The Way
The Burned Books of Magic
A name no one can imitate
Story
God did amazing things through Paul's hands. Even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched Paul were taken to the sick, and their illnesses left them and evil spirits went out. Then some Jews who went from place to place driving out spirits tried to copy Paul. They said to people with evil spirits, “By the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you.” The seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish priest, were doing this too.
The evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about. But who are you?” The man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. They ran out of that house naked and wounded. When this became known all over Ephesus, everyone was filled with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in honor.
Many who had come to believe came and confessed what they had been doing. Those who had practiced magic brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When they added up what the books were worth, it came to fifty thousand silver coins. In this way the word of the Lord grew mightily and spread far and wide.
Walk this scene on the map →Words of the Lord and of Paul
By the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you.
Jesus I know, and Paul I know about. But who are you?
In this way the word of the Lord grew mightily and spread far and wide.
The sayings are fresh renderings of the original meaning in today's language. Text: Acts 19:13–20
Background
Ephesus was famous for its spells and charms. If one silver coin was a worker's pay for a day, fifty thousand silver coins was a fortune that would take one person more than a hundred years to earn.
Pause and Reflect
What habit must I clearly cut off in order to follow the Lord?