Act 19:19 | NET2full | STEP | Large numbers of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone . When the value of the books was added up , it was found to total 50,000 silver coins .

‏ Acts 19:19

19 Large numbers ^{▼▼tn BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 4.a has “many, quite a few” for ἱκανοί (hikanoi) in this verse.} of those who had practiced magic ^{▼▼tn On this term see BDAG 800 s.v. περίεργος 2.} collected their books ^{▼▼tn Or “scrolls.”} and burned them up in the presence of everyone. ^{▼▼tn Or “burned them up publicly.” L&N 14.66 has “‘they brought their books together and burned them up in the presence of everyone’ Ac 19:19.”} When ^{▼▼tn Grk “and when.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.} the value of the books was added up, it was found to total 50,000 silver coins. ^{▼▼tn Or “fifty thousand silver drachmas.” BDAG 128 s.v. ἀργύριον 2.c states, “ἀργυρίου μυριάδας πέντε 50,000 (Attic silver) drachmas Ac 19:19.” Another way to express the value would be in sheep: One drachma could buy one sheep. So this many drachmas could purchase a huge flock of sheep. A drachma also equals a denarius, or a day’s wage for the average worker. So this amount would be equal to 50,000 work days or in excess of 8,300 weeks of labor (the weeks are calculated at six working days because of the Jewish cultural context). The impact of Christianity on the Ephesian economy was considerable (note in regard to this the concerns expressed in 19:26-27).}