The Third Mission Journey

Again Paul traveled through Asia Minor, this time directly westward to Ephesus, the city where the great Temple to Artemis was located. The cult capital of the ancient world, Ephesus saw the longest ministry of Paul in one place -- three years -- during which he attacked the city's occult practices, including the idolatry involved in the sale of silver statuettes of Artemis. Demetrius, head of the silversmiths' guild, responded with a riot at the great theater of Ephesus, the crowd chanting deliriously: "GREAT IS ARTEMIS OF THE EPHESIANS!" The 24,000-seat theater still stands at the most imposing ruin in Asia Minor. Fortunately, Paul was prevented from entering the theater, and the city clerk was able to calm and dismiss the crowd. But Paul had other problems at Ephesus in battling paganism, witchcraft, magic, and the occult.