Sceva, or Scevas, apparently related to the Greek word skeuos meaning a vessel or implement, a Jew called a "chief priest" (archiereus in Greek) in Acts 19:14. There was no high priest in Jerusalem by this name--some speculate that he was the head of one of the twenty-four courses of the house of Levi. He had seven sons, who in Ephesus "took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus," in imitation of Paul. They tried their method of exorcism on a fierce demon, and failed. His answer to them was "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" (Acts 19:15) This has been interpreted as, "The Jesus whom you invoke is One whose authority I acknowledge; and the Paul whom you name I recognize to be a servant or messenger of God; but what sort of men are ye who have been empowered to act as you do by neither?" (Thomas Lindsay on the Acts of the Apostles.)
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Easton, Matthew George (1897). "article name needed". Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons.
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