next day Paul went with us to see James, and all the elders of the
church were present. After Paul had greeted them, he told, one by one,
all the things that God had done among the foreign peoples through his
ministry. When they heard it they praised God and said to him, "Brother,
you see how many thousands of Christian believers there are among the
Jews and that they are all eager to have men keep the law. They have
been told that you teach all Jews living in foreign lands not to keep
the law of Moses. Now what is to be done? They will certainly hear that
you have come; therefore do this: we have here four men who have
solemnly promised to make certain offerings at the Temple. Join with
them, pay their expenses, and all will know that there is no truth in
the stories told about you, but that you live as the law of Moses
commands."

So Paul joined the men the next day and went with them into the Temple
to give notice of the time when sacrifice was to be offered for every
one of them.

PAUL'S NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH

The seven days during which the men had promised to make special
offerings were almost over when some Jews from Asia, who saw Paul in the
Temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, shouting, "Men
of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men, everywhere, to
despise the Jewish people, the Jewish law, and this sacred place." So
the whole city was aroused. The people rushed together, seized Paul, and
dragged him outside the Temple; and at once the doors were closed.

The people were trying to kill Paul when it was reported to the
commander of the soldiers that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He at
once took some soldiers and officers and rushed down among them. When
they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then
the commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with
two chains, and inquired, "Who is he and what has he done?" Some of the
crowd shouted one thing, some another; and as the commander could not
learn the real truth on account of the uproar, he ordered Paul to be
taken to the castle. When Paul reached the steps, he had to be carried
by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd, for all the
people followed, shouting, "Kill him!"

Just as Paul was being taken into the castle, he said to the commander,
"May I say something to you?" The commander said: "Do you speak Greek?
Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago st