Acts 19:37 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess.

NIV: You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess.

NASB: For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess.

CSB: For you have brought these men here who are not temple robbers or blasphemers of our goddess.

NLT: You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess.

KJV: For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

NKJV: For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.

This is a fascinating statement, given who is speaking and why. Paul's work in Ephesus and the surrounding province has caused a decrease in Artemis worship. The craftsmen who make idols and shrines are afraid, if this continues, they could lose their businesses. They have created a marketing campaign under the guise of a rally in support of Artemis and her place in Ephesian culture. Their campaign is working. A huge mob has descended on the Ephesian theater and has been shouting "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" for two hours (Acts 19:23–34).

During the march, people find Paul's companions Gaius and Aristarchus and drag them into the melee. Meanwhile, church members and provincial officials hold Paul back (Acts 19:29–31). It's unclear what the mob plans to do with Gaius and Aristarchus, but Paul later writes that his team experienced a terrifying event that had them fearing for their lives (2 Corinthians 1:8–10). It's likely this is that event. Regardless, God uses the city clerk to settle the crowd and allow Paul and his team to escape (Acts 20:1).

Paul's ministry in Ephesus has centered around healing, casting out demons, and inviting people into the kingdom of God (Acts 19:8, 11–12). It's unclear what part Gaius or Aristarchus play in the teaching part of the ministry, but the city clerk affirms something we see throughout the book of Acts. Paul doesn't spread Christianity by attacking pagan gods; he introduces the one true God. In Athens, Paul doesn't come out and condemn Athena. He gently compares his God to those of the Athenians by showing how the philosophers have unwittingly limited the nature of the God who is worth worshiping (Acts 17:24–29). His words are stronger in his letters (Galatians 4:8), but he treads lightly when speaking with unbelievers about their gods.

The city clerk points out that the mob has nothing with which to charge Gaius and Aristarchus. They have neither spoken against Artemis nor damaged her temple, which was a capital offense under Roman law. If the craftsmen want to charge Paul with a crime, they need to go through the proper channels. As it stands, it is not Paul and his team who are breaking the law; in truth, the mob is quickly descending into a riot. If they continue, the Romans will come, and the Romans did not suffer disorder (Acts 19:38–40).

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.