Acts 21:27-23:10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Paul Arrested in the Temple
27 When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, who had seen him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd. They seized him,(A) 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites,[a] help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this place; more than that, he has actually brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”(B) 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.(C) 30 Then all the city was aroused, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.(D) 31 While they were trying to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 Immediately he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. When they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.(E) 33 Then the tribune came, arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; he inquired who he was and what he had done.(F) 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another, and as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.(G) 35 When Paul[b] came to the steps, the violence of the mob was so great that he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!”(H)
Paul Defends Himself
37 Just as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” The tribune[c] replied, “Do you know Greek? 38 Then you are not the Egyptian who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?”(I) 39 Paul replied, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city; I beg you, let me speak to the people.”(J) 40 When he had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people for silence, and when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew[d] language, saying:(K)
22 “Brothers[e] and fathers, listen to the defense that I now make before you.”(L)
2 When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew,[f] they became even more quiet. Then he said:(M)
3 “I am a Jew born in Tarsus in Cilicia but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today.(N) 4 I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison,(O) 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. From them I also received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I went there in order to bind those who were there and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.(P)
Paul Tells of His Conversion
6 “While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me.(Q) 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Then he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth[g] whom you are persecuting.’ 9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.(R) 10 I asked, ‘What am I to do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told everything that has been assigned to you to do.’(S) 11 Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and led me to Damascus.(T)
12 “A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there,(U) 13 came to me, and standing beside me, he said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. 14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear his own voice,(V) 15 for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard.(W) 16 And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’(X)
Paul Sent to the Gentiles
17 “After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance(Y) 18 and saw Jesus[h] saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.(Z) 20 And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.’(AA) 21 Then he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the gentiles.’ ”(AB)
Paul and the Roman Tribune
22 Up to this point they listened to him, but then they shouted, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23 And while they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and tossing dust into the air,(AC) 24 the tribune directed that he was to be brought into the barracks and ordered him to be examined by flogging, to find out the reason for this outcry against him. 25 But when they had tied him up with straps,[i] Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman person who is uncondemned?”(AD) 26 When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? This man is a Roman.” 27 The tribune came and asked Paul,[j] “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “It cost me a large sum of money to get my citizenship.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.” 29 Immediately those who were about to examine him drew back from him, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman and that he had bound him.
Paul before the Council
30 Since he wanted to find out what Paul[k] was being accused of by the Jews, the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to meet. He brought Paul down and had him stand before them.(AE)
23 While Paul was looking intently at the council he said, “Brothers,[l] up to this day I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God.”(AF) 2 Then the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike him on the mouth.(AG) 3 At this Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to judge me according to the law, and yet in violation of the law you order me to be struck?”(AH) 4 Those standing nearby said, “Do you dare to insult God’s high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I did not realize, brothers, that he was high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a leader of your people.’ ”(AI)
6 When Paul noticed that some were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he called out in the council, “Brothers,[m] I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection[n] of the dead.”(AJ) 7 When he said this, a dissension began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angel or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge all three.)(AK) 9 Then a great clamor arose, and certain scribes of the Pharisees’ group stood up and contended, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”(AL) 10 When the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go down, take him by force, and bring him into the barracks.(AM)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.