Acts 19 20

Acts 19:20 kjv

So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

Acts 19:20 nkjv

So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

Acts 19:20 niv

In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Acts 19:20 esv

So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Acts 19:20 nlt

So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.

Acts 19 verses

Acts 19 20 Meaning

Acts 19:20 succinctly describes the overwhelming success and transformative power of the Gospel message in Ephesus. It signifies that the message of God, active and alive, expanded vigorously in reach and exerted divine authority, decisively triumphing over the entrenched practices of magic, idolatry, and darkness. This was a clear demonstration of God's sovereign power through His Word.

Acts 19 20 Context

Acts 19:20 concludes a dramatic narrative detailing Paul's ministry in Ephesus. Paul spent over two years teaching and performing extraordinary miracles, such that the entire Roman province of Asia heard the Gospel (Acts 19:1-10). The specific events immediately preceding verse 20 involve itinerant Jewish exorcists, the sons of Sceva, who attempted to cast out demons by invoking "Jesus whom Paul proclaims" (Acts 19:13-16). This resulted in a demon-possessed man overpowering them, shaming them publicly. This incident instilled widespread fear and reverence for the Lord Jesus, causing many former practitioners of magic and sorcery to confess their evil deeds publicly and bring their costly magic books to be burned (Acts 19:17-19). This public repudiation of the occult, estimated at 50,000 pieces of silver, demonstrates the profound impact of the Gospel. Ephesus was a major center for pagan worship, particularly dedicated to Artemis (Diana), and widely known for its prevalent practice of magic and occult arts. The verse therefore describes the significant victory of God's Word over these deeply entrenched satanic influences and cultural strongholds.

Acts 19 20 Word analysis

• So mightily (οὕτως, houtos):

  • Word: "So" (οὕτως, houtos) signifies the manner or degree, indicating a profound effect or result. It ties directly back to the preceding events of God's demonstrable power over the sons of Sceva and the subsequent, extensive repentance and book-burning in Ephesus.
  • Significance: It highlights the divine enabling and force behind the growth and prevailing, rather than just human effort. It means "in this way," or "thus," emphasizing the specific circumstances in Ephesus.

• grew (ηὔξανεν, ēuxanen):

  • Word: From the Greek verb αὐξάνω (auxanō), meaning to cause to grow, to increase, to grow up, to prosper. It is in the imperfect active tense, conveying continuous and organic growth.
  • Significance: It paints a picture of living, dynamic, and vital expansion, much like a plant growing. It suggests qualitative as well as quantitative increase. This growth is God-given and not merely a result of human strategy.

• the word of God (ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ho logos tou Theou):

  • Word:
    • λόγος (logos): Not merely spoken words or propositions, but the entire divine message, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It encompasses the Person and work of Christ, God's divine truth, revelation, and power made manifest.
    • Θεοῦ (Theou): "of God," emphasizing the divine origin and authority of the message.
  • Significance: This is the core subject of the verse. It is not Paul, nor any human effort, that grows and prevails, but God's own living and active communication. This phrase underlines the supernatural character and power of the Gospel.

• and prevailed (καὶ ἴσχυεν, kai ischyuēn):

  • Word: From the Greek verb ἰσχύω (ischyuō), meaning to be strong, to be powerful, to be able, to prevail, to have inherent strength. Also in the imperfect active tense, denoting continuous exercise of power or strength.
  • Significance: This conveys overcoming power, triumph, and effectiveness in the face of opposition. It suggests the Word's victory over spiritual forces, false doctrines, and deeply rooted sin. It complements "grew," showing that the expansion was accompanied by dominant, authoritative force.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "So mightily grew the word of God": This phrase attributes the Gospel's remarkable increase to a powerful, supernatural impetus. It highlights that the growth was not merely incremental but divinely energized, directly contrasting with human weakness and the previous inability of the sons of Sceva.
• "grew and prevailed": These two verbs in conjunction reveal the dual impact of God's Word. "Grew" indicates its extensive spread and numerical increase, while "prevailed" signifies its potent authority, spiritual conquest, and success in transforming lives and conquering opposing spiritual strongholds. This depicts the Word as both expansive and victorious.
• "the word of God...prevailed": This central idea underscores the divine origin and inherent power of the message itself. It asserts that God's truth, once unleashed, has unstoppable force, overcoming resistance and transforming a deeply pagan society through its very nature and the Holy Spirit's operation. It's a statement about the sovereign efficacy of God's revelation.

Acts 19 20 Bonus section

This verse reflects a recurring theme throughout Acts, where Luke frequently punctuates his narrative with similar summary statements emphasizing the unstoppable progress of the Gospel (e.g., Acts 6:7, 12:24, 28:31). Each instance follows significant events of either spiritual breakthrough or overcoming opposition, reinforcing the idea that the "Word of God" is not static or powerless, but a dynamic, living entity that accomplishes God's purposes irrespective of human schemes or demonic resistance. The sheer monetary value of the burned books in Ephesus (50,000 pieces of silver) vividly illustrates the costly and genuine repentance produced by the prevailing Word, marking a qualitative victory as significant as the quantitative growth. This was not a minor societal shift, but a substantial economic and religious upheaval directly caused by the power of the Gospel.

Acts 19 20 Commentary

Acts 19:20 serves as Luke's concise summary statement of the profound and victorious impact of the Gospel in Ephesus. It's not just a description of growth, but an assertion of God's inherent power at work through His divine message. Following the humiliating exposure of false exorcists and the costly public burning of magic books by genuinely repentant Ephesians, the verse emphasizes that the Word of God itself, by its divine nature, possessed and demonstrated remarkable strength. "Grew" speaks to the expansive, life-giving quality of the Gospel, permeating hearts and multiplying adherents. "Prevailed" highlights its triumphant and overcoming nature, utterly dominating the powerful spiritual forces of idolatry, sorcery, and darkness that held Ephesus captive. This demonstrates the spiritual reality that the light of truth fundamentally overcomes darkness, affirming that no human or demonic power can ultimately stand against the will and Word of the Lord. The result was not merely intellectual assent but deep, tangible transformation, symbolized by costly repentance and radical discipleship.