29The confusion spread throughout the city, and the people had one thought in mind as they rushed into the theater. They grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who traveled with Paul, and they dragged the two men into the theater with them.
30Paul wanted to go into the crowd, but his disciples wouldn't let him.
31Even some officials who were from the province of Asia and who were Paul's friends sent messengers to urge him not to risk going into the theater.
32Some people shouted one thing while others shouted something else. The crowd was confused. Most of the people didn't even know why they had come together.
33Some people concluded that Alexander was the cause, so the Jews pushed him to the front. Alexander motioned with his hand to quiet the people because he wanted to defend himself in front of them.
34But when they recognized that Alexander was a Jew, everyone started to shout in unison, "Artemis of the Ephesians is great!" They kept doing this for about two hours.
35The city clerk finally quieted the crowd. Then he said, "Citizens of Ephesus, everyone knows that this city of the Ephesians is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis. Everyone knows that Ephesus is the keeper of the statue that fell down from Zeus.
36No one can deny this. So you have to be quiet and not do anything foolish.
37The men you brought here don't rob temples or insult our goddess.
38If Demetrius and the men who work for him have a legal complaint against anyone, we have special days and officials to hold court. That's where they should bring charges against each other.
39If you want anything else, you must settle the matter in a legal assembly.
40At this moment we run the risk of being accused of rioting today for no reason. We won't be able to explain this mob."
41After saying this, he dismissed the assembly.
