The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Robbers of Temples

(hierosuloi, "guilty of sacrilege"): A term used by the town clerk of Ephesus (Ac 19:37, the King James Version "robbers of churches"). As the temple of Diana (Artemas) had a great treasure-chamber, the offense might not be unknown among them; compare Ro 2:22.

In 2 Macc 4:42 the King James Version the epithet "church-robber" (the Revised Version (British and American) "author of the sacrilege") is applied to LYSIMACHUS (which see).

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr (1915). Public domain, from the CrossWire SWORD module.