1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this , they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. 7 And all the men were about twelve. 8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. 9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. 10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. 11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
13 ¶ Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men : and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
21 ¶ After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. 22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season. 23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; 25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. 26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: 27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. 28 And when they heard these sayings , they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. 30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. 31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. 32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. 33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people. 34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. 37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. 38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another. 39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. 40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. 41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
Paulo mu Efeso
1 Apolosi kati atjimu Korinta, Paulo kayenda ali tje mukati kwe ntuthu, ngono kaswika mu Efeso. Ikoku kawana bamwe badiyiwa, 2 ngono kababhuzwa kati, “Apa makaamutjila Meya yakayengemala pamakabe bagalimoyo kene?”
Bakadabila beti, “Aa, atithu tikahwa na iko kuti kuna Meya yakayengemala.”
3 Paulo kabhuzwa kati, “Ngono makaamutjila kudubikwa kwakatini?”
Bakadabila beti, “Kudubikwa kwa Johani.”
4 Paulo kati, “Kudubika kwa Johani kwakabe kuli kwe kushandukila matjinyo; ngono wakabudza bathu kugalamoyo muna iye wakabe ewozha shule kukwe, iye Jesu.”
5 Bakati behwa ikoku, bakadubikwa nge zina la She Jesu. 6 Paulo kabiga maboko awe pezhugwi kwabo, ngono Meya yakayengemala ikadelukila mubali; bakalebeleka nge ndimi kakale bakalebabo dama le Ndzimu. 7 Bose bakabe bangabe balume bali gumi lina babili.
8 Paulo kangina mu ng'umba ye mitembezelo, ngono mu mimwedzi ili mitatu kalebeleka ngosimamoyo ne bathu, elebeleka nabo egwisa kubagadzamoyo mu bushe gwe Ndzimu. 9 Koga kwakabe kuti bamwe bakakukutala, bakasigalemoyo, bakaleba zwakabipa ngekwe Zila ya She mbeli kwe gubungano. Ndizo Paulo kabasiya, katola ibabo bakabe begalamoyo, ngono mazhuba wose elebeleka mu ng'umba ye zwidiyo ya Tirano kudwa mu lubaka gwe gumi lina ling'ompela. 10 Ikoku kukadwilila makole mabili, ndizo bathu bose bakabe begala mu ntuthu we Ezhiya, Bajuta ne Bezwitjaba bakahwa dama la She.
Bakololo ba Sikeva
11 Ndzimu wakabe ushinga ndi Paulo makaabadzo asakawolobegwa. 12 Tukwana ne khiba dzaakashingisa dzakabe dziyisiwa ku bagwele, ngono magwele abo ebhuda mubali ne meya yakabipa ibhuda mubali. 13 Bamwe Bajuta bakabe beyenda bedusa meya yakabipa bakagwisa kushingisa zina la She Jesu kuthama ikoku. Bakati ku meya yakabipa, “Ndokulaya nge zina la Jesu, iye Paulo waanosumikila.” 14 Bakololo bali kutendeka ba Sikeva Ntungamili we bapirisiti we Tjijuta bakabe bethama ikoku. 15 Koga meya mbi ikati ku bali, “Jesu ndonziba, na Paulo ndonziba koga imwi, muboani?”
16 Nlume iwoyo wakabe ana meya mbi kabatjulukila kagwanabo kabakulila nge masimba. Bakatizha bakabhuda mu ng'umba iye basakasungila kakale bana mbonje. 17 Ikoku kukazibgwa nge bagali bose be Efeso ne Bajuta kose ne Bezwitjaba bakazhala kutja, ngono zina la She Jesu likakudziwa. 18 Bunji gwa ibabo bakabe batjibe bagalimoyo bakazha, bezwileba matjinyo abo kakale bedusila patjena mishingo yabo mibi yabakabe bethama. 19 Bunji gwa ibabo bakabe beshingisa malipa bakakubunganya hwalo dzabo, ngono bakadzipisa mbeli kwe bathu. Bakashanganya themba ye hwalo idzedzo, ngono yose yakabe zwiwulu zwili makumi mashanu (50 000) e maloso e siliva. 20 Dama la She likakula likawanda nge masimba.
Phipiti mu Efeso
21 Shule kwe zwithu izwezwi zwashingikala, Paulo kakumbula kuyenda epalama Makedoniya ne Akaiya eyenda ku Jerusalema, eti, “Kudwa ikoko ndakafanila kuyenda ku Roma.” 22 Ndizo katuma Timoti na Erasito, babili be babhatshi babe mu Makedoniya iye esala kwe tjibakana mu Ezhiya.
23 Kwakabe kuna kudzongeka kukulu mu Efeso mu tjibaka itjetjo ngekwe Zila ya She. 24 Mmwe nthuli we siliva wakabe eyi Demetiriyo wakabe ethama zwifano zwe siliva zwe ng'umba ye ndzimukadzi Aritemisi, ngono nshingo uwe wakabe ubuzila bashingi kwazo. 25 Ndizo kabadana bose ne bamwe bakabe bana nshingo unoyendidzana ne wabo, kati ku bali, “Balume, moziba kuti fumwa yedu inodwa mu nshingo iwoyu. 26 Ngwenu, mobona mukazwihwigwa tjinoshingwa nge nthu iwoyu Paulo. Kati midzimu yakabezhiwa nge bathu ate ili midzimu dumbu, ndizo wakatubula kugadzamoyo bathu banjinji kabatungamilila ntome kose muno mu Efeso ne mu ntuthu wose we Ezhiya. 27 Ndizo kuna mbhatsha dze kuti nshingo wedu iwoyu ube ne zina lakabipa. Ate ikoku koga, kuna mbatshabo dze kuti ng'umba ye ndzimukadzi nkulu Aritemisi inowolengudzika nge kuti unowodelusiwa mu bukulu gwawo, ndzimukadzi unonamatiwa nge mmwe ne mmwe mu Ezhiya ne mu shango yose!”
28 Bakati behwa matama iyawa, bakazhala bushongola bakatangisa kumimila beti, “Nkulu Aritemisi we Baefeso!” 29 Zhoba ikayenda nge nzi wose. Mbunga wose ukalabuka ukangina mu ng'umba ye mizano ukazuzuta Gayo na Arisitako be Makedoniya ibo bakabe beyenda na Paulo mu njendo dzidze. 30 Paulo nge kukwe wakabe eshaka kungina pakati kwe mbunga, koga badiyiwa bakasin'dumile. 31 Bamwe be babusi be Ezhiya, bakabe bali bazwalani babe, bakayisa thumo kunli benkumbila kuti asitongo zwilakidza mu ng'umba ye mizano. 32 Mu tjibaka itjetjo gubungano lose lakabe lili mu phipiti, bamwe bathu bakabe bemimila beleba tjabanoleba, bamwe bemimila beleba tjipoga, ngono bunji gwabo gwakabe gusingazibe kuti bakubunganilani. 33 Bamwe be bathu ipapo bakatola kuti Alekizanda wakabe ali iye u nlandu, se Bajuta bakanthama kuti ayende mbeli. Ipapo Alekizanda kalakidza nge luboko kuti bathu banyalale, ngono kagwisa kulebeleka ezwimila. 34 Koga bakati beziba kuti Njuta, bakamimila bose beleba tjithu tjing'ompela mu awara mbili beti, “Aritemisi we Efeso ndiye nkulu!”
35 Ku bupelo nkwalili we nzi katubula kudzikamisa mbunga. Kati, “Bakanyi kwedu Baefeso! Mmwe ne mmwe unoziba kuti nzi we Efeso nlondolodzi we ng'umba ya Aritemisi nkulu nenge bgwe lakayengemala lakawa lidwa kudzimu. 36 Aapo ungalandula zwithu izwezwi. Ndizo makafanila dzikama, musithame tjimwe nge phupu. 37 Mazhisa balume ibaba ngeno nenguba basatolela ng'umba dze midzimu yedu kene kuli kuleba tjakabipa ngekwe ndzimukadzi wedu. 38 Ha Demetiriyo ne bashingi babe bana nlandu wabanopa mmwe, mabazhe akazhuka ne balauli bayapo ndizo ngabatjetane. 39 Koga ha kuna tjimwe kakale tjamunoshaka, pana itjetji tjowolulwamisiwa mu gubungano le babaki bamuno kuyendidzana nge nlayo. 40 Ngobe ngekwe tjashingikala nasi, kuna mbatsha dze kuti tingatjetegwa phipiti. Akuna dama latingaleba labanga zhoba iyeyi.” 41 Kati aleba ikoku kapaladza nshangano.