Ephesus great theater

In Acts 19:23-41, a “great disturbance about the Way” is recorded. Paul’s Gospel message caused a silversmith named Demetrius to become concerned that the worship of Artemis in Ephesus might suffer harm if the church continued to grow. Demetrius likely sold replicas of Artemis in the commercial agora of the city or along Harbor Street, which connected the agora with the city’s harbor. When the uproar began, a huge crowd stormed into the nearby theater. For two hours, they shouted, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” The Great Theater of Ephesus is believed to be the largest of the ancient world, with a seating capacity of 25,000. We don’t know how many people were in the theater during the Acts 19 incident, but it is clear that Paul had to immediately leave Ephesus.