As Paul was completing his seven days of purification within the temple, Jews from Asia falsely accused him of being against the people, the law, and the temple (v. 28), as well as defiling the temple. As a result, a riot ensued, and Paul was carried to safety by the intervention of Roman soldiers. This portion of Scripture marks a turning point in Luke’s narrative. For the rest of Acts Paul will be in chains and the focus will move away from the Jews to the Gentiles, and away from Jerusalem to Rome. In this passage Paul shows us that calm courage results when we trust God in the seemingly unfair, purposeless, and difficult circumstances of life.
- Unfair charge (vv. 27-29)
- Unfair treatment (vv. 30-31a)
- Divine deliverance (vv. 31b-36)
- Calm courage (vv. 37-39)