International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SCEVAse'-va (Skeua): A Jew, a chief priest, resident in Ephesus, whose seven sons were exorcists (Acts 19:14). Ewald regards the name as being Hebrew shekhabhyah. He was not an officiating priest, as there were only synagogues in Asia Minor. He may have belonged to a high-priestly family, or perhaps at one time he had been at the head of one of the 24 courses in the temple.
In the narrative the construction is loose. There were seven sons (Acts 19:14), and it would appear (Acts 19:16) that in this particular case all were present. But (Acts 19:16) the demon-possessed man over-powered "both of them." Textus Receptus of the New Testament gets over the difficulty by omitting "both," but Codices Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Bezae, so Tischendorf, Westcott and Hort, von Soden, and the best critics, retain the difficult reading. The explanation is that Acts 19:14 states the custom: "who did this" being hoi touto poiountes, "who used to do this." Acts 19:15 and 16 state a particular case in which two took part, but the incident is introduced in a careless manner.
Ewald would translate amphoteron as "in both sides," but this is impossible. Baur understood "disciples" for "sons." Codex Bezae and Syriac have an interesting expansion which Blass considers original (Acts 19:14): "Among whom also the sons (Syriac `seven') of a certain Sceva, a priest, wished to do the same, (who) were in the custom of exorcising such. And entering into the demon-possessed man they began to call upon the Name, saying, `We charge you by Jesus whom Paul preaches to come out.' "
S. F. Hunter
Greek
4630. Skeuas -- Sceva, a Jewish chief priest ... Sceva, a Jewish chief priest. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Skeuas
Phonetic Spelling: (skyoo-as') Short Definition:
Sceva Definition:
Sceva ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4630.htm - 6kLibrary
"Is the Spirit of the Lord Straitened?"
... You will fail, like the seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, who tried to cast out devils:
the devils do not know you; they would know Jesus; they would know the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/is the spirit of the.htm
The Exorcists. Acts 19:13-16
... Acts 19:13-16. Then the apostle wonders wrought,. And healed the sick, in Jesus'
name; The sons of Sceva vainly thought. That they had pow'r to do the fame. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 124 the exorcists acts.htm
An Exposition of the Chapters of the Acts of the Apostles.
... Of the sons of Sceva, and as to its not being meet to approach [1381] those who
have become unbelieving and unworthy of the faith; and of the confession of ...
/.../pamphilus/the writings of pamphilus/an exposition of the chapters.htm
Letter viii. To Demophilus, Therapeutes. About Minding Ones Own ...
... And the demons fastened on the sons of Sceva, and He says, "I did not send them,
yet they ran, and I spake not to them yet they prophesied [115] ." "And the ...
/.../letters of dionysius the areopagite/letter viii to demophilus therapeutes.htm
On the Diversity of Spiritual Gifts.
... when he had corrupted Israel by Baal-peor, suffered punishment; [3576] and Caiaphas
at last was his own murderer; and the sons of Sceva, endeavouring to cast ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec i on the diversity of.htm
Acts XIX
... the Jesus whom Paul preaches. (14) And they were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish
high priest, who did this. (15) But the wicked spirit ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xix.htm
Ephesus
... wrought by him, "took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name
of the Lord Jesus." An attempt was made by "seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 27 ephesus.htm
Acts xix. 8, 9
... "By Jesus, whom Paul preacheth." Only see what a name Paul had got! "And there were
seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xli acts xix 8.htm
The Unclean Spirits.
... Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew,
and chief of the priests, who did so. And the evil spirit ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the unclean spirits.htm
The Last Events in Galilee - the Tribute-Money, the Dispute by the ...
... dispute by the way - or else must be grounded on evidence that the motive was, or
the effect would ultimately be (as in the case of the sons of Sceva) to lead ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter iii the last events.htm
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Scevadisposed; prepared
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Scevaa Jew residing at Ephesus at the time of St. Paul's second visit to that town. (Acts 19:14-16) (A.D. 52.)
ATS Bible Dictionary
ScevaA Jew at Ephesus, a leader among the priests, perhaps the head of one of the twenty-four courses. His seven sons pretended to practice exorcism, and presumed to call on evil spirits to come out from persons possessed, in the name of Jesus. Their ignominious discomfiture by a man possessed by and evil spirit, promoted the cause of the gospel at Ephesus, Acts 19:14-16.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
An implement, a Jew, chief of the priests at Ephesus (
Acts 19:13-16); i.e., the head of one of the twenty-four courses of the house of Levi. He had seven sons, who "took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus," in imitation of Paul. They tried their method of exorcism on a fierce demoniac, and failed. His answer to them was to this effect (
19:15): "The Jesus whom you invoke is One whose authority I acknowledge; and the Paul whom you name I recognize to be a servant or messenger of God; but what sort of men are ye who have been empowered to act as you do by neither?" (Lindsay on the Acts of the Apostles.)
Thesaurus
Sceva (1 Occurrence)...SCEVA. se'-va (Skeua): A Jew, a chief priest, resident in Ephesus, whose seven sons
were exorcists (Acts 19:14).
... Multi-Version Concordance
Sceva (1 Occurrence).
.../s/sceva.htm - 9kAdjuration (2 Occurrences)
... horkizo) as when the man with an unclean spirit appealed to Jesus: "I adjure thee
by God, torment me not" (Mark 5:7); or seven sons of Sceva, exorcists, sought ...
/a/adjuration.htm - 10k
Schedule (1 Occurrence)
/s/schedule.htm - 6k
Sceptres (1 Occurrence)
/s/sceptres.htm - 6k
Jew (34 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Acts 19:14 There were seven
sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this. ...
/j/jew.htm - 22k
Jewish (49 Occurrences)
... DBY NAS RSV). Acts 19:14 There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief
priest, who did this. (WEB DBY NAS RSV NIV). Acts 21:28 ...
/j/jewish.htm - 22k
Seven (404 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Acts 19:14 There were seven
sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this. ...
/s/seven.htm - 42k
High-priestly (2 Occurrences)
... family. (WEY NAS RSV). Acts 19:14 There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew
of high-priestly family, who were doing this. (WEY). High ...
/h/high-priestly.htm - 7k
Number (2370 Occurrences)
... the 7 demons cast out of Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9 parallel Luke 8:2); the 7 ministers
in the church at Jerusalem (Acts 6:3), and the 7 sons of Sceva (Acts 19 ...
/n/number.htm - 40k
Bible Concordance
Sceva (1 Occurrence)Acts 19:14 There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)
Subtopics
Sceva
Sceva: A Charlatan Jewish "Exorcist" at Ephesus
Related Terms
Adjuration (2 Occurrences)
Schedule (1 Occurrence)
Sceptres (1 Occurrence)
Jew (34 Occurrences)
Jewish (49 Occurrences)
Seven (404 Occurrences)
High-priestly (2 Occurrences)
Number (2370 Occurrences)
Sons (2429 Occurrences)
Priests (451 Occurrences)
Family (438 Occurrences)
Priest (500 Occurrences)
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