Acts 19:16
What does Acts 19:16 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 19:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 19:16 means
The possessed man leaps on them, overpowers them, and they flee the house naked and wounded. The reversal is complete: would-be exorcists become the battered and exposed. Their shame is public, their presumption punished. This is not spectacle for its own sake but a cautionary sign that the spiritual world is real and that Christ’s authority cannot be counterfeited. In a culture trusting charms and formulas, the episode strips away illusions. The Lord protects His name by allowing this failure, which in turn awakens a city to fear Him. The defeat of presumptuous exorcists underlines the victory of Jesus, whose true servants act in His commission and power.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and mastered both of them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and mastered both of them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And the man in whom the evil spirit was, jumping on them, was stronger than the two of them, and overcame them, so that they went running from that house, wounded and without their clothing.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they did flee out of that house,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And the man in whom the wicked spirit was, leaping upon them and mastering them both, prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And the man in whom the wicked spirit was leaped upon them, and having mastered both, prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Context
This violent outcome follows the demon’s scornful challenge and sets up a city-wide reaction. The next verse reports that fear falls on both Jews and Greeks in Ephesus and that the name of the Lord Jesus is magnified. The humiliation of the exorcists becomes a catalyst for genuine repentance in the community, leading many believers to confess their practices and publicly renounce magic.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Mark 5:3
who had his dwelling in the tombs: and no man could any more bind him, no, not with a chain;
- Mark 5:15
And they come to Jesus, and behold him that was possessed with demons sitting, clothed and in his right mind, even him that had the legion: and they were afraid.
- Luke 8:29
For he was commanding the unclean spirit to come out from the man. For oftentimes it had seized him: and he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters; and breaking the bands asunder, he was driven of the demon into the deserts.
- Luke 8:35
And they went out to see what had come to pass; and they came to Jesus, and found the man, from whom the demons were gone out, sitting, clothed and in his right mind, at the feet of Jesus: and they were afraid.
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