The Greek argyrokopos (ἀργυροκόπος) means 'silversmith' — literally 'one who strikes/works silver,' from argyros (silver) and kopto (to strike, cut). It appears in Acts 19:24 as the occupation of Demetrius of Ephesus, whose livelihood depended on making silver shrines of Artemis — a trade that Paul's gospel directly threatened.
Demetrius the argyrokopos sparked the Ephesus riot with a grievance that reveals the gospel's economic power: 'This Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people... our trade will lose its good name' (Acts 19:26-27). When people turn from idols to the living God, the idol-making industry collapses. This is not incidental — it is the pattern. Every genuine revival disrupts economies built on falsehood. The silversmiths of Ephesus are not unique; every age has its Demetriuses who prefer the revenue of false religion to the freedom of truth. Paul's response to Demetrius's riot is remarkable: he wanted to go out to the crowd, but the disciples held him back. Courageous truth-telling sometimes looks like being willing to walk into a hostile crowd.