Acts 19:36 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.

NIV: Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash.

NASB: So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash.

CSB: Therefore, since these things are undeniable, you must keep calm and not do anything rash.

NLT: Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash.

KJV: Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

NKJV: Therefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly.

The town clerk of Ephesus—the liaison between the city government and the Roman representatives—is speaking to a crowd in the theater. The craftsmen of the city have incited a mob to pronounce their fidelity to the goddess Artemis by yelling for two straight hours. The people of the crowd don't know why they're there. The town clerk does (Acts 19:23–34).

Paul has been in Ephesus for three years (Acts 20:31), healing people, freeing them from demons, and teaching them how they can enter the kingdom of God (Acts 19:8). Demetrius, a silversmith, realizes that if Paul continues, the people will do more than abandon witchcraft, they'll abandon Artemis. The fewer people worship Artemis, the fewer idols and shrines they'll buy. So, Demetrius and the other craftsmen create an advertising campaign disguised as a display of civil and religious pride (Acts 19:23–27).

In their fervor, the people grab two of Paul's companions, Gaius and Aristarchus, but can't get their hands on Paul (Acts 19:28–31). The town clerk points out that Ephesus is in no danger of losing its loyalty to Artemis, and Gaius and Aristarchus are not a threat—they haven't even spoken against the goddess. If Demetrius has a legal complaint against Paul, he can press charges. But despite the fact the theater is used for legal forums, this is not a forum—it's nearly a riot. If the Romans realize what is going on, the city could be fined, or worse. Like Gamaliel told the Sanhedrin about the apostles preaching about Jesus, the people need to settle down, not be hasty, and trust the deity they worship (Acts 5:37–39).

Ironically, the town clerk isn't completely correct. The church in Ephesus stands strong for centuries—long after Artemis worship. It isn't until after the Turkish war in 1923, when the remnant of the Greek population leaves the country, that the church falls.

Acts 19:35–41 describes one way to deal with unruly mobs; much the same as one might with over-tired toddlers. A crowd has formed in the Ephesian theater to renew their devotion to Artemis. The mob was started by idol makers whose businesses are threatened by the decreasing demand for shrines for Artemis as city residents convert to Christianity. The town clerk of Ephesus needs to disperse the crowd. He lets them wear themselves out, affirms their feelings, shows them they have nothing to fear, reminds them of the proper way to handle disappointment, and tells them the consequences if they don't behave. It works, and the crowd goes home.

Acts 19 recounts Paul's three-year visit in Ephesus. He starts by revealing how Jesus of Nazareth has brought to life the kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit validates Paul's message by healing those struck with physical ailments and demon possession. Amazed by Paul's authority over evil spirits, so many magicians turn to Christ that the craftsmen who make idols fear for their livelihoods. They nearly incite a riot before the town clerk settles them down. Paul realizes his time in Ephesus has ended, and he travels to Macedonia (Acts 20:1).

Acts 19 is the meat of Paul's third missionary voyage. He has already revisited the churches in central modern-day Turkey (Acts 18:23). Now he returns to Ephesus for a three-year stay. After firmly establishing the church there, rescuing many from pagan magic and the worship of Artemis, he returns to Macedonia and Greece. A threat on his life sends him back up to Macedonia and across to Troas. He meets briefly with the Ephesian elders to tell them they will not meet again (Acts 20). When he returns to Jerusalem, he is arrested and, eventually, taken to Rome.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.