Acts 19:24
in Acts 19It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no little business unto the craftsmen;
KJV
For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
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This verse in Acts 19
Commentary
12 notes on this verseBy silver temples are perhaps meant small shrines. Notice: everywhere idol-worship was defended on account of money. And this Demetrius was agitating on account of money. He was agitating not because their impious religion was in danger, but because he was being deprived of the …
This site's exposition
silver shrines for Diana
on Acts 19:24-25
Demetrius, a silversmith making silver shrines for Diana, that is Artemis, whose great temple at Ephesus counted among the seven wonders of the ancient world, brings the craftsmen of his trade no small profit from the pilgrim trade the temple sustained. Calling the workmen of like occupation together, he states his complaint with commercial bluntness, sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth, naming economic self-interest before he ever mentions the goddess he claims to defend. Archaeology at Ephesus has recovered miniature shrines and votive objects of exactly this kind, confirming the trade Luke describes in precise material detail. The bench reads Demetrius's speech as evidence that the gospel's threat to entrenched interests, then as now, is often felt first in the purse and only afterward dressed in the language of piety.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Afflictions cut us off from the sympathy we have for the present world, as appears in this, that we wish for death immediately, and cease to be loving of the body: which very thing is the greatest part of wisdom, to have no hankering, no ties to the present life. The soul which is afflicted does not wish to be concerned about many things: repose and stillness are all it desired, content for its part to have done with the things present, even though there be nothing else to follow.
A great good is affliction: and we learn this from our own children: for without affliction a boy would learn nothing useful. But we, more than they, need affliction. For if there, when the passions as yet are quiet, chastisement benefits them, how much more us, especially possessed as we are by so many! Nay, we behoove rather to have schoolmasters than they: since the faults of children cannot be great, but ours are exceeding great. Our schoolmaster is affliction. Let us then not draw it down willingly upon ourselves, but when it is come let us bear it bravely, being, as it is, always the cause of numberless good things; that so we may both obtain grace from God, and the good things which are laid up for them that love Him, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
"For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver temples of Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen." "Which made," it says, "silver temples of Diana." And how is it possible that temples could be made of silver? Perhaps as small boxes. Great was the honor paid to this Diana in Ephesus; since, when their temple was burnt it so grieved them, that they forbade even the name of the incendiary ever to be mentioned. See how, wherever there is idolatry, in every case we find money at the bottom of it. Both in the former instance it was for money, and in the case of this man, for money. It was not for their religion, because they thought that in danger; no, it was for their lucrative craft, that it would have nothing to work upon.
Seest thou how God permits trials, and by them stirs up and awakens the disciples, and makes them more energetic? Then let us not sink down under trials: for He Himself will "also make the way of escape, that we may be able to bear them." Nothing so makes friends, and rivets them so firmly, as affliction: nothing so fastens and compacts the souls of believers: nothing is so seasonable for us teachers in order that the things said by us may be heard. For the hearer when he is in ease is listless and indolent, and seems to suffer annoyance from the speaker: but when he is in affliction and distress, he falls into a great longing for the hearing. For when distressed in his soul, he seeks on all sides to find comfort for his affliction: and the preaching brings no small comfort.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A certain Demetrius, a silversmith, etc. This Demetrius, who tries to disturb the way of the Lord, fulfills his name by his actions. For it means "excessive persecutor." Hence, accordingly, the temples he makes for Diana are built of nothing else but silver metal since …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
(3.) His complaint and representation are very full. [1.] He lays it down for a principle that the art and mystery of making silver shrines for the worshippers of Diana was very necessary to be supported and kept up (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
For a certain man, named Demetrius, a silversmith,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Silver shrines for Diana - It is generally known that the temple of Diana at Ephesus was deemed one of the seven wonders of the world, and was a most superb building. It appears that the silver shrines mentioned here were small portable representations of this temple, which were bought by strangers as matters of curiosity, and probably of devotion.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
(The models of the chapel of our Lady of Loretto, and such like, which the Church of Rome systematically encourages, are such a palpable imitation of this heathen practice that it is no wonder it should be regarded by impartial judges as Christianity paganized). gain to the craftsmen--the master-artificers.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
A silversmith - The word used here denotes “one who works in silver” in any way, either in making money, in stamping silver, or in forming utensils from it. It is probable that the employment of this man was confined to the business here specified, that of making shrines, as his complaint Acts . Act 19:26-27 implied that destroying this would be sufficient to throw them out of all employment. Silver shrines ναοὺς naous. Temples. The word “shrine” properly means “a case, small chest, or box”; particularly applied to a box in which sacred things are deposited. Hence, we hear of the shrines for relics (Webster). The word “shrines” here denotes “small portable temples, or edifices,” made of silver, so as to represent the temple of Diana, and probably containing a silver image of the goddess. Such shrines would be purchased by devotees and by worshippers of the goddess, and by strangers, who would be desirous of possessing a representation of one of the seven wonders of the world. See the notes on Act 19:27. The great number of persons that came to Ephesus for her worship would constitute an ample sale for productions of this kind, and make the manufacture a profitable employment. It is well known that pagans everywhere are accustomed to carry with them small images, or representations of their gods, as an amulet or charm. The Romans had such images in all their houses, called penates, or household gods. A similar thing is mentioned as early as the time of Laban Gen 31:19, whose images Rachel had stolen and taken with her. Compare Jdg 17:5, “The man Micah had an house of gods”; 1Sa 19:13; Hos 3:4. These images were usually enclosed in a box, case, or chest, made of wood, iron, or silver; and probably, as here, usually made to resemble the temple where the idol was worshipped. Diana - This was a celebrated goddess of the pagan, and one of the twelve superior deities. […]
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Δημήτριος | demetrios | Demetrius | G1216 → | |
| γάρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| τις | tis | a certain [man] | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ὀνόματι, | onomati | named, | G3686 → | 227 times |
| ἀργυροκόπος | argurokopos | a silversmith | G695 → | |
| ποιῶν | poion | making | G4160 → | 569 times |
| ναοὺς | naous | shrines | G3485 → | |
| ἀργυροῦς | argurous | silver | G693 → | |
| Ἀρτέμιδος, | artemidos | of Artemis, | G735 → | 5 times |
| παρείχετο | pareicheto | was bringing | G3930 → | 16 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τεχνίταις | technitais | craftsmen | G5079 → | |
| οὐκ | ouk | no | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ὀλίγην | oligen | little | G3641 → | 40 times |
| ἐργασίαν, | ergasian | business | G2039 → | 6 times |
ΔημήτριοςDemetrius
demetriosG1216 →
γάρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
τιςa certain [man]
tisG5100 →528 times
ὀνόματι,named,
onomatiG3686 →227 times
ἀργυροκόποςa silversmith
argurokoposG695 →
ποιῶνmaking
poionG4160 →569 times
ναοὺςshrines
naousG3485 →
ἀργυροῦςsilver
argurousG693 →
Ἀρτέμιδος,of Artemis,
artemidosG735 →5 times
παρείχετοwas bringing
pareichetoG3930 →16 times
τοῖςto the
toisG3588 →19766 times
τεχνίταιςcraftsmen
technitaisG5079 →
οὐκno
oukG3756 →1664 times
ὀλίγηνlittle
oligenG3641 →40 times
ἐργασίαν,business
ergasianG2039 →6 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 16:16One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling.
it leads to
- Leviticus 19:31
You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
- Deuteronomy 18:9–11
When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.
- Isaiah 8:19
When men tell you to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
- 1 Samuel 28:7
Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.” “There is a medium at Endor,” his servants replied.
- 1 Chronicles 10:13
So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,
- Leviticus 19:31
Through
Acts 16:19When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.
it leads to
- Acts 17:6
But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,
- Acts 21:30
The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.
- Acts 18:12–13
While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews coordinated an attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat.
- Acts 17:6
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 42; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.