Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”
Comment: The gospel cannot be preached as an alternative. There is only one God and Jesus is His Son, and belief in Him, is the only acceptable way for us to come to God. This is a divisive message and soon the makers of the silver moulded images of the ‘goddess’ Diana or Artemis found their sales falling away. Secondly they were concerned at loss of honour to their great goddess! Demetrius was a powerful speaker and soon was whipping up a large crowd of the concerned!
Prayer: Help me to not to be ashamed of the Gospel, but a proclaimer, O Lord.
As I read it! 