Study Desk

About that time ^(F1)a major disturbance occurred in regard to ^(F2)(C1)the Way.

For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of ^(F1)Artemis, ^(C1)was bringing ^(F2)considerable ^(F3)business to the craftsmen;

he gathered these men together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that our prosperity ^(F1)depends upon this business.

"You see and hear that not only in ^(C1)Ephesus, but in almost all of ^(F1)(C2)Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that ^(F2)(C3)gods made by hands are not gods at all.

"Not only is there danger that this trade of ours will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess ^(F1)Artemis will be regarded as worthless, and that she whom all of ^(F2)(C1)Asia and ^(C2)the ^(F3)world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence."

When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began shouting, saying, "Great is ^(F1)Artemis of the ^(C1)Ephesians!"

The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging along ^(C1)Gaius and ^(C2)Aristarchus, Paul's ^(C3)Macedonian traveling ^(C4)companions.

And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, ^(C1)the disciples would not let him.

Also some of the ^(F1)Asiarchs who were friends of his sent word to him and repeatedly urged him not to ^(F2)venture into the theater.

^(C1)So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the ^(F1)assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know ^(F2)for what reason they had come together.

Some of the crowd ^(F1)concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having ^(C1)motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly.

But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, "Great is ^(F1)Artemis of the Ephesians!"