Acts 19:23-41

23 About that time 1there arose no little disturbance concerning 2the Way.
24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, 3brought no little business to the craftsmen.
25 4These 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, 5saying that 6gods 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 7great 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, 8"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 9Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's 10companions 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,[a] who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.
32 11Now 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, 12motioning 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, 13"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 14the sky?[b]
36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.
37 For you have brought 15these men here who are neither 16sacrilegious 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 17proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another.
39 But if you seek anything further,[c] 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.

Cross References 17

  • 1. [2 Corinthians 1:8]
  • 2. ver. 9
  • 3. [Acts 16:16, 19]
  • 4. [See ver. 24 above]
  • 5. Acts 14:15; Acts 17:29; 1 Corinthians 8:4
  • 6. Deuteronomy 4:28; 2 Kings 19:18; Psalms 115:4; Isaiah 44:10-20; Jeremiah 10:3-6; Revelation 9:20
  • 7. [Acts 8:10]
  • 8. [See ver. 27 above]
  • 9. Acts 20:4; Acts 27:2; Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24
  • 10. 2 Corinthians 8:19; [ver. 22; Acts 20:34]
  • 11. Acts 21:34
  • 12. See Acts 12:17
  • 13. ver. 28
  • 14. [Acts 14:12]
  • 15. ver. 29
  • 16. Romans 2:22
  • 17. See Acts 13:7

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. That is, high-ranking officers of the province of Asia
  • [b]. The meaning of the Greek is uncertain
  • [c]. Some manuscripts seek about other matters
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.