31. The people were trying to kill Paul. But news reached the commander of the Roman troops. He heard that people were making trouble in the whole city of Jerusalem.
32. At once he took some officers and soldiers with him. They ran down to the crowd. The people causing the trouble saw the commander and his soldiers. So they stopped beating Paul.
33. The commander came up and arrested Paul. He ordered him to be held with two chains. Then he asked who Paul was and what he had done.
34. Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another. But the commander couldn't get the facts because of all the noise. So he ordered that Paul be taken into the fort.
35. Paul reached the steps. But then the mob became so wild that he had to be carried by the soldiers.
36. The crowd that followed kept shouting, "Kill him!"
37. The soldiers were about to take Paul into the fort. Then he asked the commander, "May I say something to you?" "Do you speak Greek?" he replied.
38. "Aren't you the Egyptian who turned some of our people against their leaders? Didn't you lead 4,000 terrorists out into the desert some time ago?"
39. Paul answered, "I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia. I am a citizen of an important city. Please let me speak to the people."