Acts Chapter 21
Paul Arrives in Jerusalem
A. Events on the way from Asia Minor to Jerusalem
(Acts 21:1-2) – “Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. And finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.”
The departure from Miletus was not a casual farewell but, as the Greek implies, a tearing away. Paul had invested himself deeply into the Ephesian elders, teaching them both publicly and from house to house, and warning them night and day with tears (Acts 20:20, 31). The separation grieved both Paul and the elders because they knew they would not see one another’s faces again in this life. His ministry was not professional detachment but a deep pastoral bond, which is the model of biblical leadership. They set their course to Cos, then to Rhodes, and then Patara, where they transferred to a larger vessel sailing across the open waters of the Mediterranean toward Phoenicia. Luke records these details with precision, showing both his role as eyewitness and the Spirit’s intention that the missionary work of the apostles is firmly grounded in real history.
(Acts 21:3-4) – “When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo. And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.”
Upon sighting Cyprus and passing it to port, the travelers sailed onward to Tyre. There, unexpectedly, they found believers. The text does not tell us how the gospel had reached Tyre, but this is a reminder that the Book of Acts is selective in its account, not exhaustive. The Holy Spirit had been working in many more places than Luke had space to record. These disciples welcomed Paul and his companions, and Paul remained with them for seven days while the ship unloaded. During this time, believers in Tyre spoke to Paul through the Spirit, warning him not to go up to Jerusalem.
This raises an interpretive challenge. Paul had already declared in Acts 20:22-23, “And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.” The Spirit had made it clear that suffering was ahead. What the disciples in Tyre revealed was consistent with this prophecy. However, their conclusion that Paul should not go to Jerusalem appears to have been their own interpretation of the Spirit’s message. The Spirit revealed danger; the disciples concluded avoidance. Paul, however, understood that his calling required obedience even in the face of suffering, for he was compelled by the Spirit.
This distinction is important: the Spirit never contradicts Himself. He revealed the reality of danger, but He did not forbid Paul to go. Some commentators suggest Paul was acting in disobedience by pressing on, but this fails to recognize Paul’s settled resolve, expressed in Acts 20:24: “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Paul was not rebelling against God’s Spirit but walking in submission to it, accepting the cost that awaited him.
The disciples in Tyre, like many of us, heard the Spirit’s voice regarding trial and danger but allowed their natural affection for Paul to color the interpretation. They sought to shield him from harm, but God had called him to face it. This tension between human love and divine calling is a recurring reality for all who serve the Lord.
(Acts 21:5-6) – “When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed. When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home.”
After seven days in Tyre, the time came for Paul and his companions to move forward in their journey toward Jerusalem. Despite the deep affection and heartfelt pleas of the believers in Tyre, Paul remained resolute in his conviction that God was leading him onward, even though danger awaited. His determination demonstrates a profound submission to the will of God, for Paul was persuaded that obedience, even in suffering, was better than safety in disobedience.
The believers in Tyre, with wives and children, walked with Paul and his group until they reached the edge of the city. This practice was rooted in ancient custom, where friends and family would escort travelers part of the way as an act of honor and affection. Yet what followed was uniquely Christian—they all knelt down together on the shore and prayed. This visible act of communal devotion illustrates the distinctive identity of the church. Unlike the pagan world, where farewell rituals often involved sacrifices to false gods, the early believers turned to prayer, entrusting one another to the living God. The kneeling posture further emphasized humility and dependence before the Lord. The scene recalls Paul’s parting with the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:36, “And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.” In both cases, prayer was the believer’s natural response to separation, danger, and uncertainty.
This gathering on the seashore with families—men, women, and children—shows that Christianity was never intended to be an isolated, individual faith. It was lived out in households and communities, where all ages shared in worship and intercession. After this solemn and beautiful farewell, Paul and his companions boarded the ship, while the local believers returned to their homes, trusting God with what lay ahead.
(Acts 21:7) – “And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day.”
Paul’s journey continued to the city of Ptolemais, located along the coast. Here too, the pattern repeats: the apostle and his companions encountered fellow believers. The presence of disciples in Ptolemais shows the remarkable spread of Christianity across the Roman Empire. By this point, the gospel had taken root in nearly every city Paul visited. What had begun with a small band of followers in Jerusalem had now become a vast and growing movement, touching Jews and Gentiles alike. For Paul, weary from constant travel and facing the certainty of hardship in Jerusalem, such encounters must have been a source of immense encouragement. Even a single day of fellowship with other Christians provided refreshment and reaffirmed that the Lord was multiplying His church.
(Acts 21:8-9) – “On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.”
From Ptolemais, the group traveled to Caesarea, a significant port city and Roman administrative center. There they entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who is identified as one of the seven chosen in Acts 6:5 to oversee the distribution of food in the Jerusalem church. Philip had a distinguished ministry history. Acts 8 recounts how he preached in Samaria, where multitudes believed, and how he was then directed by the Spirit to bring the Ethiopian eunuch to faith in Christ. Afterward, he preached through the coastal region until he reached Caesarea (Acts 8:40). Now, many years later, Philip was still living there, continuing to walk faithfully with the Lord.
Luke calls him “Philip the evangelist.” What a commendation, that he was identified by his proclamation of the good news. His life and ministry were so consistently defined by the gospel that this became his enduring title. It is a reminder that every believer is called to bear witness to Christ, but some, like Philip, are specially gifted to evangelize. His home, now open to Paul and his companions, demonstrates the hospitality that marked the early church.
We are also told that Philip had four virgin daughters who prophesied. These young women were known for their devotion to Christ and for exercising the prophetic gift under the guidance of the Spirit. This detail highlights the active role women played in the life of the early church, as they too received spiritual gifts for the building up of the body. Yet it is noteworthy that, though they had the gift of prophecy, they were not the ones God chose to deliver the warning to Paul about his impending sufferings in Jerusalem. Instead, that message would be delivered through another prophet, Agabus, later in this chapter. This demonstrates that the Spirit distributes His gifts and messages according to His sovereign will, using whom He chooses for particular purposes.
Ancient tradition records that Philip’s daughters lived to an advanced age and were highly regarded in the church as valuable sources of information about the earliest days of Christianity. Their faithfulness serves as a testimony to the lasting fruit of a household devoted to Christ.
Agabus Warns Paul at Caesarea
(Acts 21:10-14) – “And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, ‘Thus says the Holy Spirit, “So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”’ Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, ‘What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, ‘The will of the Lord be done.’”
As Paul remained many days in Caesarea, the Lord once again brought prophetic confirmation of the dangers awaiting him. A certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. This was the same Agabus mentioned in Acts 11:28, who had previously predicted by the Spirit that a great famine would occur during the reign of Claudius Caesar. His earlier prophecy had come to pass exactly as spoken, establishing him as a reliable prophet. Now, in the same spirit and in the manner of Old Testament prophets, Agabus enacted a symbolic demonstration. Taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own hands and feet and declared, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”
This dramatic action mirrors the prophetic style of men such as Jeremiah, who wore a yoke to symbolize the coming captivity (Jeremiah 27:2), or Ezekiel, who lay on his side to portray the siege of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 4:4-6). God often used such enacted parables to impress the seriousness of His message. Here, the Spirit clearly revealed that Paul would be bound and handed over, and history confirms that this was precisely what happened.
However, while the prophecy itself was true and from the Holy Spirit, the reaction of those present went beyond what the Spirit had revealed. Verse 12 records, “Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.” Even Luke, Paul’s beloved companion, joined in the pleas. Out of love and fear for Paul’s safety, they interpreted the Spirit’s warning as a prohibition, rather than preparation. This is a crucial lesson: God’s revelation is perfect, but human interpretation can be flawed. The Spirit said Paul would be bound; the disciples concluded Paul should not go. That conclusion was not from the Spirit.
Paul, however, was unshaken. His response in verse 13 is deeply moving: “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Paul loved these brethren, and their tears pierced him, but his calling was settled. He was not courting suffering for its own sake, but he was fully prepared to endure it for Christ’s glory. This echoes his earlier words in Acts 20:24, “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
Here Paul demonstrates the distinction between recklessly seeking suffering and faithfully embracing God’s will even when it involves suffering. As Oswald Chambers rightly noted, “To choose to suffer means that there is something wrong; to choose God’s will even if it means suffering is a very different thing.” Jesus Himself modeled this in Gethsemane when He prayed, “Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). Paul was following his Lord’s example, choosing obedience regardless of personal cost.
Finally, when Paul’s companions realized he could not be persuaded, they resigned themselves, saying in verse 14, “The will of the Lord be done.” This surrender was not one of despair but of faith. They entrusted Paul to God’s sovereign will, recognizing that even if their understanding was limited, God’s purposes would stand. Their words recall the prayer Jesus taught His disciples: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
This episode warns us of a common error among believers: confusing our interpretation with God’s revelation. The Spirit may reveal trial, testing, or calling, and in our love we may add an application that God Himself did not give. Too often we seek to shield others from obedience when obedience brings pain. Yet Paul shows us the right posture—an unwavering commitment to God’s will, strengthened by the assurance that nothing, not even chains or death, could separate him from the love of Christ (Romans 8:38-39).
Departing Caesarea and Going Up to Jerusalem
(Acts 21:15-16) – “And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem. Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge.”
After the sobering warnings in Caesarea, Paul and his companions packed and finally set their faces toward Jerusalem. The expression “we packed” suggests deliberate preparation, showing that this was not a hasty move but a carefully considered and prayerful step of obedience. Despite the tears and pleadings of friends, Paul pressed forward. His resolve reveals his heart for his people, Israel. As he later wrote in Romans 9:1-3, “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh.” Every journey to Jerusalem carried the weight of this burden, for Paul longed to see his fellow Jews saved.
The disciples from Caesarea accompanied him, further demonstrating the unity of the church. Though they knew what awaited Paul, their loyalty and fellowship led them to share in his journey. This companionship reflects the biblical principle of bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). They did not abandon Paul to face his fate alone but chose to walk alongside him.
Luke also records the name of Mnason of Cyprus, with whom they were to lodge. Mnason is described as “an early disciple,” indicating that he had been a believer since the earliest days of the church. Considering the timeline, Paul’s arrival in Jerusalem likely took place around A.D. 57, roughly twenty-five years after Pentecost. Yet already there were those distinguished as early disciples—men and women who had followed Christ from the beginning. Mnason represents the first generation of believers, those who had witnessed the birth of the church and endured the trials of its earliest years.
That he was from Cyprus is also significant. Cyprus had been one of the early mission fields of the gospel (Acts 11:19-20, Acts 13:4-5). Perhaps Mnason was among those converted in those days, or possibly he was already a resident in Jerusalem who had come from Cyprus earlier. Regardless, his home became a place of refuge and fellowship for Paul and his team. Hospitality was a hallmark of the early church, and lodging with an established and faithful believer like Mnason ensured not only a place to stay but also the strengthening of fellowship and encouragement.
In a broader sense, Mnason’s presence reminds us of the continuity of the church. The gospel did not rest only on new converts or missionary zeal; it was sustained by those who remained steadfast from the beginning, whose faithfulness created stability and provided a bridge between generations of believers. His life illustrates what it means to endure, for Jesus said in Matthew 24:13, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
B. Paul Comes to Jerusalem
(Acts 21:17-20a) – “And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord.”
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Paul was warmly received by the brethren. This demonstrates that, despite the looming tensions, there was genuine fellowship and joy among the believers. The following day, Paul and his companions went in to meet with James, the half-brother of Jesus and the leader of the Jerusalem church, together with all the elders. This was not a casual visit but a formal meeting with the leadership of the mother church.
Luke tells us that Paul gave a detailed account of all that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. The Greek expression emphasizes recounting “every single detail,” suggesting that Paul carefully unfolded his missionary journeys, church plants, the miracles that confirmed the gospel, and the vast numbers of Gentiles who had come to faith in Christ. This thorough report was not Paul boasting of his own accomplishments, but magnifying the grace of God. He followed the same pattern he had established in Antioch in Acts 14:27, “Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.”
The response of James and the elders was worshipful. Luke records, “And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord.” They recognized that the conversion of the Gentiles was the direct work of God, not of man. Their thanksgiving was directed not toward Paul but toward the Lord, who alone deserves the glory. The presence of Gentile believers traveling with Paul further testified to the reality of this work. These Jewish elders could see firsthand the fruit of genuine faith and devotion in men who had once been strangers to the covenants of promise (Ephesians 2:12), but who were now fellow heirs in Christ.
(Acts 21:20b-22) – “And they said to him, ‘You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come.’”
The elders rejoiced at the advance of the gospel among the Gentiles, yet they immediately raised a pressing concern. They told Paul, “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.” In Jerusalem, the Christian community was overwhelmingly Jewish. Many of these Jewish believers, while trusting Christ for salvation, still cherished their heritage and traditions, remaining zealous for the Mosaic law. They did not view their Jewish identity as something to be discarded but as something fulfilled in Christ, yet still culturally valuable.
The problem was that rumors had spread about Paul. Verse 21 explains, “They have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.” These accusations were false. Paul never taught Jewish believers that it was inherently wrong to practice their cultural traditions. What Paul consistently taught was that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision commended anyone to God, for salvation was by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Galatians 5:6).
Romans 14:4-6 provides insight into Paul’s approach: “Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.”
Paul himself sometimes observed Jewish practices when it served the gospel and did not compromise grace. For example, in Acts 18:18, he took a vow, likely a Nazirite vow, demonstrating his willingness to honor Jewish customs when it was appropriate. However, Paul vehemently opposed any attempt to make such practices a requirement for salvation or a measure of righteousness before God. His teaching was not an attack on Moses but a defense of the sufficiency of Christ.
Because of the widespread misunderstanding, the elders concluded, “What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come.” In other words, Paul’s arrival would stir discussion, and the issue could not be ignored. They recognized that his presence in Jerusalem would draw attention, and unless addressed, the rumors would cause division. Their words show both concern for Paul’s safety and for the unity of the church.
The Leaders of the Jerusalem Church Make a Recommendation
(Acts 21:23-25) – “Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow. Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law. But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.”
The elders in Jerusalem, recognizing both the false accusations against Paul and the potentially explosive controversy his presence could cause, made a recommendation. They instructed Paul to participate in a public demonstration of loyalty to Jewish customs. Specifically, they said, “We have four men who have taken a vow. Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads.”
The vow in question was likely a Nazirite vow, which involved a period of consecration to the Lord, abstinence from wine and strong drink, avoidance of contact with dead bodies, and the letting of one’s hair grow long. At the conclusion of the vow, sacrifices were offered and the head was shaved, as outlined in Numbers 6. By joining these men in their purification and even paying their expenses—likely the cost of the sacrifices at the temple—Paul would make a very public statement. His actions would demonstrate that the charges against him, that he taught Jews to forsake Moses and abandon circumcision and Jewish customs, were unfounded.
The purpose is stated in verse 24: “That all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law.” This was not about salvation but about testimony. The elders hoped this visible act of participation in Jewish practice would calm fears and disprove the rumors that Paul was anti-Jewish.
Paul agreed to this recommendation. His willingness illustrates his heart for unity and his readiness to remove unnecessary stumbling blocks. He had already explained this principle in 1 Corinthians 9:20-22: “And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” By joining these men in their vow, Paul was not compromising the gospel but exercising his liberty to honor Jewish custom in order to avoid offense and win more to Christ.
The elders then added a vital clarification in verse 25: “But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.” This reaffirmed the earlier decision of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. The Gentiles were not required to keep the law of Moses or adopt Jewish customs. Salvation for both Jew and Gentile is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). The only requirements placed on Gentile believers were practical safeguards for fellowship and holiness: abstaining from idolatry, from consuming blood, from eating things strangled, and from sexual immorality. These restrictions emphasized purity and separation from pagan practices, not works-based righteousness.
This distinction is critical. Paul was willing to participate in Jewish rites himself to prove he did not despise the law, but he would not permit any suggestion that such observances were required for Gentiles. To impose the law upon Gentiles would be to pervert the gospel. Paul himself wrote in Galatians 2:16, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”
Thus, Paul’s compliance with the elders’ recommendation was not compromise but wisdom. He upheld the unity of the church, dispelled false accusations, and preserved the truth that salvation is in Christ alone.
Paul Sponsors and Joins in a Jewish Purification Rite
(Acts 21:26) – “Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.”
Paul, accepting the counsel of the elders in Jerusalem, took the four men who had made their vow and entered into their purification with them. By doing so, Paul demonstrated his willingness to respect Jewish customs without conceding an inch on the truth of the gospel. He did not see this as a betrayal of grace but as a means of showing that the rumors about him were false. He was not opposed to Jewish Christians observing elements of the law if they desired, so long as no one imagined such observances could make them righteous before God.
Some have argued that Paul compromised here, even calling his actions hypocritical. But his motives are best understood through his own words in 1 Corinthians 9:20: “And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law.” Paul never presented Jewish customs as necessary for salvation, but he was willing to adopt them when it served the gospel and promoted unity. As Clarke noted, Paul had taught that ceremonies were not destructive in themselves, but only dangerous if anyone depended on them for salvation. In this light, Paul’s actions were consistent with his principle of removing stumbling blocks to reach people with the truth of Christ.
Luke also records that Paul entered the temple to announce “the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.” This included the presentation of animal sacrifices, as prescribed in the Law for the completion of a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:13-20). Yet it is critical to understand that not every Old Testament sacrifice was for atonement. Some were sacrifices of thanksgiving, dedication, or fellowship. Paul never believed that these sacrifices atoned for sin or rivaled the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ. He knew and had proclaimed clearly that only the blood of Jesus provides true atonement: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
Therefore, Paul’s participation was not theological compromise but a symbolic act of dedication, aligning himself with his Jewish brothers to show that faith in Christ does not require abandoning all cultural identity. For Paul, the cross of Christ stood alone as the only basis of salvation, yet he could still honor his heritage in ways that did not distort or undermine the gospel.
This moment underscores Paul’s remarkable balance—unyielding on doctrine, but flexible on matters of culture and conscience. He would never allow Jewish customs to be imposed on Gentile believers, but he was willing to embrace those customs himself if it could promote peace, strengthen fellowship, or open doors for the gospel.
Jews from Asia Stir a Mob Against Paul
(Acts 21:27-30) – “Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, ‘Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.’ (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.”
As Paul completed his days of purification, disaster struck. Jews from Asia, likely from Ephesus where Paul had ministered extensively, saw him in the temple. These men knew Paul well and despised his message of salvation through Christ alone. Seeing him in the holy place, they seized the opportunity to incite violence. They stirred up the crowd, laying hands on Paul, and cried out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place.”
Their accusations were serious, but entirely false. Paul never taught against Israel, the law, or the temple. He taught that Israel’s privileges pointed to Christ, that the law was fulfilled in Christ, and that the temple was but a shadow of the greater reality of God dwelling with His people through the Spirit. What Paul rejected was the misuse of these sacred gifts as a basis for righteousness. He insisted that justification is by faith in Christ alone. To those clinging to self-righteousness, this felt like an attack, but in reality Paul honored the true meaning of the law and temple by pointing to the One who fulfilled them.
Their charges echoed the accusations brought against Stephen in Acts 6:13: “They also set up false witnesses who said, ‘This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.’” Paul, who once stood consenting to Stephen’s death (Acts 8:1), now faced the same charges. This irony was not lost on Luke’s narrative—Paul was reaping the same kind of persecution he once approved of, yet this time as a faithful witness of Christ.
The mob further inflamed the crowd with the claim that Paul had brought Gentiles into the temple courts. Luke clarifies in verse 29: “For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.” Their assumption was entirely false, but in their prejudice it was enough to condemn Paul. The temple courts had strict boundaries. Gentiles were permitted only in the outer court, known as the Court of the Gentiles. Beyond this point, an inscription warned in both Greek and Latin: “No foreigner may enter within the barricade which surrounds the temple and enclosure. Anyone who is caught trespassing will bear personal responsibility for his ensuing death.” Archaeologists have discovered such inscriptions, confirming the deadly seriousness of this prohibition. Rome, normally protective of its citizens, even allowed Jews to execute violators of this boundary—even Roman citizens.
The city, already crowded with pilgrims for the feast (Acts 20:16), quickly descended into chaos. Luke says, “And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.” The shutting of the temple doors symbolized the rejection of Paul and the gospel he preached. The people, thinking they were defending the sanctity of the temple, in reality were rejecting the very fulfillment of its purpose—Christ Himself.
This moment reveals the tragic blindness of unbelief. The temple, meant to point Israel to God’s presence and provision, was now the setting where they rejected His messenger. The people thought Paul defiled the holy place, but in truth their violence and rejection of the gospel profaned it far more deeply.
Roman Soldiers Rescue Paul
(Acts 21:31-36) – “Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done. And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another. So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks. When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, ‘Away with him!’”
The mob in Jerusalem, inflamed by false accusations, was not content merely to drive Paul out of the temple precincts. Verse 31 tells us, “Now as they were seeking to kill him.” Their intent was murder, and Paul was again at the mercy of violent opposition, much like he had experienced in Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Thessalonica, and Corinth (Acts 14:5, 19; Acts 17:5). Paul, bloodied and beaten, must have thought once again that his earthly life was at its end.
But God, in His providence, used the Roman military presence to preserve Paul’s life. News reached the commander of the garrison that “all Jerusalem was in an uproar.” The Antonia Fortress, stationed at the northwest corner of the temple mount, housed a cohort of Roman soldiers—over five hundred troops—whose task was to ensure order, especially during feast days when Jerusalem swelled with pilgrims. Only a few flights of stairs separated the garrison from the temple courts, allowing soldiers to intervene quickly in riots.
The commander immediately dispatched centurions and soldiers, and as soon as the mob saw them, “they stopped beating Paul.” This was not out of compassion but out of fear of Roman reprisal. Rome did not tolerate disorder, and the sudden appearance of armed soldiers struck enough fear into the crowd to halt their assault.
The commander took hold of Paul, not as a gesture of sympathy, but as a means of restoring order. He ordered Paul to be bound with “two chains,” likely fastening him to a soldier on each side. In that moment, Paul must have remembered the prophetic warning of Agabus in Acts 21:11: “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” What had been foretold was now coming to pass.
The commander attempted to ascertain the situation, asking who Paul was and what he had done. Yet the crowd was in such a frenzy that verse 34 reports, “And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another.” This confusion mirrored the chaos at Jesus’ trial, when false witnesses contradicted one another (Mark 14:56). Unable to discover the truth in the uproar, the commander ordered Paul to be brought into the barracks for questioning.
The situation was so volatile that when Paul reached the stairs leading up into the fortress, “he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob.” The image is striking: the apostle, physically broken and surrounded by hostile voices, literally borne by soldiers as the enraged multitude surged forward. The crowd continued their furious chant, crying out, “Away with him!”
For Paul, these words must have carried a chilling familiarity. Years earlier, he had stood with another mob shouting down a faithful witness—Stephen—consenting to his death (Acts 7:54–8:1). And even more, these same words echoed the cry of Jerusalem’s crowd against Jesus: “And they all cried out at once, saying, ‘Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas’” (Luke 23:18); “But they cried out, ‘Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!’” (John 19:15). The very steps upon which Paul now stood had heard that same murderous cry directed at the Savior nearly three decades earlier.
As Bruce observed, “The shout ‘Away with him!’ which pursued Paul as he was carried up the steps was the shout with which Jesus’ death had been demanded not far from that spot some twenty-seven years before.” Boice adds clarity: the mob did not mean merely “take him away from this place,” but rather, “remove him from the earth.” Their intent was death, just as with Stephen and with Christ.
Thus, Paul stood in the footsteps of his Lord, suffering false accusation, violent rejection, and a murderous mob—yet preserved by the hand of God through Roman soldiers. What the crowd meant for destruction, God was using to advance the gospel, for Paul’s chains would ultimately take him to Rome itself.
Paul Speaks to the Roman Commander
(Acts 21:37-39) – “Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, ‘May I speak to you?’ He replied, ‘Can you speak Greek? Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?’ But Paul said, ‘I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.’”
As Paul was being led into the barracks, he demonstrated remarkable composure. Instead of pleading for his life or crying out in pain, he addressed the commander politely: “May I speak to you?” This surprised the Roman officer, who had assumed Paul was an Egyptian revolutionary. Josephus records that an Egyptian false prophet had recently led four thousand followers to the Mount of Olives, claiming they would overthrow the temple by supernatural power. The Romans had crushed the rebellion, but the leader had escaped. The commander suspected Paul was this fugitive.
Paul’s ability to speak fluent Greek immediately distinguished him from the rabble the commander assumed he was dealing with. His calm tone and educated phrasing further showed that he was not a violent agitator but a man of learning. Paul then identified himself: “I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city.” Tarsus was a renowned cultural and educational center of the Roman world, famous for its universities and philosophy schools. By declaring his origin, Paul placed himself in a completely different category than a suspected insurrectionist.
But Paul’s concern was not primarily for his safety. Instead, he said, “I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.” Even after being beaten nearly to death by the mob, Paul’s chief desire was to preach Christ. His passion for the gospel overrode self-preservation. This recalls his words in 1 Corinthians 9:16, “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” The Spirit enabled Paul to think and speak clearly in the most dire of circumstances, and his heart burned to use this moment of public attention for the glory of Christ.
Paul Is Permitted to Address the Mob
(Acts 21:40) – “So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying…”
The commander surprisingly granted Paul permission to speak. He had bound Paul with chains, believing him to be a dangerous criminal, yet he hoped that allowing him to speak might quiet the restless crowd. Paul stood on the stairs of the Antonia Fortress overlooking the temple courts, the very place where the mob had just tried to kill him. Lifting his chained hand, he made a sweeping motion that commanded silence. Miraculously, the riotous mob fell quiet, waiting to hear what he would say.
Paul chose to address them in the Hebrew language, likely Aramaic, the common tongue of the Jewish people. By doing so, he immediately identified himself with his fellow Jews rather than with his Roman protectors. He met them on common cultural ground, showing respect for their heritage. This was a powerful rhetorical choice, for it underscored his Jewish identity and his deep connection to their shared faith and history.
This was the opportunity Paul had longed for—a chance to bear witness to his people in Jerusalem. In Romans 9:1-3 he wrote, “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh.” Paul’s passion for the salvation of Israel burned within him, and now he had the stage he had prayed for, though at great personal cost.
The scene also reveals striking parallels between Paul and Jesus:
Like Jesus, Paul traveled to Jerusalem with disciples.
Like Jesus, Paul faced hostility from the Jewish leaders and people.
Like Jesus, Paul received repeated predictions of his suffering in Jerusalem, including being handed over to the Gentiles.
Like Jesus, Paul’s followers tried to dissuade him from going to Jerusalem.
Like Jesus, Paul declared his readiness to lay down his life.
Like Jesus, Paul surrendered himself to the will of God.
Like Jesus, Paul was arrested based on false accusations.
Like Jesus, Paul heard the mob cry, “Away with him!”
Like Jesus, the Roman officer in charge did not understand his true identity.
Paul thus entered into the “fellowship of His sufferings” (Philippians 3:10), sharing in the pattern of Christ’s rejection and persecution. While Paul’s defense in the next chapter would differ from Jesus’ silence before Pilate, the parallels highlight the way every faithful servant of Christ is conformed to the image of the Son (Romans 8:29).
This dramatic moment set the stage for one of Paul’s most personal and powerful defenses of the gospel. From the stairs of the fortress, he would speak to his fellow Jews not as an enemy, but as one of their own, pleading with them to see Christ as the fulfillment of their hope.
