By the Jewish law it was a crime punishable with death for an uncircumcised person to enter the inner courts of the sacred edifice. Paul had been seen in the city in company with Trophimus, an Ephesian, and it was conjectured that he had brought him into the temple. This he had not done; and being himself a Jew, his act in entering the temple was no violation of the law. But though the charge was wholly false, it served to arouse the popular prejudice. As the cry was taken up and borne through the temple courts, the throngs gathered there were thrown into wild excitement. The news quickly spread through Jerusalem, “and all the city was moved, and the people ran together.” Acts 21:30. (AA 407.1) MC VC

That an apostate from Israel should presume to profane the temple at the very time when thousands had come there from all parts of the world to worship, excited the fiercest passions of the mob. “They took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.” Acts 21:30. (AA 407.2) MC VC

“As they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.” Acts 21:31. Claudius Lysias well knew the turbulent elements with which he had to deal, and he “immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.” Acts 21:32. Ignorant of the cause of the tumult, but seeing that the rage of the multitude was directed against Paul, the Roman captain concluded that he must be a certain Egyptian rebel of whom he had heard, who had thus far escaped capture. He therefore “took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.” Acts 21:33. At once many voices were raised in loud and angry accusation; “some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.” Acts 21:34~36. (AA 407.3) MC VC