Section 88 of 13019:23–19:41Acts

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King James VersionActs 19:23–19:41

And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;

Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:

So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.

Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.

But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.

But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.

For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.

And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.

Scripture text: King James Version, Standardized 1769 text. Public domain in the United States.About this Bible text

Acts 19:23–19:41

The Ephesian economy and civic assembly collide with the Way

Silver shrines, civic identity, and a clerk against a confused assembly

Demetrius the silversmith gathers craftsmen whose income from Artemis shrines is threatened. He links Paul's claim that handmade gods are not gods to lost wealth and to the honor of Artemis, whom Asia and the world worship. The city fills with confusion. Gaius and Aristarchus are dragged into the theater. Disciples and some Asiarchs keep Paul from entering. Most of the assembly does not even know why they have come. Jews put Alexander forward; when the crowd recognizes he is a Jew, they shout "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians" for about two hours.

The town clerk quiets them: Ephesus's reputation for Artemis is not in doubt; these men are not temple robbers or blasphemers of the goddess; courts and proconsuls exist; a lawful assembly is the place for other disputes; this uproar risks Roman inquiry. He dismisses the crowd. Economic interest, civic pride, religion, ethnic tension, and Roman public-order risk lock together. The clerk's defense is pragmatic. It does not baptize the Way, erase imperial agency, or make Jewish bystanders the authors of a pagan riot.

How this should shape us

Name how threatened income can fuel a crowd. Protect workers and bystanders from scapegoating, use lawful process rather than manufactured disorder, and do not treat a city's goddess, its artisans, or its Jews as disposable enemies.

Teach it back

Explain Acts 19:23–19:41 in your own words, naming its movement, speaker or narrator role, one source-controlled detail, one uncertainty, one affected person, and one conclusion the passage does not authorize.

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Research trail and exact locationsThe source record behind this section

King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006

Supports: Exact displayed KJV wording, order, paragraph metadata, supplied-word markup, and unit coverage.

Acts 19:23–19:41, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM-derived repository corpus

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition

Supports: Greek wording and punctuation control, without pretending one edition is a complete apparatus.

SBLGNT official text, Acts 19:23-19:41

STEP Bible Data

Supports: Morphology and lexical cross-check for words explicitly discussed in this unit.

STEP Bible Data, TAGNT rows for Acts 19:23-19:41

NET Bible First Edition Notes: Acts

Supports: Verse-attached textual, translation, language, geography, chronology, and historical notes actually printed for the unit.

NET Bible First Edition Acts PDF, printed pp. 2104-2205, exact tn/tc/sn entries attached to 19:23–19:41

Acts of the Apostles Course and Study Guides

Supports: Introductory critical orientation to the unit's place in Luke-Acts, with contested judgments retained as interpretations.

Yale Bible Study Acts course, course unit 'Co-operative Ministry,' Acts 18-20 study guide

The Acts of the Apostles

Supports: One complete confessional commentary reading, independently checked against the text and critical controls.

Thompson, online Acts commentary, heading and paragraphs explicitly covering Acts 19:23–19:41

The Jewishness of Luke-Acts: How Recent Scholarship Has Challenged the View that Luke-Acts Is Pro-Gentile and Anti-Jewish

Supports: Abstract-supported control for Jewish continuity and Gentile inclusion in Acts 19:23–19:41, not a settlement of every conflict scene.

Smith, JTS 72.2 (2021), pp. 738-765, official abstract and bibliographic record

Sources for This Section

These records identify the source, the claim it supports, and the exact location used. A source remains evidence to evaluate; it does not replace the biblical text.

Biblical text

King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006

eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society

USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.

Supports: Exact displayed KJV wording, order, paragraph metadata, supplied-word markup, and unit coverage.

Exact location: Acts 19:23–19:41, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM-derived repository corpus

Open source ↗

Greek textual evidence

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition

Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos

Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010

Supports: Greek wording and punctuation control, without pretending one edition is a complete apparatus.

Exact location: SBLGNT official text, Acts 19:23-19:41

Open the Acts Greek text file ↗

Lexical and grammatical evidence

STEP Bible Data

Tyndale House Cambridge

Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026

Supports: Morphology and lexical cross-check for words explicitly discussed in this unit.

Exact location: STEP Bible Data, TAGNT rows for Acts 19:23-19:41

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open translation and translator notes

NET Bible First Edition Notes: Acts

Biblical Studies Press

Biblical Studies Press, 2006

Supports: Verse-attached textual, translation, language, geography, chronology, and historical notes actually printed for the unit.

Exact location: NET Bible First Edition Acts PDF, printed pp. 2104-2205, exact tn/tc/sn entries attached to 19:23–19:41

Open source ↗

open university bible study course

Acts of the Apostles Course and Study Guides

Yale Divinity School faculty

Yale Bible Study, 2019

Supports: Introductory critical orientation to the unit's place in Luke-Acts, with contested judgments retained as interpretations.

Exact location: Yale Bible Study Acts course, course unit 'Co-operative Ministry,' Acts 18-20 study guide

Open source ↗

open confessional commentary

The Acts of the Apostles

Alan J. Thompson

The Gospel Coalition, 2023

Supports: One complete confessional commentary reading, independently checked against the text and critical controls.

Exact location: Thompson, online Acts commentary, heading and paragraphs explicitly covering Acts 19:23–19:41

Open source ↗

peer reviewed article abstract and metadata

The Jewishness of Luke-Acts: How Recent Scholarship Has Challenged the View that Luke-Acts Is Pro-Gentile and Anti-Jewish

Joshua Paul Smith

The Journal of Theological Studies 72.2, 2021

Supports: Abstract-supported control for Jewish continuity and Gentile inclusion in Acts 19:23–19:41, not a settlement of every conflict scene.

Exact location: Smith, JTS 72.2 (2021), pp. 738-765, official abstract and bibliographic record

Open source ↗

Acts 19:23–19:41, King James Version

Silver shrines, civic identity, and a clerk against a confused assembly

How this should shape us

Teach it back

Go deeper

King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition

STEP Bible Data

NET Bible First Edition Notes: Acts

Acts of the Apostles Course and Study Guides

The Acts of the Apostles

The Jewishness of Luke-Acts: How Recent Scholarship Has Challenged the View that Luke-Acts Is Pro-Gentile and Anti-Jewish