Artemis is a Greek goddess who is mentioned a few times in the New Testament of the Bible. She was a popular deity in the ancient Greco-Roman world and was worshipped under various names and forms. The Artemis referred to in the Bible is specifically Artemis of Ephesus, whose temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The most significant mentions of Artemis in the Bible are in Acts 19, where the apostle Paul faces opposition from artisans who made shrines for the goddess Artemis:
“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.’” (Acts 19:24-27, ESV)
This passage shows that there was a robust industry in Ephesus related to the worship of Artemis. The artisans who produced shrines and idols of the goddess perceived Paul’s preaching against idolatry as a threat to their livelihood. This led to a riot in Ephesus:
“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.” (Acts 19:28-29, ESV)
The riot was eventually quieted, but these passages illustrate how devoted the Ephesians were to their goddess and how Christianity challenged the existing religious and economic structures related to her cult. The prominence of Artemis worship shows up earlier in Acts as well:
“[Paul] entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks…God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.’ Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?’ And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.” (Acts 19:8-11, 13-17, ESV)
This account shows that prior to the riot, Paul had already been preaching and performing miracles in Ephesus for two years. The power of Jesus’ name was demonstrated as superior to the spells and exorcisms invoked by the itinerant Jewish exorcists. As a major center of pagan worship and magic arts, Ephesus was a challenging mission field for Paul. But the gospel took root and the Christian community there flourished, despite opposition from those tied to the cult of Artemis.
Paul wrote an epistle to the Ephesians later in his ministry. In it, he does not directly mention Artemis, but emphasizes the supremacy of Christ over all powers and authorities:
“And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23, ESV)
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12, ESV)
So while Artemis is not called out by name, the Book of Ephesians makes it clear that Christ reigns supreme over any supposed deity like Artemis.
The other reference to Artemis in the New Testament is in Acts 18, where Paul spends time in Corinth:
“After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks…And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” (Acts 18:1-4, 11, ESV)
In describing the background of Paul’s ministry in Corinth, the text notes:
“He lived there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, saying, ‘This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.’ Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, ‘If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.’ And he drove them from the tribunal. And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.” (Acts 18:11-17, ESV)
While Artemis is not directly mentioned here, Corinth was also a center of worship for her, so the Jewish accusation that Paul was persuading people to follow an illegal religion was likely a reference to his efforts to turn people away from Artemis cults. The Roman proconsul Gallio dismissed the charge, seeing it as an internal Jewish dispute not worthy of his time.
This shows that resistance to Paul’s ministry was present in Corinth as it was in Ephesus, stemming from his message’s threat to established pagan worship. But the Lord assured Paul in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people” (Acts 18:9-10, ESV). So despite hostility, the Christian church took hold in Corinth.
In summary, the references to Artemis in the Book of Acts offer us a window into the cultural context of the early church. They highlight the prominence of Artemis worship in Ephesus and Corinth, where Christians faced opposition from those whose livelihoods depended on her temples and cults. But the power of the gospel proved superior, and Christ-followers persevered despite resistance from devotees of this pagan goddess.
Artemis was reduced to a footnote in history, while the name of Jesus spread rapidly across the ancient world. Paul’s letters like Ephesians demonstrate that allegiance to Christ supersedes any supposed authority claimed by so-called deities like Artemis. While Artemis promised protection for sailors and fertility for women, faith in Jesus offered eternal salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to all who believe.
The biblical perspective makes it clear that Artemis was not a genuine divine being worthy of worship. She was part of the pantheon of false gods that the Corinthian and Ephesian believers turned away from when they embraced the gospel. The New Testament references warn present-day readers not to put their trust in idols or spiritual forces apart from the one true God. Artemis may have been an object of awe in the ancient Greco-Roman world, but the Bible unmasks her as an imposter and points us to the supremacy of Jesus Christ over all.
Regarding the question “Who is the Artemis in the Bible?”, the key points are:
- She was the Greek goddess Artemis of Ephesus, whose cult and temple were major features of Ephesus in the Book of Acts.
- Acts 19 details a riot started by artisans tied to Artemis worship who resisted Paul’s preaching.
- Paul preached boldly in Ephesus despite the prominence of Artemis, and Christianity took hold there.
- Artemis worship was also present in Corinth, leading to accusations against Paul by the Jews there.
- The biblical perspective is that Artemis was a false goddess, not a genuine divine being.
- Faith in Jesus supersedes allegiance to any supposed deities like Artemis.
In summary, Artemis was an idol associated with pagan worship practices in Ephesus and Corinth that early believers renounced when they embraced Jesus and the gospel. The power of Christ triumphed over local goddess cults as the apostolic ministry advanced across Greece and Asia Minor. While Artemis serves as an example of false gods warned against in Scripture, the Bible points to Jesus Christ as mankind’s only true Lord, Savior, and God.
