19:14

Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this: This verse is literally “(There) were seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish high priest, doing this.” It introduces an example of Jews driving out evil spirits (19:13). For example:

Among those who did this were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest. (New Jerusalem Bible)

The word “certain” probably indicates that Luke did not expect his readers to know who Sceva was.

Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest: Among the Jewish priests, all their leaders came from certain families. The phrase chief priest indicates that Sceva was from one of those families. He was not the official high priest, the leader of all the priests. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Seven sons of Sceva, a leader of the Jewish priests

For additional help translating chief priest, see Chief Priests, sense 2 in Key Biblical Terms.

were doing this: The word this refers to using the name of Jesus to force evil spirits to leave (19:13). In some languages the word “that” would be more natural. For example:

were doing that

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