Paul Seized at the Temple

27 When the seven days were almost over, [some] Jews from [the province of] Asia[fn] saw [Paul] at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28 crying out, “Men [of] Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against [our] people and [against our] law and [against] this place. Furthermore he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, [and] they assumed that Paul had brought [him] into the temple.

30 The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul [and] dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. 31 [While] they were trying to kill him, the commander of the [Roman] regiment[fn] received a report that all Jerusalem was in turmoil. 32 Immediately he took [some] soldiers and centurions [and] ran down to [the crowd]. [When the people] saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

33 The commander came up [and] arrested [Paul], ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.

34 [Some] in the crowd were shouting one thing, [and] [some] another. And [since] [the commander] could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that [Paul] be brought into the barracks. 35 When [Paul] reached the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. 36 For the crowd that followed [him] kept shouting, “Away with him!”