Acts 19 · Verse 13

Acts 19:13

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.
Acts 19:13, King James Version

Acts 19:13 in other translations

BSBNow there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I bind you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.”
WEBBut some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
ASVBut certain also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, took upon them to name over them that had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
YLTAnd certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took upon them to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, ‘We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;'
DARBYAnd certain of the Jewish exorcists also, who went about, took in hand to call upon those who had wicked spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches.
BBEBut some of the Jews who went from place to place driving out evil spirits, took it on themselves to make use of the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, I give you orders, by Jesus, whom Paul is preaching.
WebsterThen certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them who had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

What does Acts 19:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. vagabond Jews--simply, "wandering Jews," who went from place to place practicing exorcism, or the art of conjuring evil spirits to depart out of the possessed. That such a power did exist, for some time at least, seems implied in Mt 12:27. But no doubt this would breed imposture; and the present case is very different from that referred to in Lu 9:49, 50. We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth--a striking testimony to the power of Christ's name in Paul's mouth.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 13. The vagabond Jews. Gr., Jews going about. περιερχομενων. The word vagabond with us is now commonly used in a bad sense, to denote a vagrant; a man who has no home; an idle, worthless fellow. The word, however, properly means one wandering from place to place, without any settled habitation, from whatever cause it may be. Here it denotes those Jews who wandered from place to place, practicing exorcism.

Exorcists. εξορκιστων. This word properly denotes those who went about pretending to be able to expel evil spirits, or to cure diseases by charms, incantations, etc, The word is derived from ορκος orkos, an oath, and from ορκιζω, to bind with an oath. It was applied in this sense, because those who pretended to be able to expel demons used the formula of an oath, or adjured them, to compel them to leave the possessed persons. Comp. Mt 12:27. They commonly used the name of God, or called on the demons in the name of God to leave the person. Here they used the name Jesus to command them to come out.

To call over them. To name, or to use his name as sufficient to expel the evil spirit.

The name of the Lord Jesus. The reasons why they attempted this were,

(1.) that Jesus had expelled many evil spirits; and,

(2.) that it was in his name that Paul had wrought his miracles. Perhaps they supposed there was some charm in this name to expel them.

We adjure you. We bind you by an oath; we command you as under the solemnity of an oath, Mk 5:7, 1Thes 5:27. It is a form of putting one under oath, 1Kgs 2:43, Gen 24:37, 2Kgs 11:4, Neh 13:25. (Septuagint.) That this art was practised then, or attempted, is abundantly proved from Iraeneus, Origen, and Josephus. (Ant. b. viii. chap. 2,  5.) See Doddridge. The common name which was used was the incommunicable name of God, JEHOVAH, by pronouncing which, in a peculiar way, it was pretended they had the power of expelling demons.

(&) "vagabond Jews" "Some of the travelling Jews" (i) "took upon them to call" Mk 16:20, Lk 9:49 (k) "adjure by Jesus" Josh 6:25

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists - Τινες απο των περιερχομενων Ιουδαιων εξορκιϚων; Certain of the Jews who went about practicing exorcisms. Vagabond has a very bad acceptation among us; but, literally, vagabundus signifies a wanderer, one that has no settled place of abode. These, like all their countrymen, in all places, went about to get their bread in what way they could; making trial of every thing by which they could have the prospect of gain. Finding that Paul cast out demons through the name of Jesus, they thought, by using the same, they might produce the same effects; and, if they could, they knew it would be to them an ample source of revenue; for demoniacs abounded in the land.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 19:13-20
It was common, especially among the Jews, for persons to profess or to try to cast out evil spirits. If we resist the devil by faith in Christ, he will flee from us; but if we think to resist him by the using of Christ's name, or his works, as a spell or charm, Satan will prevail against us. Where there is true sorrow for sin, there will be free confession of sin to God in every prayer and to man whom we have offended, when the case requires it. Surely if the word of God prevailed among us, many lewd, infidel, and wicked books would be burned by their possessors. Will not these Ephesian converts rise up in judgement against professors, who traffic in such works for the sake of gain, or allow themselves to possess them? If we desire to be in earnest in the great work of salvation, every pursuit and enjoyment must be given up which hinders the effect of the gospel upon the mind, or loosens its hold upon the heart.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Acts 19:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἘπεχείρησανEpecheirēsanAttemptedG2021
δέdenowG1161
τινεςtinessome ofG5100
καὶkaialsoG2532
τῶνtōnof theG3588
περιερχομένωνperierchomenōnitinerantG4022
ἸουδαίωνIoudaiōnJewishG2453
ἐξορκιστῶνexorkistōnexorcistsG1845
ὀνομάζεινonomazeinto invokeG3687
ἐπὶepioverG1909
τοὺςtousthoseG3588
ἔχονταςechontashavingG2192
τὰta<the>G3588
πνεύματαpneumataspiritsG4151
τὰta<the>G3588
πονηρὰponēraevilG4190
τὸtotheG3588
ὄνομαonomanameG3686
τοῦtouof theG3588
κυρίουkuriouLordG2962
ἸησοῦIēsouJesusG2424
λέγοντες·legontessaying;G3004
ὁρκίζωhorkizōI adjureG3726
ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771
τὸνton<the>G3588
ἸησοῦνIēsoun[by] JesusG2424
ὃνhonwhomG3739
ΠαῦλοςPaulosPaulG3972
κηρύσσει.kērusseiproclaims.G2784

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 19:13

  • Matthew 12:27

    And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

  • Mark 9:38

    And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

  • Luke 11:19

    And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

  • Acts 8:18-19

    And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

  • Luke 9:49

    And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

  • Mark 5:7

    And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

  • Matthew 26:63

    But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

  • 1 Kings 22:16

    And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord?

  • 1 Samuel 14:24

    And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.

  • Joshua 6:26

    And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.

  • Genesis 4:14

    Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

  • Genesis 4:12

    When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
vagabond.
Ge 4:12,14; Ps 109:10
exorcists.
Mt 12:27; Lu 11:19
took.
8:18,19; Mr 9:38; Lu 9:49
adjure.
Jos 6:26; 1Sa 14:24; 1Ki 22:16; Mt 26:63; Mr 5:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 19:12

    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.

  • Acts 19:13

    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.

  • Acts 19:14

    And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

Read all of Acts 19

Acts 19:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y algunos de los Judíos, exorcistas vagabundos, tentaron á invocar el nombre del Señor Jesús sobre los que tenían espíritus malos, diciendo: Os conjuro por Jesús, el que Pablo predica.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais quelques-uns aussi des Juifs exorcistes qui couraient çà et là, essayèrent d’invoquer le nom du seigneur Jésus sur ceux qui avaient des esprits malins, disant: Je vous adjure par Jésus que Paul prêche.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Aber auch etliche von den umherziehenden jüdischen Beschwörern unternahmen es, über die, welche böse Geister hatten, den Namen des Herrn Jesus auszurufen, indem sie sagten: Ich beschwöre euch bei dem Jesus, welchen Paulus predigt!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tentaverunt autem quidam et de circumeuntibus Judæis exorcistis invocare super eos qui habebant spiritus malos nomen Domini Jesu, dicentes: Adjuro vos per Jesum, quem Paulus prædicat.