19 ²¹ When things had reached this stage, Paul made up his mind Or: Paul, led by the Spirit, resolved ... to visit Macedonia and Achaia and then go on to Jerusalem; and he said, 'After I have been there, I must see Rome also.' 19 ²² So he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed some time longer in the province of Asia.

19 ²³ Now about that time, the Christian movement gave rise to a serious disturbance. 19 ²⁴ There was a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Diana and provided a great deal of employment for the craftsmen. 19 ²⁵ He called a meeting of these men and the workers in allied trades, and addressed them. 'Men,' he said, 'you know that our high standard of living depends on this industry. 19 ²⁶ And you see and hear how this fellow Paul with his propaganda has perverted crowds of people, not only at Ephesus but also in practically the whole of the province of Asia. He is telling them that gods made by human hands are not gods at all. 19 ²⁷ There is danger for us here; it is not only that our line of business will be discredited, but also that the sanctuary of the great goddess Diana will cease to command respect; and then it will not be long before she who is worshipped by all Asia and the civilized world is brought down from her divine pre-eminence.'

19 ²⁸ When they heard this they were roused to fury and shouted, 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians!' 19 ²⁹ The whole city was in confusion; they seized Paul's travelling-companions, the Macedonians Gaius and Aristarchus, and made a concerted rush with them into the theatre. 19 ³⁰ Paul wanted to appear before the assembly but the other Christians would not let him. 19 ³¹ Even some of the dignitaries of the province, who were friendly towards him, went and urged him not to venture into the theatre. 19 ³² Meanwhile some were shouting one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion and most of them did not know what they had all come for. 19 ³³ But some of the crowd explained the trouble to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed to the front, and he, motioning for silence, attempted to make a defence before the assembly. 19 ³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single cry arose from them all: for about two hours they kept on shouting, 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians!'
19 ³⁵ The town clerk, however, quieted the crowd. 'Men of Ephesus,' he said, 'all the world knows that our city of Ephesus is temple-warden of the great Diana and of that symbol of her which fell from heaven. 19 ³⁶ Since these facts are beyond dispute, your proper course is to keep quiet and do nothing rash. 19 ³⁷ These men whom you have brought here as culprits have committed no sacrilege and uttered no blasphemy against our goddess. 19 ³⁸ If therefore Demetrius and his craftsmen have a case against anyone, assizes are held and there are such people as proconsuls; let the parties bring their charges and countercharges. 19 ³⁹ If, on the other hand, you have some further question to raise, it will be dealt with in the statutory assembly. 19 ⁴⁰ We certainly run the risk of being charged with riot for this day's work. There is no justification for it, and if the issue is raised we shall be unable to give any explanation of this uproar.'