26. But you have seen and heard how this man Paul is upsetting a lot of people, not only in Ephesus, but almost everywhere in Asia. He claims that the gods we humans make are not really gods at all.
27. Everyone will start saying terrible things about our business. They will stop respecting the temple of the goddess Artemis, who is worshipped in Asia and all over the world. Our great goddess will be forgotten!
28. When the workers heard this, they got angry and started shouting, “Great is Artemis, the goddess of the Ephesians!”
29. Soon the whole city was in a riot, and some men grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, who had come from Macedonia with Paul. Then everyone in the crowd rushed to the place where the town meetings were held.
30. Paul wanted to go out and speak to the people, but the Lord's followers would not let him.
31. A few of the local officials were friendly to Paul, and they sent someone to warn him not to go.
32. Some of the people in the meeting were shouting one thing, and others were shouting something else. Everyone was completely confused, and most of them did not even know why they were there.