Acts 19:39 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.

NIV: If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly.

NASB: But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly.

CSB: But if you seek anything further, it must be decided in a legal assembly.

NLT: And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly.

KJV: But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.

NKJV: But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly.

The city clerk of Ephesus is addressing a mob that has descended upon the theater. Most do not know why they are there. They heard some men chanting "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" (Acts 19:28), and, agreeing with the sentiment, joined in. They shout for two hours before the city clerk gets their attention (Acts 19:34).

The reason they are there has to do with Paul's successful ministry. For three years he has been healing people and expelling demons (Acts 20:31). The sick, oppressed, and harassed have come from all over the district of Asia, in the southwest corner of modern-day Turkey, to hear what Paul has to say. He tells them about the kingdom of God and forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus. Miracles affirm his teaching, and many choose to abandon witchcraft and pagan gods and follow Paul's God (Acts 19:8–12, 18–20).

The problem is, Paul's God doesn't have an image. In fact, making an image of Paul's God is forbidden. When the silversmith Demetrius realizes this, he also realizes that the craftsmen who make idols and shrines are going to go out of business. They join to start a protest which leads to a mob at the Ephesian theater (Acts 19:23–27).

Three times a month, the Ephesian theater doubles as an assembly place for the civic forum to address issues such as sacrilege against the Greek gods. The city clerk points out that Demetrius has two problems. First, this is not an official meeting. In fact, it's illegal (Acts 19:40). Second, no one has committed sacrilege against Artemis. No one has attacked her temple or even spoken out against her—not even the companions of Paul whom the crowd grabbed and dragged to the theater (Acts 19:29, 37).

If Demetrius has a charge against Paul, something specific and illegal Paul did to cause the craftsmen financial hardship, Demetrius can bring it before the proconsuls at the regular court (Acts 19:38). If he has a further complaint, he can bring it to a regular assembly at the theater. As it stands, Demetrius's little marketing campaign is quickly becoming a riot. The Roman officials didn't like riots, and if this continues, things will not go well for the Artemis-worshipers.

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.