17
And this became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was exalted.
18
And many of those who had believed came, confessing and disclosing their practices,
19
and many of those who practiced magic brought together [their] books [and] burned [them] up in the sight of everyone. And they counted up their value and found [it was] {fifty thousand silver coins}.
20
In this way the word of the Lord was growing in power and was prevailing.
A Major Riot in Ephesus
21 Now when these [things] were completed, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, "After I have been there, it is necessary [for] me to see Rome also."
22
So [after] sending two of those who were assisting him, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed [some] time in Asia.
23
Now there happened at that time no little disturbance concerning the Way.
24
For someone {named} Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver replicas of the temple of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen.
25
{These} he gathered together, and the workers occupied with such things, [and] said, "Men, you know that from this business {we get our prosperity},
26
and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this man Paul has persuaded [and] turned away a large crowd [by] saying that the [gods] made by hands are not gods.
27
So not only is there a danger this line of business of ours [will] come into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis [will] be regarded as nothing--and [she] is about to be brought down even from her grandeur, [she] whom the whole [of] Asia and the [entire] world worship!"