Curious arts

Curious arts refers in Acts 19:19 to magical arts and occult practices — the jugglery and divination practiced by the itinerant enchanters and sorcerers of Ephesus, which was renowned in the ancient world as a center of magical practice. When many of those who practiced the curious arts at Ephesus believed Paul's preaching, they brought their books of magical spells and burned them publicly in a pile — the value of the books was calculated at fifty thousand pieces of silver, indicating the scale and economic significance of the magical trade in the city.

The burning of the magical books at Ephesus is one of the most dramatic demonstrations of conversion in the book of Acts, illustrating the genuine and costly transformation of those who turned from occult practice to faith in Christ. The Greek term perierga (curious or magical arts) appears only here in the New Testament. The episode stands in contrast to the failed exorcism of the sons of Sceva just before it in Acts 19:13–16, demonstrating that authentic faith produces real change while imitation of Christian power without faith yields disaster.