Sceva

Sceva was a Jewish chief priest whose seven sons attempted to exorcise demons in the name of Jesus, as mentioned in the book of Acts.

Sceva is mentioned in Act 19:14 as a Jewish chief priest whose seven sons were involved in the practice of exorcism. The context of this passage is Paul's ministry in Ephesus, where he performed extraordinary miracles, and many people were delivered from evil spirits (Act 19:11-12). Some itinerant Jewish exorcists, including the seven sons of Sceva, attempted to invoke the name of Jesus over those possessed by evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches" (Act 19:13). However, when they tried to exorcise a man with an evil spirit, the spirit responded, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" (Act 19:15). The possessed man then overpowered the sons of Sceva, and they fled naked and wounded.

An implement, a Jew, chief of the priests at Ephesus (Acts 19:13-16); i.e., the head of one of the twenty-four courses of the house of Levi. He had seven sons, who “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 demoniac, and failed. His answer to them was to this effect (19:15): “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?” (Lindsay on the Acts of the Apostles.)