Single lesson
Paul Teaches in Ephesus
Acts 19:1–20
In Ephesus, Paul met disciples who needed clearer teaching about Jesus, kept teaching when some opposed the message, and saw the word of the Lord spread powerfully. This lesson helps children follow the account and notice different responses.
Before you teach
This passage begins with Paul arriving in Ephesus and meeting certain disciples. It then shows him teaching in the synagogue and later in the school of Tyrannus, reports miracles God worked by Paul’s hands, and tells how some exorcists tried to invoke Jesus’ name over people with evil spirits and were overpowered. The passage ends with confession, burning of magic books, and the word of the Lord growing.
Students will be able to retell five main parts of Acts 19:1–20 and identify at least two responses people had to the word of the Lord.
Welcome: Listen for the five parts
4 minTell the children they will hear a true Bible account in five parts: Paul meets some disciples, Paul teaches boldly, some people oppose the message, God works miracles by Paul’s hands, and many people turn from magical arts. Ask them to listen for choices and outcomes as the passage is read.
Acts 19:1, Acts 19:8, Acts 19:9, Acts 19:11, Acts 19:19, Acts 19:20
Read and explain: From John’s baptism to Jesus
7 minRead Acts 19:1–7. Explain that Paul asked these disciples about the Holy Spirit and about their baptism. Paul said John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance and pointed people to believe in the one coming after him, Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit came on them.
Acts 19:1, Acts 19:2, Acts 19:3, Acts 19:4, Acts 19:5, Acts 19:6, Acts 19:7
Discuss: Bold teaching and opposition
6 minRead Acts 19:8–10. Point out that Paul spoke boldly in the synagogue for three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom. Some were hardened and disobedient and spoke evil of the Way. Then Paul left them, separated the disciples, and reasoned daily in the school of Tyrannus. This continued until people across Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 19:8, Acts 19:9, Acts 19:10
Make and respond: Sequence cards for choices and outcomes
9 minGive children simple cards to draw or label five scenes: the disciples in Ephesus, teaching in the synagogue, teaching in the school, the exorcists who tried to invoke Jesus’ name, and believers burning magic books. As they arrange the cards, ask what each group did and what happened next. Explain carefully that God worked special miracles by Paul’s hands, and that the man with the evil spirit overpowered the exorcists so they ran away hurt.
Acts 19:8, Acts 19:9, Acts 19:11, Acts 19:12, Acts 19:13, Acts 19:14, Acts 19:15, Acts 19:16, Acts 19:18, Acts 19:19, Acts 19:20
Closing: What grew in Ephesus?
4 minRead Acts 19:17–20 again. Summarise that fear fell on the people, the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified, many believers confessed and declared their deeds, and many who practised magical arts burned their books. Finish by asking children to say one thing they learned about God’s word from this passage: it was growing and becoming mighty.
Acts 19:17, Acts 19:18, Acts 19:19, Acts 19:20
Questions to explore
What did Paul explain about John’s baptism, and what did the disciples do when they heard it?
Look at Paul’s words about believing in the one who would come after John, then notice the response in the next verse.
Acts 19:4, Acts 19:5
What responses are named when Paul taught in Ephesus?
Notice Paul’s bold reasoning, then compare that with the people who were hardened, disobedient, and spoke evil of the Way.
Acts 19:8, Acts 19:9
After the exorcists were overpowered, what changed among the people in Ephesus?
Trace the results in the final verses: fear, honour for the Lord Jesus, confession, burning of books, and the growth of the word.
Acts 19:17, Acts 19:18, Acts 19:19, Acts 19:20
Make, think or respond
Acts 19 Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- Plain paper or card
- Pencils or textas
- Scissors
- Bible
Try it together
- Read Acts 19:1–20 in short sections and list five key scenes together.
- Have each child draw or label one scene on a separate card.
- Mix the cards and work together to place them in the right order.
- For each card, ask: What did the people do here, and what happened next?
- Review the final order and say together what verse 20 says about the word of the Lord.
This activity helps children sequence the account and connect people’s actions in Ephesus with the outcomes described in Acts 19:1–20.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, prepare the five scene titles for them to match with simple drawings instead of writing full labels.
- For older or confident readers, ask them to add a verse reference to each card and explain which response magnified the name of the Lord Jesus.
An optional closing prayer
Dear God, thank you for your word. Please help us listen carefully, honour the Lord Jesus, and turn away from what does not please you. Amen.
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Acts 19
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.
2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 He said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.”
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.
7 They were about twelve men in all.
8 He entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.
9 But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
10 This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
11 God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul,
12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.
13 But 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.”
14 There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.
15 The evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?”
16 The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
18 Many also of those who had believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds.
19 Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.