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wonders. These all have done their job by promoting the Word to the place of overcoming the
opposition of religion, demons, and Satan.

Although the miracles, signs, and wonders have been fulfilled, they are not completely over.
Many more miracles and signs are performed in the days to come, but they are being
accomplished by the individual saints in the churches. God’s best is for believers to perform the
miracles, not just the evangelist or prophet.

God’s best is for the people to receive their healings by standing on the Word for themselves.
This is taught by the local churches who instruct the people in the Word.

Paul knows his own time is coming to an end, and it will be necessary for him to leave for a
time. He now purposes by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem and then to Rome. It will be God’s
will for him to go to Rome but not to Jerusalem. This will sidetrack Paul for over five years as he
will be thrown in jail in Caesarea and Rome before he is released. God will confirm to Paul that
Rome is in His will (23:11) as will an angel of the Lord (27:23-24). God will also try to warn Paul
that going to Jerusalem is not in His will (21: 3-4, 8-13).
Act 19:22 So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus,
but he himself stayed in Asia for a time.

So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered (diakoneo: serve, wait upon) unto him,
Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia (Ephesus) for a season.
Erastus is a Corinthian believer. He came to investigate the Corinthian situation and report
back to Paul, resulting in the letters sent to Corinth. Romans 16:23 records Erastus as being a
Chamberlain, a member of the city council in Corinth. Paul will stay in Ephesus for a short time
to bring a brief period of comfort to the saints who will be experiencing opposition and
tribulation for the sake of the gospel.

A RIOT IN EPHESUS (23-41)

A silversmith named Demetrius is unhappy about how all of the conversions are affecting his
business, which is predominantly comprised of making silver shrines for Diana. He calls
together other workers and businesses that have been adversely affected by the conversions.
Demetrius stirs them up until the entire city is filled with confusion and wrath against Paul and
his followers. Paul wants to quiet the crowd, but the disciples will not allow him to. Alexander,
a Jewish lawyer, is pushed forward by the crowd to quiet them, but when they realize he is a
Jew, they loudly cry out to their goddess Diana. The mayor of the city finally silences the mob,
pointing out that Paul and his disciples have done nothing unlawful and warns that if the crowd
takes the law into their own hands, they will be guilty of violating the law.