Would-be Exorcists

11 And God was performing extraordinary[fn] miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or work aprons that had touched his skin[fn] were carried away to those who were sick, and their[fn] diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.[fn] 13 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!” 14 (Now seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.) 15 But the evil spirit answered and[fn] said to them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with, but who are you?” 16 And the man who had the evil spirit[fn] leaped on them, subdued all of them, and[fn] prevailed against them, so that they ran away from that house naked and wounded. 17 And this became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was exalted. 18 And many of those who had believed came, confessing and disclosing their practices, 19 and many of those who practiced magic brought together their[fn] books and[fn] burned them[fn] up in the sight of everyone. And they counted up their value and found it was fifty thousand silver coins.[fn] 20 In this way the word of the Lord was growing in power and was prevailing.