Greek word · G2180
Ἐφέσιος
ephesios
Ephesian
Ephesian, belonging to Ephesus. Used of people (the citizens) and, in titles, of a deity's local form.
Appears 5 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
Ephesian, belonging to Ephesus. Used of people (the citizens) and, in titles, of a deity's local form.
- Against the English
'Of the Ephesians' is accurate. The force is possessive and tied to identity: 'the Ephesians' own Artemis', and through her, the Ephesians themselves.
- Used elsewhere in the period
'Artemis of the Ephesians' / 'Ephesian Artemis' is her standard title on coins and inscriptions and in literature. The town clerk later says that every person knows 'the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Artemis' (19:35).
Where it appears
Acts · 5
-
Acts 19:28 Ἐφεσίων. of [the] Ephesians.
When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Here: A possessive phrase meaning 'the Ephesians' Artemis'. She belongs to the city and the city belongs to her. The chant celebrates the goddess and the city's identity together.
-
Acts 19:34 Ἐφεσίων. of [the] Ephesians.
But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
-
Acts 19:35 Ἐφέσιοι, Ἐφεσίων Ephesians,, of [the] Ephesians
Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?
Here: 'Ephesians.' He appeals to civic pride, the same identity they have just been chanting: 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!'
-
Acts 21:29 Ἐφέσιον Ephesian
For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.