Acts 19:23 Meaning and Explanation
“And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →About that time a great disturbance arises in Ephesus concerning the Way.
What Does Acts 19:23 Mean?
Luke introduces the largest public uproar in Acts with deliberate understatement: no small stir. Just as Paul plans his departure (v. 21), the city erupts, and the cause is the faith itself, named once more as the way, a road people walk and not merely an opinion they hold.
The trouble comes not because the church did wrong but because the gospel did well: so many had turned from idols that the idol economy felt it (vv. 24-27). When Christ changes lives, entrenched interests notice. Faithfulness can disturb a city's peace simply by healing what the city profits from.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 19:23
What does Acts 19:23 mean?
About that time a great disturbance arises in Ephesus concerning the Way.