The Riot in Ephesus

After these events, Paul resolves in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem by way of Macedonia and Achaia, saying he must also see Rome. He sends Timothy and Erastus ahead to Macedonia while remaining for a time in Asia.

A²¹fter these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.” ²²He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia.

A great disturbance about the Way begins with Demetrius the silversmith, whose trade in shrines of Artemis is endangered by Paul's teaching that man-made gods are no gods at all. Demetrius gathers the craftsmen and warns that both their business and Artemis's fame are at stake.

²³About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. ²⁴It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen. ²⁵Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity. ²⁶And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. ²⁷There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed — she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.”

Enraged craftsmen cry out for Artemis, the city falls into confusion, and the crowd rushes into the theater dragging Gaius and Aristarchus with them while Paul is restrained from entering. The assembly remains chaotic and mostly ignorant of its own purpose, and when Alexander is pushed forward, the crowd drowns him out for hours with one cry for Artemis.

²⁸When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. ³⁰Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him. ³¹Even some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asia sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre. ³²Meanwhile the assembly was in turmoil. Some were shouting one thing and some another, and most of them did not even know why they were there. ³³The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward to explain himself, and he motioned for silence so he could make his defense to the people. ³⁴But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

At last the city clerk quiets the crowd by appealing to Ephesus's public standing and by saying the men have neither robbed the temple nor blasphemed Artemis. He directs Demetrius and the craftsmen to the courts, warns that the city itself is in danger of being charged with rioting, and then dismisses the assembly.

³⁵Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? ³⁶Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash. ³⁷For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess. ³⁸So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges against one another there. ³⁹But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly. ⁴⁰For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.” ⁴¹After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.