Gevurot 19

1. And it came about while Rav Apollos was in Corinth that Rav Sha’ul traveled through the upper regions and arrived at Ephesus, finding some of [Moshiach’s] talmidim there.

2. And Rav Sha’ul said to them, "Did you receive the Ruach Hakodesh when you came to emunah?" But they said to Rav Sha’ul, "But we never heard that there is a Ruach Hakodesh!"

3. And Rav Sha’ul said, "Into what then were you given tevilah?" And they said, "Into the tevilah of Yochanan."

4. And Rav Sha’ul said, "Yochanan gave a tevilah of teshuva to the people, saying that they should have emunah in Hu HaBah [Moshiach], the one coming after him, that is, in Yehoshua." [Lk 3:16]

5. And having heard this, they were given Moshiach’s tevilah of teshuva in haShem of the Moshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua.

6. And when Rav Sha’ul placed his hands upon them, the Ruach Hakodesh came upon them, and they were speaking in leshonot and they were speaking dvarim hanevu’ah.

7. And the anashim were about sheneym asar in number.

8. And having joined the minyan at the shul, Rav Sha’ul was speaking with ometz lev during the course of shloshah chodashim, debating and persuading concerning the things of the Malchut Hashem.

9. But when some unbelievers in the shul were being hardened and were disobeying, speaking Chillul Hashem of the Derech Hashem before the multitude, Rav Sha’ul withdrew from them. Rav Sha’ul took the Moshiach’s talmidim and yom yom was saying shiurim in the [Messianic] yeshiva of Tyrannus.

10. And this happened over a period of two years with the intended result that all the ones inhabiting [the Roman Province of] Asia heard the dvar Hashem, both Yehudim and Yevanim.

11. And gevaltike moftim and niflaot Hashem effected at the hands of Rav Sha’ul,

12. so that when a handkerchief or an apron touched the skin of Rav Sha’ul and was brought to the cholim, the machlot (sicknesses) and the shedim (demons) left them.

13. And some traveling Jewish exorcists attempted to use haShem of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua over the ones possessed of ruchot ra’ot, saying, "I exorcize and cast you out by the Yehoshua whom Rav Sha’ul preaches!"

14. And there were doing this very thing shivat banim of a certain Skeva, a Jewish "Kohen Gadol."

15. And in reply the ruach hara’ah (the shed, demon) said to them, "I am acquainted with Yehoshua, I have da’as of Sha’ul, but, you, who are you?!"

16. And the ish in whom was the ruach hara’ah leaped upon them and subdued all [shivah] of them, and overpowered them, so that they fled, naked and wounded, from the bais.

17. And this became known to all the Yehudim and also the Yevanim inhabiting Ephesus, and pachad (terror) fell upon all of them, and they were exalting haShem of Adoneinu Yehoshua.

18. And many of the ones having come to emunah were making vidduy of their ma’asim, disclosing them.

19. And a number of the ones who had practiced kishshuf (magic, sorcery) brought together their occult sfarim and were burning them publicly; and they added up the price of these occult sfarim, and they found it to be fifty thousand silver pieces.

20. So the dvar Hashem, the Besuras HaGeulah, was growing with ko’ach and was prevailing.

21. And when these things were fulfilled, Rav Sha’ul resolved in his ruach to travel through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Yerushalayim, saying "After I have gone there, it is necessary for me also to see Rome."

22. So Rav Sha’ul sent to Macedonia two of the mesharetim (ministers, servants) with him‖Timotiyos and Erastus, while he stayed a little while longer in [the Province of] Asia.

23. Now during that time there was no small disturbance concerning the Derech Hashem.

24. For a certain one, Demetrius by name, a silversmith and maker of silver idol shrines for Artemis, was providing no small revach (profit) for the craftsmen.

25. Demetrius also assembled the craftsmen occupied with that trade and he said, "Anashim, you have da’as that our prosperity is from this trade,

26. "And you see and hear that not only here in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Rav Sha’ul has persuaded and drawn away a large multitude saying, ‘Elilim made with human hands are not Elohim.’ [Dt 4:28; Ps 115:4; Isa 44:10-20; Jer 10:3-5]

27. "And this is not only a danger to us, that our part, our trade, will fall into disrepute, but also the temple of the elah hagedolah Artemis may be considered as nothing, and also may be about to suffer the loss of her majesty, which all Asia and the Olam Hazeh worship."

28. And having listened and having become full of ka’as, the idol makers were crying out, saying, "Gedolah is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

29. And the city was filled with tohu, and they rushed with one impulse into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Macedonians and traveling fellow po’alim of Rav Sha’ul.

30. And Rav Sha’ul desired to enter into the crowd in the theater, but the talmidim were not allowing him.

31. And also some of the Asiarchs who were his chaverim, sent to him, begging him not to venture into the theater.

32. Then some began shouting one thing, some another, in the theater, for the kahal was in confusion, and most had no da’as of the purpose of the kahal (assembly).

33. And from the multitude Alexander was pushed forward by Yehudim and some prompted him with shouts, while Alexander waved his hand, wanting to defend himself to the kahal.

34. But having known what the man was, that he was a Yehudi, all in the theater shouted in unison for lav davka two hours crying out, "Gedolah is Artemis of the Ephesians."

35. And the town clerk, when he had restrained the crowd, said, "Anashim, citizens of Ephesus, who indeed is there among Bnei Adam who does not have da’as that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the tzelem (image) that fell from Shomayim?

36. "Since these things are undeniable, it is necessary for you to calm down and to do nothing reckless.

37. "For you brought these anashim here who are neither temple robbers nor speakers of evil against our religion.

38. "Therefore, if Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a tainah (grievance) against anyone, the civil courts are in session and there are proconsuls. Let it be there that they bring charges against one another.

39. "And if you seek anything further, let your settlement be obtained in the lawful assembly.

40. "For indeed we are in danger of being indicted for an intifadah (uprising) today, for there is no justification we can render to excuse this disorder and commotion."

41. And having said these things, the town clerk dismissed the kahal (assembly).