Books Burn, Paul is in Ephesus, Acts 19:18-20

About September AD52. Those who practiced sorcery burnt their books because they wanted to get their lives right with God.

They had no need for things from their old life, because to hold on to them would trip them up in their new life.

All this happened as Paul traveled about under the power of the Holy Spirit healing people. At the same time some Jewish men who were driving out demons called on the name of Jesus whom Paul preached about and they got a rude shock (read Acts 19:13-16).

Interestingly it is often a spiritual, event that galvanizes people into action, like the event below that galvanized the believers of Ephesus to get right with God and each other.

Background Reading:

Paul in Ephesus

19:13 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.

19:18 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.
Acts 19:18-20


Other slides in this module: