⁵ And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and ^(A)the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to ^(B)stone them,

¹⁹ But ^(A)Jews came from ^(B)Antioch and ^(C)Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they ^(D)stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.

²³ About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning ^(A)the Way. ²⁴ For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of ^[a]Artemis, ^(B)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 ^(C)Ephesus, but in almost all of ^[d](D)Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that ^[e](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](F)Asia and ^(G)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 ^(H)Ephesians!” ²⁹ The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed ^[j]with one accord into the theater, dragging along ^(I)Gaius and ^(J)Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling ^(K)companions from ^(L)Macedonia. ³⁰ And when Paul wanted to go into the ^[k]assembly, ^(M)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 (N)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 ^(O)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, “Men of ^(P)Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great ^[s]Artemis and of the image which fell down from ^[t]heaven? ³⁶ So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are neither ^(Q)robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. ³⁸ So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and ^[u](R)proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. ³⁹ But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the ^[v]lawful ^[w]assembly. ⁴⁰ For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” ⁴¹ After saying this he dismissed the ^[x]assembly.

⁴² The soldiers’ plan was to ^(A)kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape;