Acts 19:35-36

19:35 After the city secretary ¹  quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person ²  is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper ³  of the temple of the great Artemis ⁴  and of her image that fell from heaven? ⁵  19:36 So because these facts ⁶  are indisputable, ⁷  you must keep quiet ⁸  and not do anything reckless. ⁹ 

[19:35]  ¹ tn Or “clerk.” The “scribe” (γραμματεύς, grammateu") was the keeper of the city’s records.

[19:35]  ² tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[19:35]  ³ tn See BDAG 670 s.v. νεωκόρος. The city is described as the “warden” or “guardian” of the goddess and her temple.

[19:35]  ⁴ sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:35]  ⁵ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[19:36]  ⁶ tn Grk “these things.”

[19:36]  ⁷ tn The genitive absolute construction with the participle ὄντων (ontwn) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. On the term translated “indisputable” see BDAG 68-69 s.v. ἀναντίρρητος which has “not to be contradicted, undeniable.”

[19:36]  ⁸ tn Grk “it is necessary that you be quiet.”

[19:36]  ⁹ tn L&N 88.98 has “pertaining to impetuous and reckless behavior – ‘reckless, impetuous.’…‘so then, you must calm down and not do anything reckless’ Ac 19:36.” The city secretary was asking that order be restored.