1  ---
 2  id: 97af836a-cafc-4215-8e84-a82179637630
 3  ---
 4  
 5  > [!meta]+ Metadata
 6  > - title:: Acts 19:13-20 - Sons of Sceva and the Magicians of Ephesus - Reading Acts
 7  > - author::  Phillip J. Long
 8  > - itemType:: web article
 9  > - date_published:: 2011-04-05 15:00:38
10  > - date_saved:: 2024-03-19 14:51:21
11  > - tags:: #reference
12  > - omnivore_url:: [Read on Omnivore](https://omnivore.app/me/https-readingacts-com-2011-04-05-acts-1913-20-sons-of-sceva-and--18e580db9b7)
13  > - original_url:: [Read Original](https://readingacts.com/2011/04/05/acts-1913-20-sons-of-sceva-and-the-magicians-of-ephesus/)
14  
15  # Acts 19:13-20 - Sons of Sceva and the Magicians of Ephesus - Reading Acts
16  
17  ## Highlights
18  
19  > God of Paul is not to be manipulated like the other gods of the ancient world. [⤴️](https://omnivore.app/me/https-readingacts-com-2011-04-05-acts-1913-20-sons-of-sceva-and--18e580db9b7#a5253249-23bd-4c51-8c1c-dd343d95a164)  ^a5253249
20  
21  > Luke reports that many who were already believers openly confessed their sin of magic and publicly burned their scrolls. [⤴️](https://omnivore.app/me/https-readingacts-com-2011-04-05-acts-1913-20-sons-of-sceva-and--18e580db9b7#973ea7f8-4652-4871-99a5-f1c2ba7f6c40)  ^973ea7f8
22  
23  > The people public confess their evil deeds. This likely means they made public spells and magical words which were kept in secret. [⤴️](https://omnivore.app/me/https-readingacts-com-2011-04-05-acts-1913-20-sons-of-sceva-and--18e580db9b7#eb8e5ea7-45bc-400d-9956-2675e1c22df6)  ^eb8e5ea7
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25  > Public confession would render them ineffective [⤴️](https://omnivore.app/me/https-readingacts-com-2011-04-05-acts-1913-20-sons-of-sceva-and--18e580db9b7#694daa49-b362-43cf-af80-f649d57f54a1)  ^694daa49
26  
27  > Augustus himself, who collected Greek Sibylline oracles and had them destroyed since they could be used to foment rebellion against the empire. [⤴️](https://omnivore.app/me/https-readingacts-com-2011-04-05-acts-1913-20-sons-of-sceva-and--18e580db9b7#01d82500-9540-4412-b4d0-ac793484d787)  ^01d82500
28  
29  > This points out that the new converts in Ephesus were not yet “de-paganized.” Like the Corinthians, the converts in Ephesus struggled to integrate Christ and their culture. [⤴️](https://omnivore.app/me/https-readingacts-com-2011-04-05-acts-1913-20-sons-of-sceva-and--18e580db9b7#c80418c9-ea05-4adf-83d8-db6b67fbcd85)  ^c80418c9
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