26. Moreover, ye fee and hear, that not alone at Ephefus, but almoft throughout all Afia, this Paul hath perfuaded and turned perfuaded and turned away much people, faying, that they be no gods which are made with hands: 27. So that not only this our craft is in danger to be fet at nought; but also that the temple of, the great goddess Diana should be defpifed, and her magnificence fhould be destroyed, whom all Afia and the world worshippeth. 28. And when they heard these fayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, faying, Great is Diapa of the Ephefians. 29. And the whole city was filled with confufion and having caught Gaius and Ariftarchus, men of Macedonia, Pauls companions in travel, they rufhed with one accord into the theatre. abundance of Workmen under him. These he got all together, fending for all the Mafters of the fame Trade in Town, and reprefented to them in the most plaufible and affecting Manner, 26 & 27. That this honourable and gainful Employment of theirs, was now threatened with Decay and Ruin; but that which ought more deeply to affect them, Their Religion was in Danger, their great Goddess Diana, her magnificent Temple, her Worfhip, fo truly pompous, and univerfally esteemed, were now growing into Contempt; and all this by the Attempts of Paul, who has been preaching up a new Religion throughout almoft all the Provinces, and has perverted abundance into a Perfuafion, that Diana is no Deity, and that her Images have no Divinity refiding in them. 28. The whole Company of thefe Artificers, enraged at this Difcourfe, and diftracted between Superftition and Intereft, cry'd out against Paul, and extoll'd the Divinity of their Goddess Diana, 29. And Demetrius having contrived this Tumult upon a Day, in which they were to celebrate Games in Honour of that Deity, in the Theatre, one Part whereof was to expofe notorious Criminals to the wild Beafts for the People's Diverfion; they raised and incenfed the Rabble, who went went in Search of Paul, but not finding him, they 4. D. 60. took two of his Chriftian Friends and Companions, and dragged them into the Theatre, with an Intent to throw them to the wild Beasts there. 32. Some therefore cried one thing, and fome another for the affembly was confufed, and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. 33. And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beck ned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the 34. But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours, cried out, 30 & 31. Paul hearing what was likely to befal his two Friends, would have gone into the Theatre, to have pleaded and made a publick Defence for himself and them: But the Chriftian Converts being very earnest with him, and fome of the Governours, or Mafters of thofe Games, that had a Refpect for him, giving him a kindly Notice not to expofe himfelf to the present Fury of the People, he defifted from that Defign. 32. In the mean Time, the Rabble increafed to prodigious Numbers, and fell into fuch a confufed Hurry and Clamour, that abundance that bore a Part in the Noife, knew not what it was for. 33. In this Confufion the infidel Jews would have perfuaded one Alexander (a Chriftian Convert) to try to appeafe them, by offering fomething in Behalf of his two Friends and their Religion; by which they hoped to have expofed Alexander to the People's Rage, because he was turn'd 142 A. D. 60. out, Great is Diana ple knowing him to have been a of the Ephefians. Jew (and fo an utter Enemy to Image-Worship) renew'd their Clamour; and to prevent his fpeaking, continued it for two Hours together, Crying out to the Honour of Diana. 35. And when the town-clerk had appeafed the people, he faid, Ye men of Ephefus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the * 35. At laft the chief Prefident of the Games ftilled and compofed them fo far, as to get Time to make the following Speech to them; How abfurd and weak is it (fays he) to have fuch a violent Commotion among a People who all agree in the fame facred Belief, the fame eftablished Religion and Worship? * 36. If Ephefus ftill remains the favourite Worshipper of Diana, adorns her Temple, and is bleft with her Image that defcended from Heaven, what need of fuch popular Fury to defend that which No-body does, or can deny, with any Probability of prevailing a gainst it? 37. For have es, nor yet blafphe- you 37. Now have in a tumultuous Manner brought these two Men into the Theatre, with an Intent to throw them to the wild Beafts, who yet have neither facrilegiously robb'd any Temple, nor put any open Affront upon your Religion, nor done any Action that can legally be punifhed in fuch a Manner. * 38. If Ver. 35, 36, 37. Who knoweth not that the city of Ephefus, &c. Seeing thefe Things cannot be spoken against, &c. Nor Blafphemers of your Goddess, &c. It being certain, that the Apoftles did abfolutely deny the Divinity of all Heathen Deities, and the Lawfulness of Image-Worship; it is well obferved by P. à Limborch, in his late excellent CoMMENTARY upon this Place, That the Town Clerk in thefe Expreffions, intended not fo much to speak strictly and truly, as plaufibly and artificially, in order to footh and appeafe a tumultuous Affembly. 38. Wherefore if 38. If Demetrius, or any of the A. D. 60. Demetrius and the Silver-Smiths, have received any craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, ties, let them implead and there are depu one another. and decide them, 39. But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be deter mined in a lawful afsembly. 40. For we are in danger to be called in queftion for this days uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account private Injuries from them, or any 39. But if they have any Religi ous Controverfies or Difputes, thofe ought to be difcuffed and fettled in a legal Affembly for that Purpose, and not to be profecuted in this outragious Manner. 40. And I must tell you freely, you have done enough already to render us all guilty of a Riot, and obnoxious to the Severity of the Roman Laws; and upon Complaint made to the Pro-confuls, we should be able to give but a very indifferent Account of fuch a noify and tumultuous Concourse. of this concourse. 41. And when he 41. This Discourse having aw'd had thus fpoken, he the People into a more quiet Temdifmiffed the affem- per, the Prefident adjourn'd + the bly. Celebration of the Games for that Day, and perfuaded all to return home, to prevent any farther Disturbance. С НА Р. + Ver. 41. So I understand the Phrase, dass Tùv ixxanoiar He difmiffed the Affembly. But having expreffed κλησίαν. the Sense that may also otherwife agree to our Translation, I leave it to the Reader's Judgment. CHAP. XX. The CONTENTS. Paul vifits the Churches of Macedonia, Goes to Troas, and preaches there. Eutychus reftored to Life. Paul's Speech to the Ephefian Clergy at Miletus. He takes his folemn Leave of them. A. D. 60. 1. AND after the uproar was ceafed, Paul called unto him the difciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedenia. 2. And when he had gone over thofe parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, I. COON after the Commo SOON tion at Ephesus was over, Paul affembled the Chriftians of that Place together, and having taken his Leave of them, followed Timothy and Eraftus into Macedonia. 2. And after having vifited the feveral + Churches of that Province, and given them all needful Directions for their Difcipline and Conduct, with all proper Exhortations to Chriftian Perfeve rance, came into Achaia or Greece. 3. And there abode three months and when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to fail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. 4. And there accompanied him into Afia, Sopater of Be rœa; 3. Where he continued three Months, and would have gone from thence directly for Syria, but understanding the Jews had laid a Plot against his Life, at the Place where he was to take Shipping, he altered his Courfe, and went back again round by Macedonia. 4 & 5. And being then to pafs thro' the leffer Afia, there went along with t Sopater of Be *Ver. 1. See Chap. xix. 22. rœa, + Viz. Philippi, Amphipolis, Apollonia, Theffalonica, and Bercea. See Chap. xvi. 15. the NOTE there, |