31 (A)And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of (B)the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 (C)He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him (D)to be bound (E)with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. 34 (F)Some 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 (G)the barracks. 35 And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, 36 for the mob of the people followed, crying out, (H)“Away with him!”

Paul Speaks to the People

37 As 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? 38 Are you not (I)the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out (J)into the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, (K)“I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” 40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, (L)motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in (M)the Hebrew language,[a] saying:

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 21:40 Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic)

31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.(A)

33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound(B) with two(C) chains.(D) Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another,(E) and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.(F) 35 When Paul reached the steps,(G) the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”(H)

Paul Speaks to the Crowd(I)

37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks,(J) he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”

“Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness(K) some time ago?”(L)

39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus(M) in Cilicia,(N) a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”

40 After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned(O) to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic[a]:(P)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 21:40 Or possibly Hebrew; also in 22:2