What does Acts 19:30 mean?
Demetrius is a silversmith in Ephesus, on the Aegean Coast of Asia, a province in western modern-day Turkey. He and other craftsmen make their living by selling idols and shrines of Greek gods, particularly Artemis. Paul arrived in the city three years before. God's supernatural empowering of Paul to heal and to expel demons has brought him such a great following that people from all over Asia—the province in southwest modern-day Turkey—have abandoned their witchcraft, the demons, and the Greek gods (Acts 19:11–20).The livelihoods of the craftsmen are in danger, so they start a protest in support of Artemis, march to the theater, and grab Paul's companions Gaius and Aristarchus. Paul realizes what's happening and tries to defend his partners (Acts 19:23–29).
The level of detail in the account suggests Luke was either in Ephesus or, more likely considering the pronouns, heard what happened right after when Paul came to Troas on his way to Macedonia. Still, Luke doesn't fully express Paul's fear. Paul writes to the church in Corinth that he and his companions "despaired of life itself" and thought they were going to be executed (2 Corinthians 1:8–9). It may be Paul only survives because his disciples and other friends from Asia keep him from trying to defend his partners (Acts 19:31). Fortunately, Gaius and Aristarchus survive, and they leave shortly after.
