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.
33. Several of the Jewish leaders pushed a man named Alexander to the front of the crowd and started telling him what to say. He motioned with his hand and tried to explain what was going on.
34. But when the crowd saw that he was Jewish, they all shouted for two hours, “Great is Artemis, the goddess of the Ephesians!”
35. Finally, a town official made the crowd be quiet. Then he said:People of Ephesus, who in the world doesn't know that our city is the centre for worshipping the great goddess Artemis? Who doesn't know that her image which fell from heaven is here?
36. No one can deny this, and so you should calm down and not do anything foolish.
37. You have brought men in here who have not robbed temples or spoken against our goddess.
38. If Demetrius and his workers have a case against these men, we have courts and judges. Let them take their complaints there.
39. But if you want to do more than that, the matter will have to be brought before the city council.
40. We could easily be accused of starting a riot today. There is no excuse for it! We cannot even give a reason for this uproar.
41. After saying this, he told the people to leave.