After a time a new governor named Gallio came to Corinth, and the unbelieving Jews took this opportunity of trying to injure the Apostle. Taking him before a magistrate, they accused him of teaching men to worship God after a manner contrary to law. Before the Apostle could attempt to defend this charge, Gallio said he would not listen to such a complaint, and he sent the angry people away.
The Greeks were very much vexed at this attempt of the Jews to bring trouble upon St. Paul, and they seized Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment-seat, and yet even then Gallio did not interfere.
It seems probable that the Apostle would seek out Sosthenes after this rough treatment, and gain his friendship; at any rate, we next hear of this Jewish ruler as a Christian, and also a companion of St. Paul in his journey to Ephesus.
About a month following the day upon which he had been taken before Gallio, the Apostle left Corinth with Aquila and Priscilla, whom he left at Ephesus, while he himself passed on to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Pentecost.
In the city of Ephesus stood the widely celebrated temple of Diana, which was one of the seven wonders of the world. It had taken more than two hundred years to build, and it was made of the purest marble. It had one hundred and twenty pillars, thirty-six of which were most beautifully carved, and the others polished; every one had been the gift of some king.
The temple was not roofed over, excepting just in the part where the image of Diana stood—the ugly log of wood, with a head adorned with a mural crown, and the body covered with figures of animals.
The superstitious people believed that this idol had fallen from the sky, and during our month of May they held a great feast in Diana's honour, to which people came from far and near in vast crowds.
In this city they also practised magic. Certain words were written on parchment, which had been copied from the image of the goddess, and this parchment was worn upon the body to charm away evil spirits, and to heal diseases, as it was believed.