Bible Figure
Sceva
Sceva was a Jewish chief priest or member of a priestly family whose seven sons practiced exorcism at Ephesus. When they attempted to invoke the name of Jesus as a formula over an evil spirit, the spirit rejected their authority and the possessed man violently overpowered them.
Biography
Acts 19 describes extraordinary miracles occurring through Paul at Ephesus. Some itinerant Jewish exorcists attempted to imitate what they observed by invoking 'the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.' Seven sons of a Jewish chief priest named Sceva did this. The evil spirit answered that it knew Jesus and recognized Paul, but asked, 'Who are you?' The possessed man then attacked and overpowered them so thoroughly that they fled wounded and naked. News of the event spread among Jews and Greeks in Ephesus, fear fell upon them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. Many believers confessed former practices, and people publicly burned valuable books associated with magic. Scripture says nothing further about Sceva himself.
Biblical Significance
The episode involving Sceva's sons demonstrates that Jesus' name is not a magical formula that can be manipulated apart from genuine allegiance and divine authority. The result contributed to public rejection of occult practices and magnification of Christ's name in Ephesus.