Acts 21:23–40

²³Therefore do this that we tell you: we have^h four men who have taken a vow upon themselves.^{i 24}Take these men and^* purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses^j so that they can shave their^* heads, and everyone will know that the things which they had been informed about you are nothing, but you yourself also agree with observing the law. ²⁵But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter after^* deciding they should avoid food sacrificed to idols and blood and what has been strangled and sexual immorality.” ²⁶Then Paul took along the men on the next day, and^* after he^* had purified himself together with them, he entered into the temple courts,^* announcing the completion of the days of purification until the time^k the offering would be presented on behalf of each one of them.

Paul Arrested in the Temple Courts

²⁷But when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia^l who had seen him in the temple courts^* stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, ²⁸shouting, “Israelite men, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place! And furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!” ²⁹(For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they thought that Paul had brought into the temple.) ³⁰And the whole city was stirred up, and the people came running together, and they seized Paul and^* dragged him outside of the temple courts,^* and immediately the doors were shut.

³¹And as they^* were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the military tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ³²He^m immediately took along soldiers and centurions and^* ran down to them. And when^* they saw the military tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³Then the military tribune came up and^* arrested him and ordered him^* to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what it was that he had done. ³⁴But some in the crowd were shouting one thing and others another, and because^* he was not able to find out the truth on account of the commotion, he gave orders to bring him into the barracks.^{n 35}And when he came to the steps, it happened that he had to be carried by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd, ³⁶for the crowd of people was following them,^* shouting, “Away with him!”

Paul Permitted to Address the Crowd

³⁷And as he^* was about to be brought into the barracks,^o Paul said to the military tribune, “Is it permitted for me to say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? ³⁸Then you are not the Egyptian who before these days raised a revolt and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?”^{p 39}But Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no unimportant city. Now I ask you, allow me to speak to the people.” ⁴⁰So when^* he permitted him,^* Paul, standing there on the steps, motioned with his^* hand to the people. And when there^* was a great silence, he addressed them^* in the Aramaic language, saying,