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.†
THE SURROUNDING PASSAGE
Acts 19:19 in context
Acts 19:16–22
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
Selected verse
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.
21
Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
22
Having sent into Macedonia two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
Source notes
Notes from World English Bible Updated
- The 50,000 pieces of silver here probably referred to 50,000 drachmas. If so, the value of the burned books was equivalent to about 160 man-years of wages for agricultural laborers
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