Acts 19:26

24 It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.

25 Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity.

And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.

27 There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.”

28 When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.
KJV
Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
WEB
You see and hear that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods that are made with hands.
ASV
And ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands:
DARBY
and ye see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great crowd, not only of Ephesus, but almost of all Asia, saying that they are no gods which are made with hands.
BLB
And you⁺ see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul, having persuaded [them], has turned away a great many people, saying that they are not gods being made by hands.
ÅB
og dere ser og hører at ikke bare i Efesus, men i nesten hele Asia har denne Paulus ved sine overtalelser forført en stor hop, idet han sier at de ikke er guder de som arbeides med hendene.
OTB
Og dere ser og hører at ikke bare i Efesos, men i nesten hele Asia, har denne Paulus overtalt og vendt bort et stort antall mennesker, og hevdet at guder laget av menneskehender ikke er guder i det hele tatt.
B1930
og I ser og hører at ikke bare i Efesus, men i næsten hele Asia har denne Paulus ved sine overtalelser forført en stor hop, idet han sier at de ikke er guder de som arbeides med hendene.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Corinthians 8:4

    So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one.

    Read in context
  • Acts 17:29

    Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 44:10–20

    Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?

    Read in context
  • Acts 14:15

    “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 4:28

    And there you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell.

    Read in context
  • Revelation 9:20

    Now the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.

    Read in context
  • Acts 19:10

    This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 10:14–15

    Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.

    Read in context