Acts 19:37

37 These men you've dragged in here have done nothing to harm either our temple or our goddess.

Acts 19:37 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 19:37

For ye have brought hither these men
The Arabic version reads, "these two men"; that is, Gaius and Aristarchus, whom they had brought by force into the theatre to fight with wild beasts:

which are neither robbers of churches;
or "temples"; or, as the Arabic version renders it, "robbers of the vessels of the temple", sacrilegious persons; they have not stolen anything out of the temple of Diana, nor any other:

nor yet blasphemers of your goddess;
they have not made mention of her name, much less said anything against her, at least this officer did not know that they had; and if he had, he did not stick to tell an officious lie to screen them, as did the Egyptian midwives in favour of the Hebrew women.

Acts 19:37 In-Context

35 Finally, the town clerk got the mob quieted down and said, "Fellow citizens, is there anyone anywhere who doesn't know that our dear city Ephesus is protector of glorious Artemis and her sacred stone image that fell straight out of heaven?

36 Since this is beyond contradiction, you had better get hold of yourselves. This is conduct unworthy of Artemis.

37 These men you've dragged in here have done nothing to harm either our temple or our goddess.

38 "So if Demetrius and his guild of artisans have a complaint, they can take it to court and make all the accusations they want.

39 If anything else is bothering you, bring it to the regularly scheduled town meeting and let it be settled there.