Acts 19:16

“And the man in whom the evil spirit was, etc.] Being agitated by him: leapt upon them; with great agility and force, and laid hold on them, and struggled with them, and beat and wounded them, and stripped them naked: and overcame them, and prevailed against them; the Alexandrian copy, Beza’s most ancient one, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version read, “and overcame both”; as if only two of these seven sons had made this attempt, and were so used; though the Ethiopic version reads, “and overcame them all”; all the seven sons: so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded; having their clothes tore off, and their bodies beat and bruised.”

“And the man in whom the evil spirit was--Mark the clear line of demarcation here between "the evil spirit which answered and said" and "the man in whom the evil spirit was." The reality of such possessions could not be more clearly expressed. leaped on them . . . so that they fled . . . naked and wounded--This was so appalling a testimony at once against those profane impostors and in favor of Paul and the Master whom he preached, that we wonder not that it spread to "all the Jews and Greeks at Ephesus, that fear fell on them," and that "the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified."”

“Leaped on them - Several such instances are recorded of the extraordinary power and rage of those who were possessed with evil spirits, Mark 5:3; Mark 9:29; Luke 9:42. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Mar 5:3, Mar 5:4, Mar 5:15; Luk 8:29, Luk 8:35 Acts 19:17”