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31. τινὲς δὲ καὶ τῶν Ἀσιαρχῶν, ὄντες αὐτῷ φίλοι, and certain also of the chief officers of Asia, being his friends. The Ἀσιαρχαί were officers in the various cities of proconsular Asia, appointed to preside over the games and religious festivals. In Ephesus these men would be of much importance, for in addition to the other games over which they would preside, the whole month of May was sacred to Artemis, being called Artemision, and was given up to festivals in honour of the city’s idol. We read of an Asiarch at Smyrna in the narrative of the martyrdom of Polycarp (Euseb. H. E. iv. 15).
It would seem, from the fact that some of these prominent officials were friends to St Paul, that though presiding over the games and festivals for the satisfaction of the populace, they had no great care for Artemis or her worship.
πέμψαντες πρὸς αὐτὸν παρεκάλουν, sent unto him and besought him. παρακαλέω generally = beseech. The use of such a word indicates the personal interest these officers felt in the Apostle’s safety. We also gather from the narrative that they knew where Paul was, though the mob had failed to find him.