Today’s Scripture:

23 About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way. 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of [a]Artemis, was bringing no little [b]business to the craftsmen; 25 these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity [c]depends upon this business. 26 You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of [d]Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that [e]gods made with hands are no gods at all. 27 Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess [f]Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of [g]Asia and the [h]world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”

28 When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is [i]Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed [j]with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. 30 And when Paul wanted to go into the [k]assembly, the disciples would not let him. 31 Also some of the [l]Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to [m]venture into the theater. 32 So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the [n]assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know [o]for what reason they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd [p]concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the [q]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,