GENEVA BIBLE 1599
The Bible of the Pilgrims who founded America and also the Bible of the Reformation.
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1 And (1) it came to pass, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul when he passed through the upper coasts, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples,
(1) Paul being nothing offended at the rudeness of the Ephesians, planted a Church among them.
2 And said unto them, Have ye received the (a) (*) holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be a holy Ghost.
(a) Those excellent gifts of the holy Ghost, which were in those days in the Church.
(*) That is, the particular gifts of the Spirit; for as yet they knew not the visible gifts.
3 (2) And he said unto them, (*) Unto (b) what were ye then baptized? And they said, Unto (c) John’s baptism.
(2) John did only begin to instruct the disciples whom Christ should make perfect.
(*) Meaning, what doctrine they did profess by their
baptism; for to be baptized in John’s baptism signifieth to
profess the doctrine which he taught, and sealed with the
sign of baptism, to be baptized in the Name of the Father,
and is to be dedicated and consecrated unto him, to be
baptized in the death of Christ, or for the dead, or into
one body, unto the remission of sins, is that sin by
Christ’s death may be abolished, and die in us, and that we
may grow in Christ our head, and that our sins may be washed
away by the blood of Christ.
(b) In what doctrine then are you taught and instructed?
(c) To be baptized into John's baptism, is to profess the
doctrine which John preached and sealed with his baptism.
4 Then said Paul, (*) John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe in him, which should come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.
(*) Acts 1:5; Acts 2:2; Acts 11:16; Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:26 .
5 And when they heard it, they were (*) baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
(*) Endued with the visible graces of the holy Ghost.
6 So Paul laid his hands upon them, and the holy Ghost came on them, and they spake the tongues, and prophesied.
7 And all the men were about twelve.
8 ¶ Moreover he went into the Synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and exhorting to the things that appertain to the kingdom of God.
9 (3) But when certain were hardened, and disobeyed, speaking evil of the (d) way of God before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, and disputed daily in the school of one (e) Tyrannus (*) .
(3) For a man to separate himself and others from infidels
which are utterly desperate, it is not to divide the Church,
but rather to unite it and make it one.
(d) By this word, Way, the Hebrews understand any kind of
life, and here it is taken for Christianity.
(e) This was a man's proper name.
(*) From five o’clock unto ten.
10 And this was done by the space of two years, so that all they which dwelt in Asia, heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Grecians.
11 And God wrought no small miracles by the hands of Paul,
12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick, (*) kerchiefs (♣) or handkerchiefs, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
(*) Or, napkins.
(♣) This was to authorize the Gospel, and to confirm Paul’s ministry, not to cause men to worship him or his napkins.
13 (4) Then certain of the vagabond Jews, (f) (*) exorcists, took in hand to name over them which had evil spirits, the Name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We (♣) adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth.
(4) Satan is constrained to give witness against himself.
(f) So were they called which cast out devils by conjuring
them in the Name of God; and in the beginning of the Church,
they which had the gift of working miracles, and laid their
hands on them that were possessed with devils, were also so
called.
(*) Or, conjurers.
(♣) They abuse Paul’s authority, and without any vocation of God, usurp that which is not in man’s power.
14 (And there were certain sons of Sceva, a Jew, the Priest, about seven which did this.)
15 And the evil spirit answered, and said, Jesus I acknowledge, and Paul I know, but who are ye?
16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was, ran on them, and overcame them, and (g) prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house, naked and wounded.
(g) He prevailed against them, though they strove never so much.
17 And this was known to all the Jews and Grecians also, which dwelt at Ephesus, and fear came on them all, and the Name of the Lord Jesus was magnified,
18 (5) And many that believed, came and (h) confessed, and (*) shewed their works.
(5) Conjuring and sorcery is condemned by open testimony,
and by the authority of the Apostle.
(h) Confessed their errors, and detested them openly, being
terrified with the fear of the judgment of God; and what is
this to ear shrift?
(*) That is, declared by confession of their sins and by their good works that they were faithful.
19 Many also of them which used curious arts, brought their books, and burned them before all men; and they counted the price of them, and found it (i) (*) fifty thousand pieces of silver.
(i) They that make the least value of it, reckon it to be about eight hundred pounds English.
(*) This mounteth to of our money about 2000 marks.
20 So the word of God grew mightily, and prevailed.
21 ¶ (6) Now when these things were accomplished, Paul purposed (*) by the (k) Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia, and to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
(6) Paul is never weary.
(*) By the motion of the holy Ghost, he undertook this
journey.
(k) By the motion of God's Spirit; therefore we may not say
that Paul ran hand over head to death, but as the Spirit of
God led him.
22 So sent he into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timothy and Erastus, but he remained in Asia for a season.
23 (7) And the same time there arose no small trouble about that (*) way.
(7) Gain cloaked with a shew of religion is the very cause wherefore idolatry is stoutly and stubbornly defended.
(*) That is, about the state of the Christians; for they contemned the Christians because they left the old religion, and brought in another trade of doctrine.
24 For a certain man named Demetrius a silversmith, which made silver (l) (*) temples of Diana, (♣) brought great gains unto the craftsmen,
(l) These were certain counterfeit temples with Diana's picture in them, which they bought that worshipped her.
(*) Or, shrines.
(♣) What impiety doeth not covetousness drive a man unto?
25 Whom he called together, with the workmen of like things, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft (*) we have our goods;
(*) He was moved with his profit; and the others for their bellies, so that they would rather lose both their lives, and religion than their filthy gain.
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 not gods which are made with hands.
27 So that not only this thing is dangerous unto us, (*) that this our (m) portion shall be reproved, but also that the (♣) temple of the great goddess Diana should be nothing esteemed, and that it would come to pass that her magnificence, which all Asia and (♠) the world worshippeth, should be destroyed.
(*) Meaning their art and occupation.
(m) As if he said, If Paul goes on thus as he hath begun to confute the opinion which men have of Diana's image, all this of our gain will come to nought.
(♣) Religion is his second argument which he less esteemeth, than his profit, and therefore putteth it last, which thing is contrary to the doings of the faithful; for they prefer religion above all.
(♠) He groundeth his religion upon the multitude and authority of the world, as do the Papists.
28 Now when they heard it, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
29 And the whole city was full of confusion, and they rushed into the common place with one assent, and caught (*) Gaius, and (♣) Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, and Paul’s companions of his journey.
(*) Romans 16:23; 1 Corinthians 1:14 .
(♣) Colossians 4:10 .
30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
31 (8) Certain also of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not present himself in the common place.
(8) There ought to be in all Christians and especially in the Ministers, an invincible constancy, which may not by any storms or assaults be overcome, which notwithstanding must suffer itself modestly to be governed by wisdom.
32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was out of order, and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
33 And some of the company (*) drew forth Alexander, the Jews thrusting him forwards. Alexander then beckoned with the hand, and would have excused the matter to the people.
(*) And set him in a high place where the people could not come near him but whence they might well hear his voice.
34 (9) But when they knew that he was a Jew, there arose a shout almost for the space of two hours, of all men, crying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
(9) Instead of reason, the idolaters are sufficiently contented with their own madness and outcries, and those are the greatest defenses that they have.
35 (10) Then the town clerk when he had stayed the people, said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is it that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image, which (n) came down from (*) Jupiter?
(10) An example of a political man who redeemeth peace and
quietness with lies, which Paul would never have done.
(n) The Ephesians believed superstitiously, that the image
of Diana came down from heaven to them.
(*) Antiquity and the covetousness of the Priests brought in this superstition; for it is written that the temple being repaired seven times, this idol was never changed, Pliny library 16-40; by such delusions the world is most easily abused.
36 Seeing then that no man can (*) speak against these things, ye ought to be appeased, and to do nothing rashly.
(*) He pacifieth the people by worldly wisdom, and hath no respect to religion.
37 For ye have brought hither these men, which have neither committed sacrilege, neither do blaspheme your goddess.
38 Wherefore, if Demetrius and the craftsmen which are with him, have a (o) matter against any man, the (p) law is open, and there are (q) Deputies; let them accuse one another.
(o) Have ought to accuse any man of.
(p) For there are certain days appointed for civil causes
and matters of judgment, and the Deputies sit.
(q) By the Deputies are meant also the Deputies’
Substitutes, that is, such as did sit for them.
39 But if ye inquire anything concerning other matters, it may be determined in a (r) lawful assembly.
(r) He speaketh of a lawful assembly, not only to except against the disordered hurly burly of the people, but also against all meeting and coming together which was not by order; for there were certain days appointed to call the people together in.
40 For we are even in jeopardy to be accused of this day’s sedition, for as much as there is no cause, whereby we may give a reason of this concourse of people.
41 And when he had thus spoken, he let the assembly depart.
1 Corinthians 14:8
And also if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to battle?
"Let not Geneva be forgotten or despised. Religious liberty owes it most respect." John Adams, the second president of the United States
Before, and many years after the KJV was printed, the GENEVA BIBLE was the People's Choice, but an ungodly King made it illegal to publish it any longer: http://www.reformedreader.org/gbn/igb.htm
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