⁵ But ^(A)the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and they attacked the house of ^(B)Jason and were seeking to bring them out to the people.

²³ About that time ^[a]a major disturbance occurred in regard to ^[b](A)the Way. ²⁴ For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of ^[c]Artemis, ^(B)was bringing ^[d]considerable ^[e]business to the craftsmen; ²⁵ he gathered these men together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity ^[f]depends upon this business. ²⁶ You see and hear that not only in ^(C)Ephesus, but in almost all of ^[g](D)Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that ^[h](E)gods made by hands are not gods at all. ²⁷ Not only is there danger that this trade of ours will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess ^[i]Artemis will be regarded as worthless, and that she whom all of ^[j](F)Asia and ^(G)the ^[k]world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”

²⁸ When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began shouting, saying, “Great is ^[l]Artemis of the ^(H)Ephesians!” ²⁹ The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging along ^(I)Gaius and ^(J)Aristarchus, Paul’s ^(K)Macedonian traveling ^(L)companions. ³⁰ And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, ^(M)the disciples would not let him. ³¹ Also some of the ^[m]Asiarchs who were friends of his sent word to him and repeatedly urged him not to ^[n]venture into the theater. ^32 (N)So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the ^[o]assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know ^[p]for what reason they had come together. ³³ Some of the crowd ^[q]concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having ^(O)motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly. ³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is ^[r]Artemis of the Ephesians!”

³⁵ After quieting the crowd, the town clerk *said, “Men of ^(P)Ephesus, what person is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great ^[s]Artemis and of the image which fell down from ^[t]the sky? ³⁶ So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are neither ^(Q)temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. ³⁸ So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are in session and ^[u](R)proconsuls are available; have them bring charges against one another. ³⁹ But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the ^[v]lawful ^[w]assembly. ⁴⁰ For indeed, we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s events, since there is no real reason for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” ⁴¹ After saying this he dismissed the ^[x]assembly.

Paul Seized in the Temple

²⁷ When ^(A)the seven days were almost over, ^(B)the Jews from ^[a](C)Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, ²⁸ crying out, “Men of Israel, help! ^(D)This is the man who instructs everyone everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides, he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has ^(E)defiled this holy place!” ²⁹ For they had previously seen ^(F)Trophimus the ^(G)Ephesian in the city with him, and they thought that Paul had brought him into the temple. ³⁰ Then the whole city was provoked and ^[b]the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they ^(H)dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. ³¹ While they were intent on killing him, a report came up to the commander of the ^(I)Roman ^[c]cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ³² He immediately ^(J)took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to ^[d]the crowd; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³ Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered that he be ^(K)bound with ^(L)two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done. ³⁴ But among the crowd, ^(M)some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the ^[e]facts because of the uproar, he ordered that ^[f]Paul be brought into ^(N)the barracks. ³⁵ When Paul got to ^(O)the stairs, it came about that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the ^[g]mob; ³⁶ for the multitude of people kept following them, shouting, “^(P)Away with him!”

²² They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “^(A)Away with such a man from the earth, for ^(B)he should not be allowed to live!” ²³ And as they were shouting and ^(C)throwing off their cloaks and ^(D)tossing dust into the air, ²⁴ the commander ordered that he be brought into ^(E)the barracks, saying that he was to be ^(F)interrogated by flogging so that he would find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way. ²⁵ But when they stretched him out ^[a]with straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it ^[b]lawful for you to flog ^(G)a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?” ²⁶ When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.” ²⁷ The commander came and said to ^[c]Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” ²⁸ The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.” ²⁹ Therefore, those who were about to ^(H)interrogate him immediately backed away from him; and the commander also ^(I)was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had ^[d](J)put him in chains.