November 1 Daily Devotional

Acts 19

Paul believed that his work in Ephesus was about finished. He intended to go across the Aegean sea and visit the churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea in Macedonia; after that he wanted to see the church at Corinth, and then go to Jerusalem once more. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must also see Rome.” To prepare for his visit to Macedonia, he sent Timothy and another friend named Erastus before him, while he himself stayed in Ephesus for a season. Soon after the two had left, a great riot broke out in the city.

There were many people in Ephesus who worshipped an idol, the goddess Diana. There was a great temple in the city for the worship of Diana. Small copies of this famous temple were made by the silversmiths in the city and sold to the worshippers. Now when many people were converted and became Christians, the demand for the silver shrines decreased. Then one of the silversmiths, named Demetrius, aroused his fellow craftsmen against the Christians. He said to them, “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 naught; 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. 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.” They seized two of Paul’s friends, Gains and Aristarchus, and dragged them into the theatre. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

The noise, and the shouting, and the confusion continued for about two hours. “And when the town clerk of the city had appeased the people, he said, Yemen 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 his craftsmen have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies; let them implead unto another. But if ye inquire anything 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 … When he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.”