Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Paul Decides To Return To Jerusalem And Then Go To Rome. He Sends Timothy Ahead

²¹ Now when these^[a] things were completed, Paul put^[b] in his spirit that, having gone through Macedonia and Achaia, he should be going to Jerusalem, having said that “After I come-to-be there, I must also see Rome”. ²² And having sent-out two of the ones ministering with him to Macedonia— Timothy and Erastus— he himself held-on in Asia for a time.

There Is a Big Uproar In Ephesus Over a Decline In The Sale of Idols Due To Paul

²³ Now about that time, no small disturbance took place concerning the Way. ²⁴ For a certain Demetrius by name, a silversmith making silver shrines^[c] of Artemis^[d], was bringing-about no small business for the craftsmen— ²⁵ whom having assembled-together, and the workers with respect to such things, he said, “Men, you know that prosperity for us is from this business. ²⁶ And you are seeing and hearing that this Paul— having persuaded people not only from Ephesus, but from almost all Asia— turned-away a considerable crowd, saying that the gods being made with hands are not gods. ²⁷ But not only is-there-a-danger for us that this^[e] part may come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted for nothing, and that she whom all Asia and the world worships may even be about to be torn-down^[f] from her majesty”.