A Riot at Ephesus
21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit
1to pass through
2Macedonia and Achaia and
3go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there,
4I must also see Rome."
22
And having sent into Macedonia two of
5his helpers,
6Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia
7for a while.
23
About that time
8there arose no little disturbance concerning
9the Way.
24
For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis,
10brought no little business to the craftsmen.
25
11These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.
26
And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people,
12saying that
13gods made with hands are not gods.
27
And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the
14great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship."
28
When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out,
15"Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
29
So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and
16Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's
17companions in travel.
30
But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him.
31
And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.
32
18Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
33
Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander,
19motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.
34
But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice,
20"Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
35
And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from
21the sky?
36
Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.
37
For you have brought
22these men here who are neither
23sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess.
38
If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are
24proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another.
39
But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
40
For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion."
41
And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.