These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Demetrius doesn't just call together the master craftsmen, but also the laborers they employ, subtly broadening the appeal beyond just the wealthy few to everyone whose livelihood depends on the Diana industry. His argument isn't primarily about religious devotion, but a stark, almost naive appeal to self-interest: "we get our riches from this business."
These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of a dramatic scene in Ephesus where a silversmith named Demetrius incites a riot against Paul. Demetrius, seeing his livelihood threatened by Paul's preaching, which discouraged the worship of idols, gathers not just other silversmiths but all craftsmen involved in making shrines for the goddess Artemis. He appeals to their shared economic interests, arguing that Paul's teachings are jeopardizing their prosperity and the lucrative worship of their goddess.
When a new movement threatens the status quo, it's often the economic impact that ignites the fiercest opposition. Demetrius the silversmith knew this well.
Demetrius wasn't just upset that Paul's preaching might diminish the perceived power of the goddess Artemis. His primary concern, as he openly admits, was the potential loss of income.
Protecting Profit
The collision between what is true and what is profitable is an age-old battle. Demetrius and his crew chose the latter.
Paul's message challenged the very foundation of Ephesian idolatry. He proclaimed that gods made by human hands were no gods at all. This theological truth had immediate and severe economic consequences for the silversmiths.
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The Dilemma
Understand the original words
euporia · Greek Noun
Abundant possessions, material goods, or financial prosperity, which the Bible often contrasts with true spiritual riches and warns can become an object of false security or idolatry.
This passage highlights how economic self-interest, cloaked in religious devotion, can fuel opposition to the gospel. Demetrius's appeal to 'craft' and 'wealth' reveals the vested interests threatened by the spread of Christianity, a pattern that has echoed throughout history.
c. AD 50-52— this verse
Paul's Ministry in Ephesus
The Apostle Paul spends over two years in Ephesus, a major Roman city and center of worship for the goddess Artemis (Diana). During this time, he preaches the Gospel, leading many to faith and causing a significant decline in the worship of pagan deities and related economic activities.
c. AD 52
Demetrius Incites Craftsmen
A silversmith named Demetrius, who makes and sells miniature silver shrines of the temple of Artemis, rallies other craftsmen and laborers in similar trades. He argues that Paul's teachings threaten their livelihoods by undermining the worship of Artemis, which directly fuels their businesses.
c. AD 52
Riot in the Theater
Fueled by Demetrius's speech, a large crowd gathers in the Ephesian theater, shouting praises for Artemis and demanding that Paul and his companions be brought to trial. The riot continues for hours, causing significant unrest in the city.
c. AD 52
City Clerk Restores Order
The city clerk eventually calms the crowd, emphasizing that Ephesus is a 'worshiper of the great goddess Artemis' and that legal proceedings are available if any wrongdoing has occurred. He warns that a riot could bring them under Roman condemnation.
c. AD 52-56
Paul's Departure and Subsequent Letters
After the riot, Paul departs from Ephesus, eventually traveling through Macedonia and Achaia. He later writes his first letter to the church in Corinth, which contains reflections on his experiences and struggles in Ephesus.
This passage describes the creation of idols from wood and metal, highlighting the human artifice involved, much like the silver shrines made by Demetrius's craft which were then mistaken for deities.
Matthew 6:24Jesus' teaching about not serving two masters directly applies here, as Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen were clearly serving wealth ('gain') over truth or God, prioritizing their livelihood derived from idolatry.
1 Timothy 6:10This verse states that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, which is precisely the motivation behind Demetrius's agitation against Paul's preaching – the threat to his profitable business.
John 12:43This verse speaks of people loving the praise of men more than the praise of God, mirroring Demetrius's concern for the approval and prosperity of his trade over the spiritual well-being of the people or the truth of the gospel.
ellicottActs 19:25: "Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth."
(25) The workmen of like occupation. —The “craftsmen” of the previous verse represent the higher class of what we call skilled labour. Here we have the unskilled labourers whom they employed. The former were, in a sense, artists, these were artisans. Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.—Literally, Men, the word used being different from that i…
henryActs 19:21-31: "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."
19:21-31 Persons who came from afar to pay their devotions at the temple of Ephesus, bought little silver shrines, or models of the temple, to carry home with them. See how craftsmen make advantage to themselves of people's superstition, and serve their worldly ends by it. Men are jealous for that…
Demetrius doesn't just call together the master craftsmen, but also the laborers they employ, subtly broadening the appeal beyond just the wealthy few to everyone whose livelihood depends on the Diana industry. His argument isn't primarily about religious devotion, but a stark, almost naive appeal to self-interest: "we get our riches from this business."
This verse is part of a dramatic scene in Ephesus where a silversmith named Demetrius incites a riot against Paul. Demetrius, seeing his livelihood threatened by Paul's preaching, which discouraged the worship of idols, gathers not just other silversmiths but all craftsmen involved in making shrines for the goddess Artemis. He appeals to their shared economic interests, arguing that Paul's teachings are jeopardizing their prosperity and the lucrative worship of their goddess.
This verse is part of a dramatic scene in Ephesus where a silversmith named Demetrius incites a riot against Paul. Demetrius, seeing his livelihood threatened by Paul's preaching, which discouraged the worship of idols, gathers not just other silversmiths but all craftsmen involved in making shrines for the goddess Artemis. He appeals to their shared economic interests, arguing that Paul's teachings are jeopardizing their prosperity and the lucrative worship of their goddess.
"These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth." — Demetrius doesn't just call together the master craftsmen, but also the laborers they employ, subtly broadening the appeal beyond just the wealthy few to everyone whose livelihood depends on the Dian…
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Last reviewed October 2026