Acts 19:18
What does Acts 19:18 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 19:18 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 19:18 means
Many who had believed come forward, confessing and declaring their deeds. The gospel’s power is seen not only in miracles but in moral transparency and repentance. Confession brings hidden practices into the light, severing the hold of shame and superstition. These are believers—people already persuaded of Jesus—now aligning their lives more fully with Him. The verse reminds us that conversion is both decisive and ongoing; as Christ is magnified, His people surrender entrenched sins. In Ephesus, where secrecy surrounds magic, open confession breaks the spell of the old life. Grace leads to truth-telling, and truth-telling becomes part of the healing God is working in the community.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Many also of them that had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Many also of them that had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And a number of those who had faith came and made a public statement of their sins and all their acts.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862many also of those who did believe were coming, confessing and declaring their acts,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And many of them that believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And many of those that believed came confessing and declaring their deeds.
Context
This response of confession follows the city-wide fear and magnifying of Jesus’ name. It moves from general awe to specific repentance. The next verse records a dramatic, public renunciation of magic through the burning of costly books, quantifying the seriousness of their turn. This sets up Luke’s summary that the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed, showing that the gospel’s triumph includes transformed lives and forsaken idols.
v.17And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, that dwelt at Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
v.18This passage
v.19And not a few of them that practised magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 32:5
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity did I not hide: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Jehovah; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. [Selah
- Job 33:27
He singeth before men, and saith, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, And it profited me not:
- Leviticus 16:21
and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a man that is in readiness into the wilderness:
- Romans 10:10
for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
- Jeremiah 3:13
Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against Jehovah thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith Jehovah.
- Leviticus 26:40
And they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me, and also that, because they walked contrary unto me,
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