SCEVA sē’ və (Σκευᾶς, G5005). A Jewish “high priest” living in Ephesus (Acts 19:14-17). Not able to function as such in the synagogues of Asia Minor, either he had exercised the office at Jerusalem or he was a member of a highpriestly family, or he had been the chief of one of the twenty-four courses of priests for which he was still honored.

His seven sons traveled from place to place attempting to exorcise demons by using the name of Jesus, but on one occasion the evil spirit denied knowing them with these famous words: “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” (Acts 19:15). Lacking the authority of Paul (19:16) and Jesus, they were attacked by the demon-possessed man and had to flee “naked and wounded.” The incident was widely reported, with the result that awe and reverence for the name of the Lord Jesus came upon all the Ephesians. There was also a revival and renewal in the church; many of the believers confessed that they had not given up the practices of the occult and voluntarily surrendered their books of magic to a public bonfire. The power of the Gospel was signally demonstrated, and the word of the Lord prevailed over all the rival forces of evil.

Bibliography R. B. Rackham, The Acts of the Apostles, 14th ed. (1951), 355, 356.