Text copied!
CopyCompare
The New Testament with Commentary - Acts - Acts 19

Acts 19:17-36

Help us?
Click on verse(s) to share them!
17Now this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being exalted.
18And many of those who had believed started coming, confessing and disclosing their practices.
19In fact, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them up, in front of everybody (they had calculated their value and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver).
20With power like that it was that the word of the Lord kept growing and prevailing.
21Now after these things were accomplished, Paul resolved in his spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
22So he sent two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, on to Macedonia, while he himself stayed on in Asia for a time.
23Now it was during that time that a serious disturbance concerning the Way occurred.
24A certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, habitually brought in plenty of business for the artisans;
25he called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know that our prosperity depends on this trade.
26And you observe and hear that not only in Ephesus but throughout almost all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that handmade things are not gods.
27So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be discredited, and even her own majesty be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”
28Now upon hearing this they were filled with anger and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29So the whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed into the theater with one accord (they had seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's traveling companions).
30When Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not let him.
31Even some of the officials of Asia, being his friends, sent word to him and urged him not to venture into the theater.
32The assembly was in confusion: some were shouting one thing and some another; most of them did not know why they had come together.
33Then the Jews pushed Alexander forward, out from the crowd. So Alexander motioned with his hand and would have made a defense to the people.
34But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35When the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Artemis and of what fell from Zeus?
36Therefore, since these things are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and not do anything rash.

Read Acts 19Acts 19
Compare Acts 19:17-36Acts 19:17-36