As the city of Ephesus prepares for a religious festival in honor of the emperor Domitian, a Christian landowner feels increasing pressure from the city's leaders to participate. Can he perform his civic duties and remain faithful to his Lord? Or has the time come for a costly choice?In this historical novel, biblical scholar David deSilva brings to life such compelling struggles faced by the early Christians. Their insistence on the absolute lordship of their own singular deity brought them into conflict not only with the myriad religious cults of the day, but with all the crushing power of the empire itself. Meticulously researched and supplemented by historical images and explanatory sidebars, A Week in the Life of Ephesus poses anew the timeless question of Christianity and empire. Here is a vividly imaginative portrait of the Roman empire in all its beauty and mightand hanging over it, the looming sky of apocalypse.

David A. deSilva (PhD, Emory University) is Trustees' Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Greek at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, Ohio. He is the author of over twenty-five books, including An Introduction to the New Testament and Day of Atonement: A Novel of the Maccabean Revolt. He is also an ordained elder in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Preface
Characters in the Drama
1 New Year's Day (1 Kaisaros, 9 Kalends October)
The Divine Artemis Sends Birthday Wishes
Musical Instruments in the Roman Period
Roman Asia's Calendar
A Symposium in the Prytaneion
The Title Nekoros
2 Roman Piety, Roman Peace (2 Kaisaros, 8 Kalends October)
In Serapion's Town House
The Harbor of Ephesus
Titus Flavius Zeuxis
The Jewish Community of Ephesus
The City Fathers Convene
The Third Horseman and Domitians Edict
The Staff of the Imperial Cult
3 In the Shadow of the Gods (3 Kaisaros, 7 Kalends October)
Asia's Shared Temple of the Augusti in Ephesus
Civic Pride and Imperial Cult
In the Shade of the Basilica Stoa
In the Merchants' Quarter
Aelius Aristides on the Roman Imperial Economy
4 The Lord's Day (4 Kaisaros, 6 Kalends October)
Morning Orisons
Christian Worship at the Turn of the First Century
In the Great Theater
Imperial Cult in the Games of Neapolis
The Assembly in Amyntas's House
The Varieties of Christianity in Ephesus
5 The Crucible of Faith (5 Kaisaros, 5 Kalends October)
In Serapion's Town House
In the Gymnasium
Prochorus Arrives
John's Removal to Patmos
6 The Day of Decision (6 Kaisaros, 4 Kalends October)
The View from Above
Domitian's Diminished Popularity and Ephesus's Flavian Temple
In the Council Chamber
The Fiscus Iudaicus and the"Synagogue of Satan"
7 The Day After (7 Kaisaros, 3 Kalends October)
Business as Usual
A Grace Defaced
For Further Study