Acts 19:34 kjv
But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Acts 19:34 nkjv
But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!"
Acts 19:34 niv
But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
Acts 19:34 esv
But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
Acts 19:34 nlt
But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
Acts 19 34 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 19:28 | "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" | Echoes the same cry |
| Ephesians 2:12 | "enemies of God." | Gentile opposition to faith |
| Jeremiah 10:3-4 | Describes idols made by human hands | Polemic against idolatry |
| Isaiah 44:9-17 | Condemnation of idol worship | Similar theme |
| Psalms 115:4-7 | The impotence of idols | Contrast with true God |
| Romans 1:23 | "exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images" | Idolatry and its folly |
| 1 Corinthians 10:14 | "flee from idolatry" | Apostolic exhortation |
| 1 John 5:21 | "keep yourselves from idols." | Warning against idols |
| Revelation 21:8 | "cowardly, … idolaters" | Fate of idolaters |
| 2 Thessalonians 2:4 | Opposition to divine worship | Satanic imitation |
| Acts 14:12 | People called Barnabas "Zeus" and Paul "Hermes" | Roman/Greek religious context |
| 2 Corinthians 6:16 | "What agreement has the temple of God with idols?" | Spiritual incompatibility |
| Revelation 13:14 | Commands people to worship an image | Idolatrous compulsion |
| 2 Kings 17:16 | Israelite worship of idols | Historical idolatry |
| Deuteronomy 13:6-10 | Consequences of idolatry | Old Testament law |
| Joshua 24:14 | "serve the Lord" | True worship contrast |
| Galatians 5:20 | "idolatry" as a work of the flesh | Sin of idolatry |
| Colossians 3:5 | "put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." | Greed as idolatry |
| Acts 19:35 | The town clerk's address | Immediate aftermath |
| Acts 19:27 | "temple of the great goddess Artemis" | Object of worship |
Acts 19 verses
Acts 19 34 Meaning
The text describes a crowd in Ephesus shouting "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" for two hours, an exclamation demonstrating their fierce loyalty and religious fervor towards their goddess amidst a confrontation with the apostles.
Acts 19 34 Context
This verse occurs within the account of Paul's ministry in Ephesus. Paul had been ministering there for over two years, successfully proclaiming the gospel and seeing many believe, leading to significant opposition from those whose livelihoods were threatened by the new faith, particularly the silversmiths who made idols of Artemis. The immediate context is a riot instigated by Demetrius, a silversmith, who incited the craftsmen to protest against Paul for diminishing their trade and dishonoring their goddess Artemis. The crowd's sustained cry of "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" for two hours reflects their intense devotion to the goddess and their volatile reaction to perceived threats to their religious and cultural identity. This scene highlights the fierce resistance Christianity faced from entrenched pagan practices and the strong communal bonds tied to their traditional worship.
Acts 19 34 Word analysis
- "Great" (μeγaς, megas): Signifies immense size, importance, and power. Here, it emphasizes Artemis's supreme status and efficacy.
- "is" (eσtiv, estin): Third person singular present indicative of εἰμί (eimi), "to be." Affirms Artemis's ongoing greatness.
- "Artemis" (Aρτεμιδος, Artemidos): Genitive case of Ἄρτεμις (Artemis), the name of the Greek goddess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, and protector of young girls. She was particularly venerated in Ephesus as a mother goddess figure.
- "of the Ephesians" (Eφeσiωv, Ephesiōn): Genitive plural of Ἐφέσιος (Ephesios), meaning "Ephesian," referring to the people or inhabitants of Ephesus. This phrase specifies that this was their particular and revered form of Artemis.
- The repetition/duration: The shouting for "two hours" (δίωρον, diōron) signifies sustained, unified, and overwhelming popular sentiment and outrage, indicating the depth of their collective commitment to Artemis.
Acts 19 34 Bonus section
The cult of Artemis at Ephesus was one of the most famous and influential in the Greco-Roman world. The Artemis worshipped there was a syncretistic deity, incorporating elements of local Anatolian mother goddess worship into the Greek Artemis. Her temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, highlighting her immense significance. The riot serves as a potent illustration of the collision between the nascent Christian faith and deeply entrenched pagan systems, where religious devotion was inextricably linked with economic and social structures. The silversmiths’ fear was not just financial but also existential, tied to their role in producing and perpetuating the symbols of their cultural heritage and divine protection.
Acts 19 34 Commentary
The cry, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!", was not merely a statement of belief but a powerful rallying slogan for a mob. It reflects a deeply ingrained cultural and religious identity rooted in the veneration of this specific image of Artemis, renowned in the ancient world. This declaration served to bolster their solidarity against the perceived threat of Paul's message, which undermined their economic interests and spiritual traditions. The sheer duration of the shouting demonstrates the crowd's unified emotional state—a mixture of pride, fervor, and perhaps fear of divine wrath. It stands in stark contrast to the calm, reasoned proclamation of the gospel that Paul and his companions championed.