^5 (A)beatings, imprisonments, ^(B)riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;

²³ Are they ^(A)servants of Christ? ^(B)I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, ^(C)far more imprisonments, ^(D)with countless beatings, and ^(E)often near death. ²⁴ Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the ^(F)forty lashes less one. ²⁵ Three times I was ^(G)beaten with rods. ^(H)Once I was stoned. Three times I ^(I)was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;

^27 (A)in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, ^(B)in hunger and thirst, often without food,^[a] in cold and exposure.

²³ About that time ^(A)there arose no little disturbance concerning ^(B)the Way. ²⁴ For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, ^(C)brought no little business to the craftsmen. ^25 (D)These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. ²⁶ And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, ^(E)saying that ^(F)gods made with hands are not gods. ²⁷ And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the ^(G)great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

²⁸ When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, ^(H)“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and ^(I)Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's ^(J)companions in travel. ³⁰ But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. ³¹ And even some of the Asiarchs,^[a] who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. ^32 (K)Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. ³³ Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, ^(L)motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. ³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, ^(M)“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

^5 (A)But the Jews^{[a] (B)}were jealous, and taking ^(C)some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd.

¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, ^(A)that you may be tested, and for ^(B)ten days ^(C)you will have tribulation. ^(D)Be faithful ^(E)unto death, and I will give you ^(F)the crown of life.

²³ You should know that ^(A)our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon.

¹⁷ Obey ^(A)your leaders and submit to them, ^(B)for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to ^(C)give an account. ^(D)Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

³⁶ Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even ^(A)chains and imprisonment.