Acts 21:23–40

²³Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men ^ywho are under a vow; ²⁴take these men and ^zpurify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, ^yso that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. ²⁵But as for the Gentiles who have believed, ^awe have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled,⁴ and from sexual immorality.” ²⁶Then Paul took the men, and the next day ^zhe purified himself along with them and ^bwent into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and ^cthe offering presented for each one of them.

Paul Arrested in the Temple

²⁷When ^cthe seven days were almost completed, ^dthe Jews from Asia, ^eseeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, ²⁸crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who ^fis teaching everyone everywhere against the people and ^gthe law and ^gthis place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and ^hhas defiled ^gthis holy place.” ²⁹For they had previously seen ⁱTrophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. ³⁰Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and ^jdragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. ^31jAnd as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of ^kthe cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ^32lHe at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him ^mto be bound ⁿwith two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. ^34oSome in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into ^pthe barracks. ³⁵And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, ³⁶for the mob of the people followed, crying out, ^q“Away with him!”

Paul Speaks to the People

³⁷As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? ³⁸Are you not ^rthe Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out ^sinto the wilderness?” ³⁹Paul replied, ^t“I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” ⁴⁰And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, ^umotioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in ^vthe Hebrew language,⁵ saying: