Acts 19:11–22 Extraordinary Miracles
Quick Summary
Acts 19:11–22 describes extraordinary miracles in Ephesus where God works through Paul to heal the sick and cast out demons using handkerchiefs and aprons. Jewish exorcists, including the seven sons of Sceva, attempt to invoke Jesus' name without genuine faith and are overpowered by a demon-possessed man. This leads to widespread fear, public confession of sins, and the burning of magic books worth fifty thousand silver coins. The word of the Lord grows mightily as Ephesus turns from magic to the gospel. Paul then plans to visit Macedonia, Achaia, Jerusalem, and Rome.
Introduction
Ephesus was a city steeped in magic and the occult. The "Ephesian letters" were famous throughout the ancient world—magical formulas and incantations believed to grant power over spirits. Magicians, exorcists, and practitioners of various occult arts operated openly. The temple of Artemis was not only a religious center but also a hub for magical practices.
Into this context comes Paul, proclaiming Jesus as Lord. The collision between the gospel and the spiritual powers of Ephesus is inevitable. Luke presents it as a contest: whose power is real? The God of Israel working through Paul, or the spirits invoked by Ephesian magicians?
The answer comes decisively. God performs extraordinary miracles through Paul. Counterfeit attempts to use Jesus' name backfire spectacularly. The result is not just individual conversions but a citywide turning from magic. Books are burned. Practices are abandoned. The word of the Lord prevails.
This passage challenges modern readers to take seriously the reality of spiritual power and the authority of Jesus over all rival claims.
Verse by Verse Breakdown of Acts 19:11–22 and Commentary
Acts 19:11–12
"God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul, so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them."
Luke emphasizes that God is the actor. The miracles are "through" Paul, not by him. This guards against the temptation to attribute power to the apostle rather than to God.
The miracles are described as "extraordinary" (οὐ τὰς τυχούσας, ou tas tychousas), literally "not ordinary." Even by the standards of Acts, where miracles are frequent, these stand out.
Handkerchiefs (σουδάρια, soudaria) and aprons (σιμικίνθια, simikinthia) that had touched Paul's skin carry healing power. The sick are healed. Evil spirits are cast out.
This echoes earlier accounts in Acts. Peter's shadow heals (Acts 5:15). Contact with Paul's garments does the same. The parallel is deliberate. God works through both apostles with similar power.
Why does God work this way? In Ephesus, magical objects were everywhere—amulets, charms, inscriptions believed to hold power. God meets the Ephesians in terms they understand but subverts their expectations. True power does not reside in incantations or rituals. It flows from the living God through those who belong to him.
This is not magic. Magic attempts to manipulate spiritual forces through technique. What Paul experiences is the sovereign work of God, who chooses to heal and deliver as he wills.
Acts 19:13
"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.'"
Jewish exorcists were common in the ancient world. They invoked various names—angels, patriarchs, even God's name—to drive out demons. Exorcism was a recognized practice, and some were known for their skill.
These exorcists see Paul's success and decide to try using Jesus' name. They treat it as another formula, another tool in their repertoire.
The wording is telling: "the Jesus whom Paul proclaims." They do not know Jesus personally. They are borrowing someone else's authority, attempting to access power without relationship.
This is spiritual plagiarism. They want the results Paul experiences without the faith, commitment, or connection to Jesus that Paul has.
Acts 19:14
"Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this."
Luke identifies the exorcists: seven sons of Sceva, described as a Jewish high priest. Scholars debate whether Sceva was actually a high priest. No Jewish high priest by that name is known from other sources. He may have claimed the title falsely to enhance his sons' credibility, or "high priest" may be a loose designation for a priestly family.
The number seven suggests completeness, perhaps indicating all of Sceva's sons were involved. Their connection to priestly lineage would have given them status and made their exorcisms seem more authoritative.
Acts 19:15
"But the evil spirit said to them in reply, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?'"
The demon speaks. This is startling but not unprecedented. In the Gospels, demons recognize Jesus and speak through those they possess (Mark 1:24, 5:7).
The demon's response is devastating: "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" The spirit world recognizes genuine authority. Jesus has authority as Lord. Paul has delegated authority as his apostle. But these exorcists have none.
They are nobodies in the spiritual realm. Their use of Jesus' name is meaningless because they have no relationship with him. Authority comes from connection, not technique.
Acts 19:16
"Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered them all, and so overpowered them that they fled out of the house naked and wounded."
The demon-possessed man attacks. The word "mastered" (κατακυριεύσας, katakyrieusas) means to gain dominion over, to overpower completely.
He overpowers all seven. They are stripped naked and wounded. They flee in humiliation and fear.
This is not a minor embarrassment. It is public defeat. Their claims to spiritual authority are exposed as fraudulent. The demon they tried to command commands them instead.
The scene is both terrifying and instructive. Spiritual warfare is real. Demons are not metaphors. And attempting to engage them without genuine faith in Jesus is dangerous.
Acts 19:17
"When this became known to all residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, everyone was awestruck; and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised."
The story spreads quickly. Ephesus is not a large city by modern standards. News travels fast.
The response is fear (φόβος, phobos), the kind of holy dread that recognizes the presence of real power. This is not terror that paralyzes, but awe that leads to worship.
The result is praise of Jesus. His name is exalted. The contrast is clear: Jesus' name has power when invoked by those who belong to him. Counterfeit use leads to disaster.
Acts 19:18–19
"Also many of those who became believers confessed and disclosed their practices. A number of those who practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly; when the value of these books was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver coins."
The impact is profound. Believers—people who have already embraced the gospel—confess their ongoing involvement in magical practices. Apparently, some had tried to hold onto both, syncretizing Christianity with Ephesian magic.
Now they come clean. They confess publicly and bring their magic books to be burned.
The books are scrolls containing spells, incantations, and formulas. In Ephesus, such texts were valuable commodities. The total worth is fifty thousand silver coins (δραχμῶν, drachmōn). A drachma was roughly a day's wage. This represents an enormous sum, equivalent to over 130 years of labor.
The public burning is significant. It is not enough to stop practicing magic privately. The renunciation must be visible, communal, and irreversible. Burning the books ensures they cannot be sold or passed on.
This is repentance with teeth. It costs them financially and socially. But they recognize that following Jesus requires complete allegiance. There can be no compromise with practices that invoke spiritual powers apart from God.
Acts 19:20
"So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed."
Luke summarizes. The word prevails (ἴσχυεν, ischyen). The verb suggests strength, power, dominance. The gospel does not merely survive in Ephesus. It triumphs.
The growth is not just numerical. It is qualitative. The church is purified, freed from syncretism, and more fully committed to Jesus.
This verse echoes earlier summaries in Acts (6:7, 12:24). Each time, the word grows in response to faithfulness, opposition overcome, or spiritual breakthrough.
Acts 19:21
"Now after these things had been accomplished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and Achaia, and then to go on to Jerusalem. He said, 'After I have gone there, I must also see Rome.'"
Paul makes plans. He will revisit Macedonia and Achaia, strengthening the churches he planted. Then he will go to Jerusalem. Finally, Rome.
The phrase "resolved in the Spirit" (ἔθετο ἐν τῷ πνεύματι, etheto en tō pneumati) suggests this decision is made under the Spirit's guidance. Paul is not wandering aimlessly. He is being directed.
The mention of Rome is significant. Luke's narrative is moving toward Paul's arrival in the imperial capital. The gospel will reach the heart of the empire.
Paul's statement "I must also see Rome" (δεῖ με καὶ Ῥώμην ἰδεῖν, dei me kai Rhōmēn idein) uses the word "must" (δεῖ, dei), which often indicates divine necessity in Luke-Acts. Paul senses that God is directing him toward Rome.
Acts 19:22
"So he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed for some time longer in Asia."
Paul sends Timothy and Erastus ahead to prepare the way. Timothy is well-known in Acts and Paul's letters. Erastus is mentioned briefly; Romans 16:23 identifies an Erastus as the city treasurer of Corinth.
Paul remains in Asia. His work in Ephesus is not yet complete. He will stay until opposition forces his departure, which Luke recounts in the following verses.
Acts 19:11–22 Meaning for Today
Acts 19:11–22 challenges the contemporary church in several ways.
First, spiritual power is real. Modern Western culture tends to dismiss demons, exorcism, and miraculous healings as primitive superstition. But Acts takes these realities seriously. The church should neither be naive about spiritual warfare nor dismissive of God's power to heal and deliver.
Second, Jesus' name is not a magic formula. The sons of Sceva tried to use Jesus' name as a technique, and it backfired. Authority comes from relationship with Jesus, not from invoking his name mechanically. The church must resist treating prayer, worship, or spiritual practices as formulas that manipulate God.
Third, genuine repentance requires renouncing old practices. The Ephesian believers did not keep their magic books as curiosities. They burned them publicly, at great financial cost. Christians today must identify the practices, habits, and allegiances that compete with Jesus and renounce them decisively.
Fourth, syncretism is a persistent temptation. Some Ephesian believers tried to blend Christianity with magic. The church today faces similar temptations—blending the gospel with consumerism, nationalism, or therapeutic self-help. Faithfulness requires discernment and the courage to reject what does not belong.
Fifth, the gospel triumphs through demonstration, not just declaration. Paul did not simply argue against Ephesian magic. God worked miracles through him, and counterfeit power was exposed. The church's witness is strengthened when God's power is visible.
Finally, Paul's example shows that mission involves planning under the Spirit's guidance. He resolved to go to Macedonia, Achaia, Jerusalem, and Rome. This was not impulsive wandering. It was strategic, Spirit-led planning. The church should combine prayerful attentiveness to the Spirit with thoughtful planning for the work ahead.
Acts 19:11–22 presents a church that confronts spiritual powers, renounces competing allegiances, and experiences the triumph of the gospel. It calls believers today to similar boldness, clarity, and reliance on God's power.
Works Consulted
Bruce, F. F. The Book of the Acts. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Eerdmans.
Dunn, James D. G. The Acts of the Apostles. Epworth Commentaries.
Johnson, Luke Timothy. The Acts of the Apostles. Sacra Pagina. Liturgical Press.
Keener, Craig S. Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, Vol. 3. Baker Academic.
New Revised Standard Version Bible.
See Also
Acts 19:8-10 Ministry in the Lecture Hall of Tyrannus
