Acts 19:31

officials of the province of Asia: These officials, called Asiarchs ("rulers of Asia"), were the appointed leaders in the Roman province of Asia. They served as financial supporters of the city and often supported the worship of the emperor. Some of these high-ranking officials were friends of Paul. Luke shows that the Christian faith also attracted people of high social status.

Demetrius, a silversmith whose business was harmed by Paul’s message about one God, stirred up a large riot against him.

The main god worshiped in Ephesus was the Greek goddess Artemis. People believed she was born there, so the city of Ephesus was known as the guardian of her temple.

Each year, the people held large festivals in her honor. These included sports, music, and theater. During these events, people would shout, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

The temple of Artemis in Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

As more people became Christians, the worship of Artemis began to decline. This also affected the local economy, since many people earned money from her temple. However, it became clear that Paul and his coworkers had not committed any crime.

This section describes Paul's third mission journey, which happened around AD 53 to 57. Paul visited Galatia and Phrygia again to build stronger relationships with the disciples (18:23). He then traveled to Ephesus, where he stayed for more than two years (19:1, 8–10).