Acts 19:24-41

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 19:23-41

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 19:24

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:29

And the whole city was filled with confusion ,.... For the workmen that made the silver shrines very likely ran up and down in the city, crying out, great is Diana of the Ephesians, which brought the people out of their houses to inquire what was the matter; and the mob gathering and increasing, as they went along, threw the whole city into confusion and disorder: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia ; the latter of these was of Thessalonica in Macedonia, as appears... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:30

And when Paul would have entered in unto the people ,.... In the theatre, in order to have preached to the people, and to have removed their prejudices against him, and the Gospel preached by him, and to have shown them the error and evil of their idolatrous ways and worship, and to have reconciled them to him, and his friends, and to have persuaded them to do them no hurt; which shows the apostle's greatness of soul, his firmness, constancy, and intrepidity, and his great concern and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 19:31

And certain of the chief of Asia ,.... Or the Asiarchs; these were not princes of Asia, rulers or governors of provinces, or cities, or civil magistrates; but priests who presided over the games and diversions at the theatre, and had the management and command of things there. Such an one was Philip the Asiarch, the church of Smyrna makes mention of in their account of the sufferings and martyrdom of Polycarp F26 Apud Euseb. Eccl, Hist. l. 4. c. 15. , whom the people entreated that he... read more

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