Acts 21:27-40

English Standard Version

Paul Arrested in the Temple

²⁷ When ^(A)the seven days were almost completed, ^(B)the Jews from Asia, ^(C)seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, ²⁸ crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who ^(D)is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and ^(E)the law and ^(F)this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and ^(G)has defiled ^(H)this holy place.” ²⁹ For they had previously seen ^(I)Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. ³⁰ Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and ^(J)dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. ^31 (K)And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of ^(L)the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ^32 (M)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 ^(N)to be bound ^(O)with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. ^34 (P)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 ^(Q)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, ^(R)“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 ^(S)the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out ^(T)into the wilderness?” ³⁹ Paul replied, ^(U)“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, ^(V)motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in ^(W)the Hebrew language,^[a] saying: