Paul’s experiences in Jerusalem are recorded in Acts 21:17–23:30. When Paul and his companions arrived in Jerusalem, the believers welcomed them warmly. Paul met with James and the elders of the church and reported everything God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. The leaders praised God for the growth of the church.
However, not everyone in Jerusalem was happy about Paul’s work. Many Jews from the province of Asia had heard rumors about him. They believed that Paul taught Jews to abandon the Law of Moses and that he spoke against the temple. These misunderstandings soon led to serious trouble Sofia City Tour.
False Accusations in the Temple
While Paul was in the temple, some Jews from Asia recognized him. They stirred up the crowd and accused Paul of bringing Gentiles into the inner courts of the temple. This was a serious charge, even though it was not true. The angry crowd seized Paul and began to beat him. Many people wanted to kill him.
News of the disturbance quickly reached the Roman commander stationed at the nearby fortress. He rushed to the scene with soldiers and rescued Paul from the crowd. Although the soldiers saved Paul’s life, they also arrested him to find out the cause of the riot.
Paul’s Speech to the Crowd
As Paul was being taken into the fortress, he asked permission to speak to the crowd. The commander agreed. Standing on the steps, Paul spoke to the people in the Hebrew language. This caught their attention, and the crowd became quiet Pauls Final Travels Through Macedonia and Greece.
Paul shared his personal testimony. He explained how he had once persecuted Christians and how Jesus Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Paul described his conversion and his calling to serve God. However, when Paul said that Jesus had sent him to preach to the Gentiles, the crowd became furious again. They shouted, threw dust into the air, and demanded his death.
Paul’s Roman Citizenship
The Roman commander ordered that Paul be taken inside and questioned under whipping. As they prepared to scourge him, Paul asked if it was legal to beat a Roman citizen without a trial. This question shocked the officers. Roman citizenship gave Paul special legal protection.
When the commander learned that Paul was a Roman citizen by birth, he became afraid. He immediately stopped the punishment. Paul’s citizenship once again protected his life.
Appearance Before the Sanhedrin
The next day, the commander brought Paul before the Jewish council, known as the Sanhedrin. Paul spoke boldly and declared that he was on trial because of his hope in the resurrection of the dead. This statement caused division among the council members.
The Pharisees believed in the resurrection, but the Sadducees did not. A fierce argument broke out between the two groups. Some Pharisees even defended Paul, saying that he had done nothing wrong. The argument became so violent that the Roman soldiers had to rescue Paul once more.
The Plot Against Paul’s Life
That night, the Lord encouraged Paul and told him that he would testify about Jesus in Rome, just as he had done in Jerusalem. Soon after, more than forty Jews made a vow not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. They planned an ambush and asked the religious leaders to help them.
Paul’s nephew heard about the plot and warned the Roman commander. Acting quickly, the commander arranged for Paul to be taken to Caesarea under heavy guard. That same night, Paul was sent safely to Caesarea to stand before Felix, the Roman governor.
