22. So after sending two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia.
23. At that time a great disturbance took place concerning the Way.
24. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought a great deal of business to the craftsmen.
25. He gathered these together, along with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this business.
26. And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd, not only in Ephesus but in practically all of the province of Asia, by saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all.
27. There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing, and she whom all the province of Asia and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.”
28. When they heard this they became enraged and began to shout, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29. The city was filled with the uproar, and the crowd rushed to the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions.
30. But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, the disciples would not let him.
31. Even some of the provincial authorities who were his friends sent a message to him, urging him not to venture into the theater.
32. So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together.
33. Some of the crowd concluded it was about Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. Alexander, gesturing with his hand, was wanting to make a defense before the public assembly.