Note 1 at Acts 19:19: The Greek word used for "curious arts" is "periergos." It is a compound word with "peri" meaning "about" and "ergon" meaning "a work." Therefore, "periergos" means "a work about" or "busy about trifles" (W. E. Vines). It was a technical term for magic. This word was translated "busybodies" in 1 Tim. 5:13.

Paul had encountered those who were operating in witchcraft before. Paul spoke judgment on Elymas, the sorcerer during his first missionary journey (Acts 13:6-11) and on his second journey, he cast a spirit of divination out of a girl in Philippi (Acts 16:16-18). Neither of these two people are mentioned in scripture as having repented however, Philip the evangelist, did see Simon the sorcerer converted (Acts 8:9-13). There are numerous examples of witchcraft in the Old Testament among the pagans. The Pharaoh of Egypt, during the Jews captivity, had his own court magicians (Ex. 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18-19), two of which were named in 2 Tim. 3:8. The scriptures also mention the rulers of Babylon as having court magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers (Dan. 2:2; 4:7; 5:7).

Witchcraft was also common place in the land of Canaan among the people who the Lord drove out before the Israelites. The Lord specifically commanded the Jews not to adopt their practices. In Dt. 18:9-14, He mentioned by name the different curious arts that were forbidden (see Parallel Scriptures; also Lev. 19:26, 31). King Saul was killed by God because he used a medium in a seance (1 Chr. 10:13-14). In the Old Testament the Lord commanded that those who practiced such things should be put to death (Lev. 20:6, 27).

Note 2 at Acts 19:19: This clearly reveals that the first century Christians saw witchcraft and Christianity as being incompatible. Those who try and mix the two today are denying the practice of the early church as well as the teaching of scripture (see note 2 at this verse and Parallel Scripture this page).

Note 3 at Acts 19:19: The estimates on exactly how much money this equals today vary greatly from $1,000 (Rienecker/Rogers) to $32,000 (Dake). As mentioned in our supplements section (p. S2), it is vary hard to place an exact amount on some of the Bible's monetary figures. Suffice it to say, that this must have been a considerable amount and it must have made quite an impression on all the inhabitants of Ephesus.