So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

ACTS 19:12KJV
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Acts 19:12 (KJV)

What does Acts 19:12 mean?

Acts 19:12 describes how cloths that had touched Paul's body—like handkerchiefs or aprons—were taken to sick people, and these people were healed of diseases and freed from evil spirits. The verse highlights unusual miracles happening through Paul during his ministry in Ephesus.

In this part of Acts, Luke is narrating events from Paul's time in Ephesus, where God was working in remarkable ways. The verse shows that even items associated with Paul carried a healing effect, which was seen as a sign of God's power at work, not just Paul's own ability. This detail sets the stage for the surrounding stories about spiritual power and authority in the city.

The Greek behind Acts 19:12

  • σώματος (sōmatos, "body"): This word means "body" and emphasizes that the cloths had direct contact with Paul's physical person, not just his belongings.
  • σουδάρια (soudaria, "handkerchiefs") and σιμικίνθια (simikinthia, "aprons"): These specific items were likely everyday cloths Paul used while working, showing that ordinary objects became channels for extraordinary acts.
  • ἀσθενεῖς (astheneis, "sick"): This word refers to people who were physically weak or ill, clarifying that the miracles addressed real physical needs.
  • πονηρὰ (ponēra, "evil") πνεύματα (pneumata, "spirits"): These terms point to spiritual oppression, showing that the miracles included both physical healing and deliverance from spiritual forces.

Why Acts 19:12 matters

  • Acts 19:12 clarifies that the miracles were not due to magical objects but to God's power working through Paul, even using everyday items.
  • The verse connects to the wider context of Ephesus, a city known for magic and spiritual practices, highlighting the difference between God's power and local superstitions.
  • This account sets up the following stories in Acts 19, where questions of spiritual authority and true power become central themes.

Where else these words appear

“departed” Greek G525 · used in 3 verses

  • Luke 12:58 When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.
  • Hebrews 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

“handkerchiefs” Greek G4676 · used in 4 verses

  • Luke 19:20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
  • John 11:44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
  • John 20:7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

“brought” Greek G2018 · used in 5 verses

  • Acts 25:18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:
  • Romans 3:5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance?(I speak as a man)
  • Philippians 1:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

“diseases” Greek G3554 · used in 12 verses

  • Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
  • Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
  • Luke 4:40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.