27 When ^cthe seven days were almost completed, ^dthe Jews from Asia, ^eseeing 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 ^fis teaching everyone everywhere against the people and ^gthe law and ^gthis place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and ^hhas defiled ^gthis holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen ⁱTrophimus 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 ^jdragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. 31 ^jAnd as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of ^kthe cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 ^lHe 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 ^mto be bound ⁿwith two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. 34 ^oSome 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 ^pthe 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, ^q“Away with him!”

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 ^rthe Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out ^sinto the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, ^t“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, ^umotioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in ^vthe Hebrew language,¹ saying:

1 ^w“Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”