Acts 19:22-41

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 19:21-41

I. Paul is here brought into some trouble at Ephesus, just when he is forecasting to go thence, and to cut out work for himself elsewhere. See here, 1. How he laid his purpose of going to other places, Acts 19:21, 22. He was a man of vast designs for God, and was for making his influences as widely diffusive as might be. Having spent above two years at Ephesus, (1.) He designed a visit to the churches of Macedonia and Achaia, especially of Philippi and Corinth, the chief cities of those... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 19:21-22

19:21-22 When everything was completed, Paul purposed in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and go to Jerusalem. He said, "After I have been there I must see Rome too." He sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, into Macedonia and he himself extended his stay in Asia. It is only by the merest hint that Luke gives us an indication here of something which is filled out in Paul's letters. He tells us that Paul purposed to go to Jerusalem. The church in Jerusalem was poor; and Paul aimed... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 19:23-41

19:23-41 It happened that at this time there was a great disturbance about The Way. A certain man called Demetrius, who was a silversmith and who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought very considerable profit to the craftsmen. He called them together, with the workers who were engaged in like crafts, and said, "Men, you know that our prosperity depends on this craft; and you see and hear how not only in Ephesus but throughout nearly the whole of Asia this fellow Paul has won over and led... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:22

So he sent into Macedonia ,.... To Philippi, or Thessalonica, or Berea, or some of the places there, to let them know of his coming, and to prepare for him: two of them that ministered unto him ; that were his assistants in preaching the Gospel: Timotheus and Erastus ; the former of these was a disciple he found at Lystra, and took along with him, and to whom he afterwards wrote two epistles; and the latter seems to be the same with him, who was chamberlain of the city of Corinth,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:23

And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. The Syriac version reads, "the way of God"; and the Vulgate Latin version, "the way of the Lord": that is, the Christian religion, and the doctrines and ordinances of the Gospel, which the saints were directed to walk in; and the Ethiopic version renders it, "about this doctrine"; which mightily grew and prevailed, and which such numbers embraced; and how great the stir was about it, and from whence it arose, who began it, and what... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:24

For a certain man, named Demetrius, a silversmith ,.... Who worked in silver, not in coining silver money, but in making silver vessels, in melting silver, and casting it into moulds, and forming it into different shapes; and particularly, which made silver shrines for Diana ; who Diana was; see Gill on Acts 19:27 , these were not coins or medals of silver, struck by Demetrius, with the figure of the temple of Diana on them, nor images of Diana, as the Ethiopic version reads; but they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:25

Whom he called together ,.... That is, the craftsmen; "all his co-artificers", as the Syriac version reads, all the chief of the trade, the masters of it, as he himself was: with the workmen of like occupation ; who were employed by him, and the rest of the masters in the several branches of the business; as founders, engravers, polishers, &c.; some might make the images, and others the temples, or shrines; some do one part and some another, so that abundance of persons might be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:26

Moreover, ye see and hear ,.... Demetrius appeals to their senses of seeing and hearing; they saw what was done in their own city, and they had heard how things were elsewhere; they might believe what they saw with their eyes, and they had reason to depend upon the report which was brought to their ears: that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people ; by "all Asia" is meant Ionia, that part of Asia, of which Ephesus was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:27

So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought ,.... Or "to come into reproof", as the words may be literally rendered, and as they are in the Vulgate Latin version; that is, if this notion prevails, that they are not gods, which are made with hands, this art and business of making shrines and images for Diana will be brought into contempt, and come to nothing; who will buy them, when once they believe there is no divinity in them? they will despise them, and the makers of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:28

And when they heard these sayings ,.... Both the masters and the workmen; they were full of wrath ; against Paul and his doctrine: and cried out, saying, great is Diana of the Ephesians ; this goddess is frequently called in Heathen writers, Diana of the Ephesians, or the Ephesian Diana, because of her famous temple at Ephesus; and to distinguish her from all other Dianas: Pausanias makes mention of sixty Dianas at least, and yet seems not to have taken notice of them all; all of... read more

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