Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

²⁸ When they heard this, they were filled with rage.

“Great is Ephesian Artemis!” they shouted. “Great is Ephesian Artemis!”

²⁹ The whole city was filled with the uproar; everyone rushed together into the theater, dragging along with them the Macedonians Gaius and Aristarchus, two of Paul’s companions. ³⁰ Paul wanted to go in to speak to the people, but his followers wouldn’t let him. ³¹ Indeed, some of the local magistrates, who were friendly towards him, sent him a message urging him not to risk going into the theater. ³² Meanwhile, some people were shouting one thing, some another. In fact, the whole assembly was thoroughly confused, and most of them had no idea why they had come there in the first place. ³³ The Jews pushed Alexander forward, and some of the crowd informed him what was going on. He motioned with his hand, and was going to make a statement to the people to explain things. ³⁴ But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted together, for about two hours, “Great is Ephesian Artemis!”

³⁵ The town clerk quietened the crowd.

“Men of Ephesus,” he said, “is there anyone who doesn’t know that our city of Ephesus is the place which has the honor of being the home of Artemis the Great, and of the statue that fell from heaven? ³⁶ Nobody can deny it! So you should be quiet, and not do anything rash. ³⁷ You’ve brought these men here, but they haven’t stolen from the temple, or blasphemed our goddess. ³⁸ If Demetrius and his colleagues have a charge they want to bring against anyone, the courts are open and we have magistrates. People can present their cases against one another. ³⁹ But if you are wanting to know anything beyond that, it must be sorted out in the authorized assembly. ⁴⁰ Let me remind you that we ourselves are risking legal proceedings because of this riot today, since there is no reason we could give which would enable us to present a satisfactory explanation for this uproar.”

⁴¹ With these words, he dismissed the assembly.