· Translation: KJV

Acts 19:17This 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.

The setting

Ephesus, Turkey ~54 AD. Word spreads through the marketplace and synagogues about the failed Jewish exorcism and demon's response...

The emotion here: amazed at witnessing God's power break through pagan stronghold

The original word

phobos (φόβος) — reverential fear that changes behavior, not just anxiety

Why it matters

Ephesus was the magic capital of the ancient world, famous for its magical papyri and occult practices

Read with care

What most readers miss in Acts 19:17

This fear wasn't terror but holy reverence - people realized they'd been messing with forces beyond their control

Common misconceptionPeople think this fear was negative, but it was actually healthy reverence that led to massive conversions. The demons themselves testified to Jesus' authority.

Bible Genome reading

Acts 19:17 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerLuke
Eraearly_church
Primary emotionanxious
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power20%
Quotability40%
Memorability60%
Crisis relevance50%
Standalone60%
Themes:divine powerreverence

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Acts 19

Acts 19:17 comes from the book of Acts, written during the early_church period. These words are attributed to Luke. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine power, reverence. Notable phrases: Fear fell on them all.

Your reflection

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