Acts 21:27-40 ▼

27 And when the seventh day approached, and the Jews from Asia Minor saw him in the temple, they stirred up all the people against him and laid hands on him,

28 And cried out, saying, Men of Israel, help: This is the man who teaches everywhere against our people, against the law, and against this place; and further, he has brought Syr-i-ans into the temple, and has defiled this holy place.

29 For they had previously seen Troph’imus, the E-phe’sian, with him in the city, and they thought he had entered into the temple with Paul.

30 So the whole city was in a tumult, and all the people ran together; they seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple; and the doors were immediately shut.

31 And as the mob sought to kill him, the news reached the captain of the company, that all the city was in an uproar.

32 He immediately took a centurion and many soldiers, and ran down to them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they ceased beating Paul.

33 Then the chief captain came near him and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains. Then he inquired, Who is he and what has he done?

34 And some of the mob cried against him one thing, some another: and because of their confusion he was unable to know what was true, so he commanded him to be taken to headquarters.

35 And when Paul reached the stairs, the soldiers bore him because of the violence of the people.

36 For a great many people followed after, crying, and saying, Away with him.

37 And as Paul was about to be led into headquarters, he said to the chief captain, May I speak to you? The captain said, Can you speak Greek?

38 Are you not that Egyptian who some time ago created disturbances and led out into the desert four thousand malefactors?

39 But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cili’cia, a citizen of a well-known city: I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.

40 And when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and beckoned with his hand to them. And when they were quiet, he spoke to them in the Hebrew (Aramaic) tongue and said to them.