Acts 19:14
And there were certain men, seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest, that did this.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Erant autem quidam Judæi, Scevæ principis sacerdotum septem filii, qui hoc faciebant.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- ἦσαν δέ τινος Σκευᾶ Ἰουδαίου ἀρχιερέως ἑπτὰ υἱοὶ τοῦτο ποιοῦντες.
The Fathers on this verse
The Apostolic Constitutions Book VIII. Concerning Gifts, and Ordinations, and the Ecclesiastical Canons, Sec. I. On the Diversity of Spiritual Gifts
II . We add, in the next place, that neither is every one that prophesies holy, nor every one that casts out devils religious: for even Balaam the son of Beor the prophet did prophesy, though he was himself ungodly; as also did Caiaphas , the falsely-named high priest. Nay, the devil foretells many things, and the demons, about Him; and yet for all that, there is not a spark of piety in them: for they are oppressed with ignorance, by reason of their voluntary wickedness. It is manifest, therefore, that the ungodly, although they prophesy, do not by their prophesying cover their own impiety; nor will those who cast out demons be sanctified by the demons being made subject to them: for they only mock one another, as they do who play childish tricks for mirth, and destroy those who give heed to them. …
St John Chrysostom A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, Homily XLI on Acts xix. 8, 9
( a ) See him in every place forcing his way into the synagogue, and in this manner departing thence. For in every place, he wished to have the occasion given him by them. ( c ) He wished to separate the disciples thence, and to have the beginning for ceasing to assemble with them, given by (the Jews) themselves. And it was not for nothing that he did this ( b ) which I have said. He was henceforth “provoking them to jealousy.” For both the Gentiles readily received him, and the Jews, upon the Gentiles receiving him, repented. …
St John Chrysostom A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, Homily XLI on Acts xix. 8, 9
(Recapitulation.) ( b ) “And having entered in to the synagogue,” etc. ( v. 8 .) But why ἐπαρρησιάζετο ? It means, he was ready to confront dangers, and disputed more openly, not veiling the doctrines. ( a ) “But when some were hardened, and spake evil of the way, having departed from them, he separated the disciples.” ( v. 9 .) He put a stop, it means, to their evil-speaking: he did not wish to kindle their envy, nor to bring them into more contention. ( c ) Hence let us also learn not to put ourselves in the way of evil-speaking men, but to depart from them: he did not speak evil, when himself evil spoken of. “He disputed daily,” and by this gained the many, that, being evil intreated and (evil) spoken of, he did not (utterly) break away from them, and keep aloof. ( e ) The evil-speakers are defeated. …
St Cyril of Jerusalem On the Words, And in One Holy Catholic Church, and in the Resurrection of the Flesh, and the Life Everlasting
26. But since the word Ecclesia is applied to different things (as also it is written of the multitude in the theatre of the Ephesians, And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the Assembly ), and since one might properly and truly say that there is a Church of evil doers , I mean the meetings of the heretics, the Marcionists and Manichees, and the rest, for this cause the Faith has securely delivered to thee now the Article, “And in one Holy Catholic Church;” that thou mayest avoid their wretched meetings, and ever abide with the Holy Church Catholic in which thou wast regenerated. And if ever thou art sojourning in cities, inquire not simply where the Lord’s House is (for the other sects of the profane also attempt to call their own dens houses of the Lord), nor merely where the Church is, but where is the Catholic Church. …
The Fathers are given as they wrote. Where a passage lays the Passion on the Jewish people, the Church teaches that it cannot be charged against all the Jews then living, nor against the Jews of today, and that all sinners were its authors (CCC 597, 598).