“And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, arguing and persuading them about the Kingdom of God. But when some became obstinate and continued unbelieving, speaking ill of the Way before the congregation, he departed from them and took the disciples with him, arguing daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia heard the Word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. And God was working extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were taken to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 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." Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Ceva were doing this. But the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus and I recognize Paul, but who are you?” And the man in whom the evil spirit was jumped on them, and overpowered them all and overpowered them, so that they fled from that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all the inhabitants of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was exalted. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and spreading their practices. And some of those who had practiced magical arts gathered their books and burned them in plain sight. And they counted their value and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. Thus, the word of the Lord continued to grow and prevail mightily. After these events, Paul resolved to pass through Macedonia and Achaia in spirit and go to Jerusalem, saying: After I have been there, I must also see Rome. And having sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed for some time in Asia. At that time, there was little disturbance in regard to the Way.”
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