Old/New Testament

²¹ After this, Paul decided he would go through Macedonia and Achaia and then to Jerusalem. `After I have been there,' he said, `l must go to see the city of Rome also.'

²² He sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, into Macedonia. But he himself stayed in Asia Minor for a while.

²³ About that time there was much trouble because of the Christian way.

²⁴ A man named Demetrius made things from silver. He made little silver houses like the big house of the idol-god Diana. He and other men got much money from this work.

²⁵ Demetrius called them all together. He said, `Men, you know that we get our money from this work.

²⁶ Now you see and hear how this man Paul has talked. He has turned away many people in Ephesus. Not only that, but he has turned away the hearts of many people in almost all of Asia Minor. He says that things made by men's hands are not really gods.

²⁷ This will spoil our work. Not only that, but people will not respect the house of the great idol goddess Diana any more. All the people in Asia and in the whole world worship her now. But they will despise her!'

²⁸ When they heard this, the men were very angry and shouted, `Great is Diana of Ephesus!'

²⁹ All the people in the city were excited. They caught two men from Macedonia. Their names were Gaius and Aristarchus. They had travelled with Paul. Then they all rushed to the big meeting place with them.

³⁰ Paul wanted to go in and talk to the people, but the disciples would not let him.

³¹ Some of the leaders in Asia Minor liked Paul. They sent word to him and begged him not to go into the meeting place.

³² Some of the people were shouting one thing and some another. They were all stirred up. Most of the people did not know why they had come together.

³³ The Jews pushed Alexander forward. Some of the people put him in front. He put up his hand and wanted to talk to the people.

³⁴ But when they saw that he was a Jew, they all shouted together for two hours, `Great is Diana of Ephesus!'

³⁵ At last the city chief stopped the shouting. He said, `Men of Ephesus, everyone knows that all the people of Ephesus take care of the house of the great Diana. And they take care of the stone which fell from the sky.

³⁶ No person can say it is not true. So you should be quiet and not do anything foolish.

³⁷ The men whom you have brought here have not taken anything from the house. They have not even said anything wrong about our goddess.

³⁸ Now then, if Demetrius and the men who work with him have any complaint, let them take it to law. We have a court and we have judges.

³⁹ If you want anything more than that, it must be done in a meeting which has been called by law.

⁴⁰ We may have trouble because of what has happened today. There is not one good reason for it.'

⁴¹ When he had said this, he closed the meeting.