Greek word · G735

Ἄρτεμις

artemis

Artemis

In general Greek religion, the virgin huntress, sister of Apollo. At Ephesus she was a distinct city goddess, 'Artemis of the Ephesians'. Her cult statue had a tall crown and rows of rounded objects on the chest; whether these are breasts, eggs or something else is debated.

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

Ἄρτεμις, -ιδος, ἡ

Artemis, an Asiatic goddess, to be disting. from the Gk. goddess of the same name: Acts 19:24, 27-28

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Acts 19:24

Range of meaning

In general Greek religion, the virgin huntress, sister of Apollo. At Ephesus she was a distinct city goddess, 'Artemis of the Ephesians'. Her cult statue had a tall crown and rows of rounded objects on the chest; whether these are breasts, eggs or something else is debated. She was seen as the city's protector and benefactor.

Against the English

KJV 'Diana' follows the Latin Vulgate and the Roman identification of Artemis with Diana. Modern versions restore 'Artemis'.

How it drifted

Latin-speaking Christianity used the Roman name Diana, and the KJV carried it into English. The name suggests the Roman huntress of mythology rather than the specific civic goddess of Ephesus.

Used elsewhere in the period

Her temple, the Artemision, was rebuilt after a fire in 356 BC and counted among the Seven Wonders. It also served as a major treasury and place of deposit and a place of asylum. Pausanias (4.31.8) says Ephesian Artemis was honoured in more cities than any other god. Strabo (4.1.4) tells of colonists carrying a replica of her image to Massalia (Marseille). Inscriptions call her 'greatest' (megistē), which fits the crowd's chant 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!' (v. 28, 34). Ephesus proudly called itself her 'temple-keeper' (v. 35).

Where it appears

Acts · 5

  1. Acts 19:24 Ἀρτέμιδος, of Artemis,

    It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.

    Here: Artemis of the Ephesians, the city's patron goddess. Her great temple, the Artemision, counted among the Seven Wonders of the World. She is a distinct local cult figure, not simply the huntress of Greek myth.

  2. Acts 19:27 Ἀρτέμιδος Artemis

    There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.”

  3. Acts 19:28 Ἄρτεμις Artemis

    When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

  4. Acts 19:34 Ἄρτεμις Artemis

    But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

  5. Acts 19:35 Ἀρτέμιδος Artemis

    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: The Ephesian Artemis. Her ancient Anatolian-style cult had a distinctive image and a huge temple and treasury. She is not simply the Greek huntress, and not the Roman 'Diana'.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.