Acts 19:37 - Exposition

Temples for churches, A.V.; ,or for nor yet, A.V.; our for your, A.V. Ye have brought , etc. ἄγειν is especially used of "bringing before a magistrate," "leading to execution," etc.. Robbers of temples ; ἱερόσυλοι found only here in the New Testament. The verb ἱεροσυλεῖν occurs in Romans 2:22 . Blasphemers of our goddess . If the A.V. is right, perhaps we may see in the phrase "your goddess" an indication that the town-clerk himself was more or less persuaded by St. Paul's preaching, that "they are no gods which are made with hands," and did not care to speak of Diana as his own goddess. It appears also that St. Paul had not launched out into abuse of the heathen gods in general, or Diana in particular, but had preached the more excellent way by faith in Jesus Christ, to draw them from their idols ( 1 Thessalonians 1:9 ).