21
Nowafterthesethings were finished, Paulpurposed in the Spirit to 1go to Jerusalem2after he had passedthrough3Macedonia and 4Achaia, saying, "After I have beenthere, 5I mustalsoseeRome."
22
And having sent into 6Macedoniatwo of 7those who ministered to him, 8Timothy and 9Erastus, he himselfstayed in 10Asia for a while.
23
About that time there occurrednosmalldisturbanceconcerning11the Way.
24
For a mannamedDemetrius, a silversmith, who madesilvershrines of Artemis, 12was bringingnolittlebusiness to the craftsmen;
25
these he gatheredtogether with the workmen of similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that our prosperitydepends* upon thisbusiness.
26
"You see and hear that not only in 13Ephesus, but in almostall of 14Asia, thisPaul has persuaded and turnedaway a considerablenumber of people, saying that 15gods made with hands are nogods at all.
27
"Not only is there danger that thistrade of oursfall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the greatgoddessArtemis be regarded as worthless and that she whomall of 16Asia and 17the worldworship will even be dethroned from her magnificence."
28
When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, "Great is Artemis of the 18Ephesians!"
29
The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with oneaccord into the theater, draggingalong19Gaius and 20Aristarchus, Paul'straveling21companions from 22Macedonia.
30
And when Paulwanted to go into the assembly, 23the disciples would not let him.
31
Alsosome of the Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture* into the theater.