evil;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Presumption;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Exorcists;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Asia;   Ephesus;   Magic;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit;   Heal, Health;   Prayer;   Preach, Proclaim;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Relics;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Adjuration;   Divination;   Exorcist;   Sceva;   Vagabond;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Adjuration;   Devil;   Divination;   Exorcism;   Magi;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Church;   Exorcism;   Incantations;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bible;   Corinthians, Second Epistle to;   Ephesus;   Evil Spirits;   Exorcism;   Magic, Divination, and Sorcery;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Acts of the Apostles (2);   Baptism;   Colossians, Epistle to the;   Epilepsy;   Exorcism;   Freedom of the Will;   Gestures;   Miracles;   Name (2);   Possession;   Sacraments;   Simon Magus;   Wicked (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Adjuration;   Ephesians, Epistle to the;   Exorcists;   Vagabond;   42 Evil Wicked;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Vagabond;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ephesians;   Ephesus;   Obsolete or obscure words in the english av bible;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Divination;   Exorcist,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Adder;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Adjuration;   Charm;   Demon;   Enchantment;   Exorcism;   Vagabond;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Adjuration;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Demonology;   Exorcism;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists also attempted to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I command you by the Jesus that Paul preaches!”
King James Version (1611)
Then certaine of the vagabond Iewes, exorcistes, tooke vpon them to call ouer them which had euill spirits, the Name of the Lord Iesus, saying, We adiure you by Iesus whom Paul preacheth.
King James Version
Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
New American Standard Bible
But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, "I order you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches!"
New Century Version
But some people 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!"
Amplified Bible
Then some of the traveling Jewish exorcists also attempted to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I implore you and solemnly command you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches!"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches."
Legacy Standard Bible
But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "I implore you by Jesus whom Paul preaches."
Berean Standard Bible
Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, "I bind you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims."
Contemporary English Version
Some Jewish men started going around trying to force out evil spirits by using the name of the Lord Jesus. They said to the spirits, "Come out in the name of that same Jesus that Paul preaches about!"
Complete Jewish Bible
Then some of the Jewish exorcists who traveled from place to place tried to make use of the name of the Lord Yeshua in connection with people who had evil spirits. They would say, "I exorcise you by the Yeshua that Sha'ul is proclaiming!"
Darby Translation
And certain of the Jewish exorcists also, who went about, took in hand to call upon those who had wicked spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches.
Easy-to-Read Version
Some Jews also were traveling around forcing evil spirits out of people. The seven sons of Sceva, one of the leading priests, were doing this. These Jews tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to make the evil spirits go out of people. They all said, "By the same Jesus that Paul talks about, I order you to come out!"
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then certaine of the vagabond Iewes, exorcistes, tooke in hand to name ouer them which had euil spirits, the Name of the Lord Iesus, saying, We adiure you by Iesus, whom Paul preacheth.
George Lamsa Translation
Now certain Jews, who went about exorcising evil spirits, invoked the name of our LORD Jesus over those who were possessed, saying, We adjure you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches.
Good News Translation
Some Jews who traveled around and drove out evil spirits also tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to do this. They said to the evil spirits, "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches."
Lexham English Bible
But some itinerant Jewish exorcists also attempted to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches!"
Literal Translation
But certain from the strolling Jews, exorcists, undertook to name the name of the Lord Jesus over those having evil spirits, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.
American Standard Version
But certain also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, took upon them to name over them that had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Bible in Basic English
But some of the Jews who went from place to place driving out evil spirits, took it on themselves to make use of the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, I give you orders, by Jesus, whom Paul is preaching.
Hebrew Names Version
But some of the itinerant Yehudim, exorcists, took on themselves to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Yeshua, saying, "We adjure you by Yeshua whom Sha'ul preaches."
International Standard Version
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!"Matthew 12:27; Mark 9:38; Luke 9:49;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
BUT men, Jihudoyee, also, who went about and adjured demons, willed to adjure in the name of our Lord Jeshu over those who had unclean spirits, saying, We adjure you in the name of Jeshu whom Paulos preacheth.
Murdock Translation
And moreover certain Jews, who went: about exorcising demons, were disposed to exorcise in the name of our Lord Jesus over those who had unclean spirits, by saying: We adjure you, in the name of that Jesus whom Paul announceth.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then certaine of the vagabounde Iewes, exorcistes, toke vpon them to call ouer them which had euyll spirites, the name of the Lorde Iesus, saying: We adiure you by Iesus, whom Paul preacheth.
English Revised Version
But certain also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, took upon them to name over them which had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
World English Bible
But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches."
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And some of the vagabond Jews, who were exorcists, undertook to name the name of the Lord Jesus, over those who had evil spirits, saying, We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth.
Weymouth's New Testament
But there were also some wandering Jewish exorcists who undertook to invoke the name of Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, "I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But also summe of the Jewis exorsisists yeden aboute, and assaieden to clepe the name of the Lord Jhesu Crist on hem that hadden yuele spiritis, and seiden, Y coniure you bi Jhesu, whom Poul prechith.
Update Bible Version
But certain also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, took on them to name over those that had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them who had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
New English Translation
But some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by evil spirits, saying, "I sternly warn you by Jesus whom Paul preaches."
New King James Version
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We [fn] exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches."
New Living Translation
A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!"
New Life Bible
There were Jews who went from city to city trying to put demons out of people. Some of these tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had demons. They said, "I speak to you in the name of Jesus, the One Paul preaches about."
New Revised Standard
Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But certain also of the wandering Jews, exorcists, took in hand to be naming, over them that had the wicked spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying - I adjure you, by Jesus whom Paul proclaimeth!
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now some also of the Jewish exorcists, who went about, attempted to invoke over them that had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying: I conjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth.
Revised Standard Version
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches."
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then certayne of the vagabounde Iewes exorcistes toke apon them to call over them which had evyll spretes the name of the lorde Iesus sayinge: We adiure you by Iesu who Paul preacheth.
Young's Literal Translation
And certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took upon [them] to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, `We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But certayne of the vagabounde Iewes which were coniurers, vndertoke to name ye name of the LORDE Iesus, ouer those that had euell spretes, and sayde: We charge you by Iesus whom Paul preacheth.
Mace New Testament (1729)
Upon this, certain vagabond Jews, who were exorcists, pretended to cure demoniacs by pronouncing the name of the Lord Jesus: their form being this, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches."
THE MESSAGE
Some itinerant Jewish exorcists who happened to be in town at the time tried their hand at what they assumed to be Paul's "game." They pronounced the name of the Master Jesus over victims of evil spirits, saying, "I command you by the Jesus preached by Paul!" The seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were trying to do this on a man when the evil spirit talked back: "I know Jesus and I've heard of Paul, but who are you?" Then the possessed man went berserk—jumped the exorcists, beat them up, and tore off their clothes. Naked and bloody, they got away as best they could.
Simplified Cowboy Version
A group of Jewish gypsies was going from town to town and claiming to cast demons out of people. They tried to imitate Paul in their little show and said, "By the power of Jesus, who Paul talks about, I'm ordering you to shuck out."

Contextual Overview

13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims." 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?" 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

vagabond: Genesis 4:12, Genesis 4:14, Psalms 109:10

exorcists: Matthew 12:27, Luke 11:19

took: Acts 8:18, Acts 8:19, Mark 9:38, Luke 9:49

adjure: Joshua 6:26, 1 Samuel 14:24, 1 Kings 22:16, Matthew 26:63, Mark 5:7

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 22:11 - horns of iron 2 Kings 4:31 - neither voice 2 Chronicles 18:15 - shall I adjure Psalms 50:16 - What Matthew 7:21 - saith Matthew 7:22 - have we Matthew 8:16 - and he Matthew 17:18 - rebuked Mark 3:11 - unclean Mark 9:39 - there Luke 9:40 - and they Acts 3:6 - In Acts 3:16 - through Acts 8:35 - preached Acts 16:17 - These 1 Thessalonians 5:27 - I charge

Cross-References

Genesis 13:13
Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord .
Genesis 18:20
Then the Lord said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave,
Genesis 19:1
The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth
Genesis 19:5
And they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them."
Genesis 19:6
Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him,
Genesis 19:8
Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof."
Genesis 19:9
But they said, "Stand back!" And they said, "This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them." Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down.
Genesis 19:12
Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place.
Genesis 19:15
As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city."
Genesis 19:16
But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 h, 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 Apostle Paul, and attempted to do as he did, using the same: name; hoping to get money or applause, or both, in this way; and it may be observed, that there were some who really did cast out devils in the name of Christ, who did not belong to him, Matthew 7:22

Saying, we adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth; that is, to come out the bodies of those men which they had possessed: and the Jews made use of the name of Jesus for healing diseases; for it is said of one i, that

"he swallowed something which almost choked him, and one came, and muttered to him in the name of Jesus ben Pandira, and he was well''

The Alexandrian copy, Beza's ancient one, and others, the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions, read, "I adjure you", &c.

h Dialog. cum Tryphon. p. 311. i T. Hieros. Sabbat, fol. 14. 4. & Avoda Zara, fol. 40. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The vagabond Jews - Greek: Jews going about - περιερχομένων perierchomenōn. The word “vagabond” with us is now commonly used in a bad sense, to denote “a vagrant; a man who has no home; an idle, worthless fellow.” The word, however, properly means “one wandering from place to place, without any settled habitation, from whatever cause it may be.” Here it denotes “those Jews who wandered from place to place, practicing exorcism.”

Exorcists - ἐξορκιστῶν exorkistōn. This word properly denotes “those who went about pretending to be able to expel evil spirits, or to cure diseases by charms, incantations,” etc. The word is derived from ὁρκίζω horkizō, “to bind with an oath.” It was applied in this sense, because those who pretended to be able to expel demons used the formula of an oath, or adjured them, to compel them to leave the possessed persons. Compare Matthew 12:27. They commonly used the name of God, or called on the demons in the name of God to leave the person. Here they used the name Jesus to command them to come out. Such wanderers and pretenders are common in Oriental countries now. See Land and the Book, vol. i. 224, 510.

To call over them - To name, or to use his name as sufficient to expel the evil spirit.

The name of the Lord Jesus - The reasons why they attempted this were:

(1) That Jesus had expelled many evil spirits; and,

(2) That it was in his name that Paul had performed his miracles. Perhaps they supposed there was some charm in this name to expel them.

We adjure you - We bind you by an oath; we command you as under the solemnity of an oath, Mar 5:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:27. It is a form of putting one under oath, 1 Kings 2:43; Genesis 24:37; 2 Kings 11:4; Nehemiah 13:25 (Septuagint). That this art was practiced then, or attempted, is abundantly proved from Irenaeus, Origen, and Josephus (Antiq., book 8, chapter 2, section 5). See Doddridge. The common name which was used was the incommunicable name of God, Yahweh, by pronouncing which, in a special way, it was pretended they had the power of expelling demons.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 19:13. Certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists — Τινες απο των περιερχομενων Ιουδαιων εξορκιϚων; Certain of the Jews who went about practicing exorcisms. Vagabond has a very bad acceptation among us; but, literally, vagabundus signifies a wanderer, one that has no settled place of abode. These, like all their countrymen, in all places, went about to get their bread in what way they could; making trial of every thing by which they could have the prospect of gain. Finding that Paul cast out demons through the name of Jesus, they thought, by using the same, they might produce the same effects; and, if they could, they knew it would be to them an ample source of revenue; for demoniacs abounded in the land.


 
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