1. Plans (verses 21-22)
2. Disturbance (verses 23-27)
3. Confusion (verses 28-34)
4. Quiet (verses 35-41)

The "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" are seven notable structures that were compiled onto a list about a hundred years before Christ came to earth. They were a sort of “must see” for ancient tourists. Of course, the list was entirely subjective, but, in order to get on the list, the structure had to be impressive. And these seven were identified as the “Wonders of the World.” Can you name them?

1. The Great Pyramid of Giza. It is the largest Egyptian pyramid that was ever built, more than 4,500 years ago. It was the tomb for pharaoh Khufu. It was built of more than 2 million limestone and granite blocks, the average weight of which was more than 2 tons. It stands about 450 feet tall and was the tallest man-made structure for thousands of years. It still stands today

2. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Greece. Zeus was god of sky and thunder in ancient Greek mythology. He was the king of the gods of Mount Olympus. As a result, he has his own temple, the Temple of Zeus. And the Greek sculptor Phidias was commissioned to make this impressive statue of Zeus around 435BC. The statue was over 40 feet tall. It was made of a wooden frame with carved slabs of ivory attached to the frame. It was covered with gold. It lasted about 800 years, being destroyed in the 5th century AD.

3. The Colossus of Rhodes (a Greek island) This was a statue of the Greek sun-god Helios. It was made of bronze and iron and stood on a marble base. It stood over 100 feet tall, approximately the height of the statue of liberty. It was built just after 300 BC near the entrance of the harbor at Rhodes. It stood for only 50 years, until an earthquake toppled it in 226 BC. but it was so impressive that it’s ruins lay on the ground another 800 years, to which tourists would come from all around the world to see. Tradition holds that the statue stood with one foot on either side of the entrance to the port. However, the sentiment of scholars today is that this wasn’t the case. Rather, it stood as a statue built firmly on land

4. The Lighthouse of Alexandria (northern Egypt) As the name supposes, this was constructed to help guide ships into port at night. The lighthouse was built around 280 BC. It was some 350 feet tall. It’s base was about 100 feet square. In the apex, there was a large mirror which reflected sunlight during the day. And they burned a fire in it by night. Like the Colossus at Rhodes, it was destroyed by an earthquake. Rather, it was multiple earthquakes that did it in (796AD, 951AD, 956AD, 1303AD, 1323AD).

5. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon These gardens were described by one who saw them as “an ascending series of tiered gardens containing a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and vines, resembling a large green mountain constructed of mud bricks.” Of note here, the exact location of these gardens is unknown. But most scholars today believe that they did exist because of some ancient writers who saw and described the gardens. tiered gardens 150 high.

6. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (in Halicarnassus, which is Bodram, Turkey today). It was a tomb built around 350 BC for Mausolus and his sister. Mausolus was a satrap in the Achaemenid Empire It was 150 high, and each of the four sides were adorned with sculptural reliefs. The top was surrounded by a colonnade of 36 columns. The top contained a four horse chariot made of marble. It also was destroyed by earthquakes over the centuries.

7. The Temple of Artemis (at Ephesus). This is also known as the Temple of Diana (Artemis is the Greek name, Diana is the Roman name of the same goddess). It was located near Ephesus. It was huge, 450 feet long and 225 feet wide and 60 feet high (that’s 16.5 football fields). It had more than 125 columns around the perimeter. This temple was built for “the great goddess, Artemis.” She was the twin sister of Apollo, a goddess of the hunt. Artemis was known as a goddess of fertility, with her many-breasted chest. The wealth and splendor of this temple was taken as evidence of the power of Artemis. Large numbers of people came to visit the temple. Those in Ephesus came to claim Artemis (or Diana) as their own goddess). They were very proud of housing her in the temple they built for her.^[1]

Of all the seven wonders of the ancient world, perhaps the Temple of Artemis was the most grand of all. One ancient Greek poet said this about the temple: “I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon on which is a road for chariots, and the statue of Zeus by the Alpheus, and the hanging gardens, and the colossus of the Sun, and the huge labour of the high pyramids, and the vast tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the house of Artemis that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said, "Lo, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked on aught so grand.”^[2]
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Well, I tell you all this about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, because the we will see the Temple of Artemis play a crucial role in our text this morning In fact, we will see how the gospel came into Ephesus, and shook some very religious people to their core. It’s what the gospel does. It disrupts and disturbs people. It confronts our sin. It shows us our guilt before a holy God. Our only hope is faith in the Lord Jesus, who bore our sin in his body on the cross.

The title of my message this morning is this: “The Gospel Confronts a Wonder of the World.” My message comes from the book of Acts, chapter 19 and verses 21-41. So, I invite you to open there in your Bible.

For the past two years, at Rock Valley Bible Church, we have been working our way through the book of Acts. But with an extended break this summer, it has been three months since we have been in Acts. We left off at Acts 19:20, in which we read of the word of the Lord “increasing and prevailing mightily.” Today we will pick up at the next verse. However, with such an extended period away from Acts, it would be good for us to catch up to speed.

I want for us to go all the way back to the book of Acts. The key verse in the book of Acts comes in chapter 1 and verse 8, where Jesus told his disciples, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” From that verse, we get the key phrase to the book of Acts, “Be My Witnesses.” To tell others of Jesus. Not to merely let people go out and tell others of Jesus for you. But to go yourself and to tell others of Christ.

Now, the promise here in Acts 1:8 is of the Holy Spirit that comes upon the disciples to empower them for ministry. In Jerusalem, then in Judea and Samaria (that is, the regions surrounding Jerusalem), then to the remotest parts of the earth.

We have seen this take place in the book of Acts. The first seven chapters of Acts tell us of the gospel witness in Jerusalem. Peter and John preached, and thousands repented of their sin and believed in Jesus, the only name in which salvation can be found. as Peter said to the Sanhedrin, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

But after the stoning of Stephen in Acts, chapter 7, we see the gospel spread both to Judea and Samaria, where again, we see many believing message of repentance and forgiveness that the apostles preached. Then, in Acts 13, we begin the spread of the gospel, “to the end of the earth.”

Acts 13 begins with a description of the great church in Antioch, which sent out Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. They went Across the Island of Cyprus and into southern Galatia and back to Antioch. Along the way, they preached Jesus, and the forgiveness of sins that comes through faith in him (Acts 13:38). Many believed and were baptized and organized into churches.

Then again, at the end of Acts 15, we see Paul being sent out again from the same church in Antioch. But this time, Paul heads out with Silas. Acts 16-18 tells us of how they pass through southern Galatian and head off through Macedonia and Achaia, establishing churches in places like Philippi and Thessalonica and Corinth. Along the way, they faced some great opposition, even being kicked out of towns. But again, many believed. For instance, in Acts 18:8 we hear of what happened in Corinth, "And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized" (Acts 18:8).

When they finally return home to Antioch, they stay for a short time. Then, toward the end of chapter 18, we see Paul in Antioch once again. From there, he launches out on his third missionary journey. He heads north and west, across southern Galatia. And in Acts 19, Paul lands in Ephesus, the capital city of Asia. Throughout all of Acts 19, Paul is in Ephesus, including our text today.

As was his custom, he entered the synagogue and preached the gospel. After three months he faced enough opposition that he withdrew from the Jews who met there. He rented a room, “the hall of Tyrannus” where he preached the gospel for two years. During this time, God was doing some “extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul” (Acts 19:11). Some amazing things were taking place in Ephesus. Paul’s work clothes were being brought to those who were sick and they were being healed (Acts 19:12-13). A demon was able to overcome seven brothers who were trying to exorcise the demon from a man.

Great repentance took place in Ephesus, so that many from the occult were coming to Christ, burning all of their books that contained the secrets of their magic arts. A good summary of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus comes in verse 20, During this time, we see that "the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily" (Acts 19:20).

Now we come to our text. Paul is still in Ephesus.

Acts 19:21-41
Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel. But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

This is what happens when the gospel confronts a wonder of the world. I want to organize our thoughts this morning around four words. The first word is this:

1. Plans (verses 21-22)

In verses 21 and 22, we see Paul making his plans for his future ministry.

Acts 19:21-22
Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

Paul wants to go to Macedonia, and visit places like Philippi. He wants to continue on to Achaia, and visit the church in Corinth. From there, he wants to travel back to Jerusalem. Ultimately, he wants to get to Rome. He says, “I must also see Rome.” As we read the rest of Acts, we see that this is exactly what Paul did. He visited Macedonia and Achaia. He returned to Jerusalem. He made it to Rome. The book of Acts will take us through these travels. In fact, Acts 28 will end with Paul in Rome.

Before we move on, however, I want to point out that Paul didn’t want to go to all of these cities as a tourist, to see their own wonders, the beauties of the landscape, or the niceties of the beach, or the amazing architecture. No, he wanted to go to these places as a witness to Jesus, to spread the good news of the gospel of Christ. And this he did, all the way to Rome. If you know the story, you know that he went there as a prisoner, not of his own free will. And he preached all the way there.

Now, before he left he Ephesus, he sent others to prepare the way.

Acts 19:22
And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

Paul didn’t have the internet in those days to arrange his travel plans. He had Timothy and Erastus, who would go and prepare the way for Paul. Now again, if you know the whole story of the New Testament, you know that he sent Timothy and Erastus on ahead, to prepare for the collection of money that Paul will bring to help the poor Jewish Christians in Jerusalem who had financial need. Again, we see the heart of Paul. He didn’t love with word only, but with deed as well. He was concerned for the poor.

A great application here for us is for the Hike for Life. It’s an opportunity for you to support the poor and needy in our city. The women who have unplanned pregnancies, who are vulnerable, and in need of help. Going to the Hike and showing support for the center and giving to the hike is a way for you to demonstrate your heart to help the needy.

I’m thankful for your generosity. For the past few years we have been the church that has given the most during the Hike for Life. I don’t really understand how we, as a small church in Rockford, can actually give more to the Hike than any other churches. I’m thankful, I would encourage you to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
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Now, while Timothy and Erastus were off to Macedonia, Paul was still in Ephesus. In verse 23, we read of a “disturbance.” This is our second word this morning:

2. Disturbance (verses 23-27)

Acts 19:23
About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way.

First of all we see that there this disturbance wasn’t small. Luke writes that there was “no little disturbance.” This means that the disturbance was large.

The disturbance had to do with “the Way.” That is how many referred to Christians. We saw it used back in verse 9, when Paul was in the synagogue. Many of the Jews there, "became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation" (Acts 19:9). The Jews caught Paul’s message as he preached the words of Jesus, who said, “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

This is the reality of the gospel. It’s not merely one way to God. It is “the Way” to God. It is “the only Way” to God. Because, Jesus is the only way that your sin problem can be resolved before the Lord. No other religion offers a sufficient sacrifice for sins, other than Christianity. Christianity puts forth Jesus as the only acceptable sacrifice for our sins, as he died upon the cross to pay the penalty that our sins deserve.

Anyway, as Paul continued on with his preaching ministry, there was a “disturbance” in Ephesus. Verses 24 and following tell us the nature of the disturbance. It centers around a man named Demetrius, He was a silversmith. He made silver shrines of Artemis to sell at the temple. He was successfully bringing in much money.

But Paul and the message of Christ was a threat to their pocketbooks. And so, Demetrius gathered the workmen together in an effort to unite them against Paul. Verses 25-27 record his union speech.

Acts 19:25-27
“Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

Here is where the gospel is confronting one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Demetrius fears that this Jewish man from Tarsus, who is spreading a message about Jesus, Can topple “the temple of the great goddess Artemis” (verse 27). That this great goddess “may be counted as nothing” (verse 27). That she would be “deposed from her magnificence” (verse 27). This is the one who is worshiped by all Asia. Indeed, all the world! To which I reply, “If Artemis is so great, why do you need to defend her? Can she not defend herself?”

I think about our God! As believers in Jesus, we don’t have to spend our time defending our God. He will do that just fine without us. “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Psalm 115:3). Particularly, as believers in Jesus, we don’t need to defend him. In fact, our entire faith is predicated upon trusting in God to vindicate us. Jesus died on the cross, not trying to vindicate himself. He faced all sorts of beating and insults. Yet, as Peter said, "He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:22-24).

But the fact that Demetrius feels the need to rise up in defense of Artemis is merely a confirmation of what he understood of Paul’s message: “gods made with hands are not gods.” at all! (verse 26). Yet, when someone’s livelihood is at stake, logic goes out the window. When sin reigns in the heart, thinking goes astray.

A great illustration of this in recent days is with the striking down of Roe v. Wade. People are so entrenched in their sin, that they fail to even admit that life begins in the womb. Not only is this taught in the Bible, but this is observed through science. As one website said it, “Science teaches without reservation that life begins at fertilization (conception). It is a scientific fact that an organism exists after fertilization that did not exist before. This new organism has its own DNA distinct from the mother and father, meaning that it is a unique person. As the embryo grows, it develops a heartbeat (22 days after fertilization), its own circulatory system, and its own organs. From fertilization, it is a new organism that is alive and will continue to grow and develop as long as nutrition is provided and its life is not ended through violence or illness. It is indisputably human, as it has human DNA.”^[3]

But to those who want to keep abortion legal, they will not admit to any of this. Likewise with Demetrius. He knows full well that “gods made with hands are not gods at all.” Yet, he, himself will not admit this. And so, he causes this disturbance, which leads to confusion. Indeed, this is our next word:

3. Confusion (verses 28-34)

Acts 19:28-29
When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” So the city was filled with the confusion,

It wasn’t only Demetrius that was thinking this way. It was all of his hearers. When they heard that their livelihood was at stake, the crowd responded by crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” They too felt the need to defend their goddess! Again, I need to put forth, if you need to defend your god, then your god is no god at all. Isn’t the definition of a god, one who is more powerful than us? In our case, one who is infinitely more powerful that we are.

Yet, they hated the message of Paul. A mob was beginning to form. With shouts from everywhere.

Acts 19:28
“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

The mob, then, went after the Christians.

Acts 19:29
They rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel.

Apparently, they were unable to find Paul, the ringleader of “the Way.” So, they did the next best thing: they brought his companions into the theater: Gaius and Aristarchus. Their lives were at stake. And Paul wanted to do something about it. We read the following in verse 30:

Acts 19:30-31
But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.

By preventing Paul from going into the theater, they may have saved his life. Paul was willing to give his life for the truth of the gospel!

It is interesting here who held Paul back. Verse 30 says the disciples did. That is, those who were following Jesus. This is fully expected. But Verse 31 tells us that some of the Asiarchs, urged him to stay away. The Asiarchs were noble people of wealthy families, who promoted emperor worship. Somehow, they had become friends with Paul. Surely, they had heard Paul’s preaching. we have no indication here that they believed in Jesus. But they loved Paul. They wanted to save his life.

One commentator suggested that Luke, the author of Acts, included this statement here as if to say, “A sect whose leader had Asiarchs for friends cannot be dangerous to the state.” ^[4] Indeed, Paul wasn’t a danger to the state. But he was a danger to the idol makers. The confusion was apparent.

Acts 19:32
Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.

This is mob mentality, people whipped up into a frenzy, without even knowing why the crowd had formed in the first place. Picture it, you have an Ephesian worker, plugging away in his shop. but he hears a disturbance in the city square. and so, he goes to check it out. and the crowd grows. and “most of them” didn’t even know why the crowd had formed in the first place. And soon, even the Jews from the synagogue, wanted to calm the crowds, because they had the same message that Paul did. “Gods made with hands are no gods at all!” (verses 26). So, they put forth Alexander.

Acts 19:33-34
Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

For two hours! Such was the confusion in the city! Such was the anger against all who would resist the religion of the city.

Again, thinking about the abortion industry, I think that we see it in our day in the hatred that is turned against Pregnancy Care Centers. I read this week of an attack on CompassCare Pregancy Services in New York State. Early in the morning on June 7th, some people broke into the center by smashing glass. They lit Molotov cocktails and burned the place. They spray-painted graffiti on the walls, “Jane was here.” that is, a group called, “Jane’s Revenge” did this. (“Jane” has reference to “Jane Doe” of the Roe V. Wade case).[5]

Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, 50 such attacks have taken place. Yet, there have been no arrests made.

It makes no sense to me. The pregnancy care centers show nothing but love. They care for women. They care for children. They give away free ultrasounds and baby clothes and diapers. They give free counseling to help people manage the crisis in their lives. They weren’t the ones deciding these matters in the courts. Yet, they are hated! And are the targets of attack these days! All because people want to defend the right to kill innocent human lives in the womb.

This was very much like the apostle Paul. He loved people. He cared for them. He brought a message of love and hope to all who believe! This is how it is with the gospel. Some will love it and others will hate it. Their hostility against the gospel will go far. So, as you have opportunity to be a witness to people, expect some to despise you. Expect the rejection. Expect the persecution, even when it makes no human sense at all.

Ok, finally, let’s move on to our last word:

4. Quiet (verses 35-41)

This is what we see in verses 35-41. We see “the town clerk” coming and quieting the crowds. We have no reason to believe that this clerk was a believer. He was simply the voice of reason with authority.

Acts 19:35-41
And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

In other words, there are legal ways to fight this.

So too in our day. My application this morning has focused on the abortion issue. So too here, there is application. We don’t need to bomb abortion clinics. We don’t need to threaten the doctors and nurses with violence if they continue on our way. We simply need to plug away, praying and working through the legal opportunities available to fight for the life of the unborn.

Isn’t it also interesting here that Paul never had to defend himself before the crowds. He never had to defend his message. It was the town clerk who defended Paul. In fact he defended Paul, "For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess" (verse 37). Apparently, in Paul’s preaching and teaching ministry in Ephesus, he wasn’t bashing the Temple. Surely, he was provoked. (Do you remember in Acts 17 when he was in Athens, how he was provoked by idols of the city?) Yet, it appears as if Paul simply went on his way preaching Christ. People got the message, “Gods made with hands are no gods at all.”

When it comes to our effort to be witnesses for Christ, I would encourage you the same. You don’t have to bash the political system. You don’t have to complain at how bad things are today. You don’t have to decry every move by every politician. You simply need to do what Paul did while in Corinth. "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Our desire isn’t to make waves. It is to live quietly and meekly. "But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one" (1 Thessalonians 4:10-12). This is what Paul was doing. He was going into the Hall of Tyrannus and inviting anyone who wants to come to come and learn. I do not think that Paul was bashing the temple.

So, let’s step back. For as great as the Temple of Artemis was, it was no match for the gospel. It may have been one of the Seven Wonders of the World, but it didn’t last. It was burned and plundered in 400 AD. What a great picture this is of those who oppose the gospel. They will likewise perish. They will go away. But those who embrace the gospel will continue on forever as we live with Christ for eternity.

This sermon was delivered to Rock Valley Bible Church on September 11, 2022 by Steve Brandon.
For more information see www.rockvalleybiblechurch.org.

[1] For my research into these things, I relied heavily upon the Wikipedia articles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Wonders_of_the_Ancient_World. I also use the links on this page to the various wonders of the ancient world.
 
[2] Antipater, Greek Anthology IX.58 – cited in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Artemis#cite_note-2.

[3] https://www.liveaction.org/news/life-begins-at-conception-science-teaches/.

[4] Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor's Bible Commentary: The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981), 504.
 
[5] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/firebombed-roe/.