Act 21:17-40 | ESV | STEP | When we had come to Jerusalem , the brothers received us gladly .

17 When we had come to Jerusalem, ^athe brothers received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to ^bJames, and all ^cthe elders were present. 19 After greeting them, ^dhe related one by one ^ethe things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ^fministry. 20 And when they heard it, they ^gglorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all ^hzealous for the law, 21 and they have been told about you that you teach all ⁱthe Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, ^jtelling them ^knot to circumcise their children or ^lwalk according to ^mour customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men ⁿwho are under a vow; 24 take these men and ^opurify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, ^pso that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. 25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, ^qwe have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, ^{▼▼Some manuscripts omit and from what has been strangled} and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day ^she purified himself along with them and ^twent into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and ^uthe offering presented for each one of them.

Paul Arrested in the Temple

27 When ^vthe seven days were almost completed, ^wthe Jews from Asia, ^xseeing 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 ^yis teaching everyone everywhere against the people and ^zthe law and ^aathis place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and ^abhas defiled ^acthis holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen ^adTrophimus 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 ^aedragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. 31 ^afAnd as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of ^agthe cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 ^ahHe 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 ^aito be bound ^ajwith two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. 34 ^akSome 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 ^althe 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, ^am“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 ^anthe Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out ^aointo the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, ^ap“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, ^aqmotioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in ^arthe Hebrew language, ^{▼▼Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic)} saying: