21
After these things had happened, Paul made up his mind to travel through Macedonia and Achaia and go on to Jerusalem. "After I go there," he said, "I must also see Rome."
22
So he sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, to Macedonia, while he spent more time in the province of Asia.
23
It was at this time that there was serious trouble in Ephesus because of the Way of the Lord.
24
A certain silversmith named Demetrius made silver models of the temple of the goddess Artemis, and his business brought a great deal of profit to the workers.
25
So he called them all together with others whose work was like theirs and said to them, "Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this work.
26
Now, you can see and hear for yourselves what this fellow Paul is doing. He says that hand-made gods are not gods at all, and he has succeeded in convincing many people, both here in Ephesus and in nearly the whole province of Asia.
27
There is the danger, then, that this business of ours will get a bad name. Not only that, but there is also the danger that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will come to mean nothing and that her greatness will be destroyed - the goddess worshiped by everyone in Asia and in all the world!"
28
As the crowd heard these words, they became furious and started shouting, "Great is Artemis of Ephesus!"
29
The uproar spread throughout the whole city. The mob grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who were traveling with Paul, and rushed with them to the theater.
30
Paul himself wanted to go before the crowd, but the believers would not let him.
31
Some of the provincial authorities, who were his friends, also sent him a message begging him not to show himself in the theater.