The Hatred Shown to Christ Repeated Against Paul

But although the charge was completely false, it served to stir up popular prejudice. Wild excitement spread through Jerusalem. “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. Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.” Claudius Lysias “immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.” Seeing that the crowd’s rage was directed at Paul, the Roman captain “took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done.” Immediately many voices rose in loud and angry accusation. “So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks. ... For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, ‘Away with him!’”ULe 148.6

Paul was calm and self-possessed. He knew that angels of heaven were around him. As he was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the chief captain, “May I speak to you?” Lysias responded, “Are you not the Egyptian who ... stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?”ULe 149.1

In reply 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.”ULe 149.2