The Meaning of Acts 19:34 Explained

Acts 19:34

KJV: But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

YLT: and having known that he is a Jew, one voice came out of all, for about two hours, crying, 'Great is the Artemis of the Ephesians!'

Darby: But, recognising that he was a Jew, there was one cry from all, shouting for about two hours, Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.

ASV: But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  when they knew  that  he was  a Jew,  all  with  one  voice  about  the space  of two  hours  cried out,  Great  [is] Diana  of the Ephesians. 

What does Acts 19:34 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 19:30-41 - The Lawlessness Of Selfish Greed
The theater of Ephesus still stands, and the writer of these words has spoken in its mighty enclosure, from the very spot where this town clerk-the model of officialism-must have stood to address and calm the frenzied crowd. Paul never knew the fear of man, and was with difficulty prevented from endangering his life in his desire to turn the occasion to account. He probably refers to this incident when he says that he fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, 1 Corinthians 15:32. But he could have done no good in the face of such a turmoil. Be valorous, Christian soldiers, but be discreet! Do not throw yourselves from the mountain brow unless God clearly calls for it.
It is well to bear this scene in mind when the Apostle tells us of a "peace that passeth understanding" which stands sentry over heart and mind. His was not the sequestered life of a religious recluse; he was continually battling his way through a stormy sea. But it is in the floods of great waters that we learn what our Lord can be. Dying outwardly and in human estimation, yet we live, 2 Corinthians 4:16; the earthern vessel chipped and broken, but the heavenly treasure unimpaired, 2 Corinthians 4:7. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 19

1  The Holy Spirit is given by Paul's hands
8  The Jews blaspheme his doctrine, which is confirmed by miracles
13  The Jewish exorcists,
16  are beaten by a man who had an evil spirit
19  Conjuring books are burnt
21  Demetrius, for love of gain, raises an uproar against Paul;
35  which is appeased by the town clerk

Greek Commentary for Acts 19:34

When they perceived [επιγνοντες]
Recognizing, coming to know fully and clearly (επι — epi̇), second aorist (ingressive) active participle of επιγινωσκω — epiginōskō The masculine plural is left as nominative absolute or πενδενς — pendens without a verb. The rioters saw at once that Alexander was (εστιν — estin present tense retained in indirect assertion) a Jew by his features. [source]
An with one voice cried out [πωνη εγενετο μια εκ παντων κραζοντων]
Anacoluthon or construction according to sense. Literally, “one voice arose from all crying.” Κραζοντων — Krazontōn agrees in case (ablative) with παντων — pantōn but Aleph A have κραζοντες — krazontes This loose construction is not uncommon (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 436f.). Now at last the crowd became unanimous (one voice) at the sight of a hated Jew about to defend their attacks on the worship of Artemis. The unanimity lasted “about the space of two hours” (οσει επι ωρας δυο — hosei epi hōras duo), “as if for two hours.” Their creed centred in this prolonged yell: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians” with which the disturbance started (Acts 19:28). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 19:34

Matthew 6:7 Use vain repetitions [βατταλογήσητε]
A word formed in imitation of the sound, battalogein properly, to stammer; then to babble or prate, to repeat the same formula many times, as the worshippers of Baal and of Diana of Ephesus (1 Kings 18:26; Acts 19:34) and the Romanists with their paternosters and aves. [source]
Matthew 6:7 Use not vain repetitions [μη βατταλογησητε]
Used of stammerers who repeat the words, then mere babbling or chattering, empty repetition. The etymology is uncertain, but it is probably onomatopoetic like “babble.” The worshippers of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:26) and of Diana in the amphitheatre at Ephesus who yelled for two hours (Acts 19:34) are examples. The Mohammedans may also be cited who seem to think that they “will be heard for their much speaking” Vincent adds “and the Romanists with their paternosters and avast.” The Syriac Sinaitic has it: “Do not be saying idle things.” Certainly Jesus does not mean to condemn all repetition in prayer since he himself prayed three times in Gethsemane “saying the same words again” (Matthew 26:44). “As the Gentiles do,” says Jesus. “The Pagans thought that by endless repetitions and many words they would inform their gods as to their needs and weary them (‹fatigare deos ‘) into granting their requests” (Bruce). [source]
Galatians 4:6 Crying [κρᾶζον]
A strong word, expressing deep emotion. The verb originally represents the sound of a croak or harsh scream; thence, generally, an inarticulate cry; an exclamation of fear or pain. The cry of an animal. So Aristoph. Knights, 1017, of the barking of a dog: 285,287, of two men in a quarrel, trying to bawl each other down: Frogs, 258, of the croaking of frogs. This original sense appears in N.T. usage, as Matthew 14:26; Matthew 15:23; Matthew 27:50; Mark 5:5, etc., and is recognized even where the word is used in connection with articulate speech, by adding to it the participles λέγων, λέγοντες sayingor διδάσκων teachingSee Matthew 8:29; Matthew 15:22; Mark 3:11; John 7:28, etc. In Mark 10:47the inarticulate cry and the articulate utterance are distinguished. At the same time, the word is often used of articulate speech without such additions, as Mark 10:48; Mark 11:9; Mark 15:13, Mark 15:14; Luke 18:39; Acts 7:60; Acts 19:34; Romans 8:15. It falls into more dignified association in lxx, where it is often used of prayer or appeal to God, as 4:3; 6:7; Psalm 21:2,5; 27:1,54:16; and in N.T., where it is applied to solemn, prophetic utterance, as Romans href="/desk/?q=ro+9:27&sr=1">Romans 9:27; John 1:15, and is used of Jesus himself, as John 7:28, John 7:37; John 12:44, and of the Holy Spirit, as here. The Spirit gives the inspiration of which the believer is the organ. In Romans 8:15the statement is inverted. The believer cries under the power of the Spirit. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 19:34 mean?

Having recognized however that a Jew he is a cry there was one from all about ongoing hours two crying out Great [is] - Artemis of [the] Ephesians
ἐπιγνόντες δὲ ὅτι Ἰουδαῖός ἐστιν φωνὴ ἐγένετο μία ἐκ πάντων ὡς ἐπὶ ὥρας δύο κραζόντων Μεγάλη Ἄρτεμις Ἐφεσίων

ἐπιγνόντες  Having  recognized 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐπιγινώσκω  
Sense: to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
Ἰουδαῖός  a  Jew 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰουδαῖος  
Sense: Jewish, belonging to the Jewish race.
ἐστιν  he  is 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
φωνὴ  a  cry 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: φωνή  
Sense: a sound, a tone.
ἐγένετο  there  was 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
μία  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
ὡς  about 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὡς 
Sense: as, like, even as, etc.
ἐπὶ  ongoing 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
ὥρας  hours 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: ὥρα  
Sense: a certain definite time or season fixed by natural law and returning with the revolving year.
δύο  two 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: δύο 
Sense: the two, the twain.
κραζόντων  crying  out 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: κράζω  
Sense: to croak.
Μεγάλη  Great  [is] 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: μέγας  
Sense: great.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἄρτεμις  Artemis 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: Ἄρτεμις  
Sense: Artemis, that is to say the so called Tauric or Persian or Ephesian Artemis, the goddess of many Asiatic people, to be distinguished from the Artemis of the Greeks, the sister of Apollo.
Ἐφεσίων  of  [the]  Ephesians 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: Ἐφέσιος  
Sense: a native or inhabitant of Ephesus.