Scarcely had the Apostle shown himself than some Jews, who had come up from Asia for the festival, saw him, and pointed him out to their fanatical companions as one who despised the law and profaned the temple. A terrible uproar followed, and seizing the Apostle, they cried, "Men of Israel, help: this is the man that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place, and moreover hath brought in Gentiles into the temple, violating this holy place."
St. Paul was thus dragged from the temple to the outer court, and the gates were closed, while the angry people began beating their prisoner, and would certainly have killed him had not word been taken to the Roman tribune Lysias, who sent soldiers and centurions down to the scene of contest.
Lysias readily believed that the Apostle had committed some serious offence, nevertheless, however guilty, it was not lawful for the mob to punish him, so the soldiers were ordered to bring him in chains to receive judgment. When the captain enquired what was the charge against the prisoner, there was such a confusion that he could not discover the truth, and therefore bade the soldiers lead St. Paul to the castle, the angry crowd following, with cries of "Away with him. Away with him."
When the Apostle was brought into the castle, he turned to Lysias, and asked if he might speak with him, who replied, "Canst thou speak Greek?" Upon hearing that St. Paul was a Jew of Tarsus, he acceded to his request that he might address the people.
"Men, brethren, and fathers," began St. Paul, using the Hebrew language, which was spoken in Jerusalem, and in a moment the tumult was hushed and every ear strained to listen.
The Apostle gave them a sketch of his early history, telling them how he once hated and persecuted the Christians, and then of his wondrous journey to Damascus—of his blindness, and its cure.
He passed on to his first visit to Jerusalem, spoke of his vision in the temple, when the Lord Jesus appeared to him, and bade him depart and preach to the Gentiles.
The crowd had heard him thus far with silent attention, but now their rage burst forth afresh. Were they, the sons of Abraham, to be left for the despised Gentiles? They would not suffer such words to be spoken, and once more they cry, "Away with him." Away with such an one from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live.