22. So after sending two of those who were assisting him, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed some time in Asia.
23. Now there happened at that time no little disturbance concerning the Way.
24. For someone named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver replicas of the temple of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen.
25. These he gathered together, and the workers occupied with such things, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we get our prosperity,
26. and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this man Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd by saying that the gods made by hands are not gods.
27. So not only is there a danger this line of business of ours will come into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing—and she is about to be brought down even from her grandeur, she whom the whole of Asia and the entire world worship!”
28. And when they heard this and became full of rage, they began to shout, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29. And the city was filled with the tumult, and with one purpose they rushed into the theater, seizing Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were traveling companions of Paul.
30. But when Paul wanted to enter into the popular assembly, the disciples would not let him.
31. And even some of the Asiarchs who were his friends sent word to him and were urging him not to risk himself by going into the theater.
32. So some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority did not know why they had assembled.