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Acts 19

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

And all the men were about twelve.

And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;

Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:

So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.

Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.

But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.

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

For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.

And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

What does Acts 19:32 mean?

Explanation

Acts 19:32 captures a moment of chaos and confusion during a gathering of people in the city of Ephesus, where the apostle Paul had been preaching.

The verse conveys the lack of a unified purpose among the crowd, with different individuals shouting different things, resulting in a state of disorder. Notably, the majority of the participants didn't even understand why they had been assembled there in the first place.

This verse reflects the nature of mob psychology and shows how easily a large gathering can become aimless and be swayed by emotions or the influence of agitators.

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Historical Context

This verse is found in the Book of Acts of the Apostles, which details the establishment of the early Christian church after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.

At this particular point in Acts, Paul is in Ephesus, a major city in the Roman province of Asia, known for its worship of the goddess Artemis (Diana).

Paul's successful ministry in Ephesus threatened the local idol-making trade, which led to a large disturbance instigated by a silversmith named Demetrius, who fashioned shrines for Artemis.

Demetrius was concerned about the loss of business due to Paul's message that "gods made with hands are not gods" (Acts 19:26).

The resulting uproar is the setting of the verse in question.

Theological Insights

From a theological viewpoint, the verse demonstrates the clash between the nascent Christian faith and existing pagan traditions and economies.

Theologically, the verse can be seen as a testament to the power of the Gospel to disrupt the status quo, challenge idolatry, and provoke significant societal upheaval.

It is a tangible reminder of the difficulties that early Christians faced in spreading their message and the resistance they often met.

Practical Applications

Acts 19:32 offers several practical applications for contemporary readers.

First, it serves as a warning against getting swept up in mob mentality without understanding the cause or implications.

It encourages individual discernment and an informed approach to public discourse.

The verse also highlights the importance of clear communication and the potential dangers of confusion and misinformation within a community.

Cross-References

Acts 19:28-31 - These verses offer context leading up to the verse in question, describing how the crowd was incited and how they rushed into the theater.
Acts 17:5 - Demonstrates another instance where Paul's preaching led to confusion and uproar among the people.
1 Corinthians 14:33 - "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."

Language Study

Key words from Acts 19:32 in the original Greek language include:

"ἔκραζον" (ekrazon) which means "they cried out." This expresses a loud shouting or proclamation.
"συγκεχυμένη" (sygkechymenē) translating to "was confused." This term depicts disorder, mixing up, or being in a tumultuous state.
"ἐπίσταντο" (epistanto) meaning "they knew." The use of the negative form in the verse ("knew not") indicates a lack of knowledge or awareness.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparing this event to other religious and cultural happenings, Acts 19:32 shares similarities with ancient occurrences where religious or economic reforms led to public unrest.

For example, in the Roman world, any perceived threat to the honor of deities could provoke a serious reaction from the populace.

Scientific Perspectives

The scientific study of crowd behavior, particularly 'crowd psychology,' offers insight into the confusion and lack of direction seen in this verse.

Modern social psychology might explain the crowd's behavior in Acts 19:32 as a classic case of groupthink and loss of individual responsibility in the face of herd mentality.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators have various insights into Acts 19:32.

John Calvin comments on the disorderly and tumultuous nature of the crowd and the foolishness of their actions without understanding the reason for their assembly.

Matthew Henry's commentary notes the confusion's allowing for mischievous leaders to manipulate the situation to their advantage, reflecting on the susceptibility of crowds to deception.

Other commentators focus on the socio-economic implications of the gospel's spread, as seen in the pushback from those like Demetrius whose livelihoods were threatened.

Acts 19

Acts 19

What does Acts 19:32 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 19:32 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?