Acts 21:35

35 And when he came to the steps, it happened that he had to be carried by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd,

Acts 21:35 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 21:35

And when he came upon the stairs
Or steps, which led up to the castle; for it was built upon a very high place, as appears from the account of it in the preceding verse; to which agrees what Aristaeas ^F7 says of it in the following words;

``in order to have knowledge of all things, we went up to a castle adjoining to the city, which is situated in a very high place, fortified with very high towers, built with large stones, as we supposed for the preservation of the places about the temple, if there should be any lying in wait, or tumult, or enemies should enter; so that none might be able to make way in at the walls about the temple; for in the towers of the castle lay very sharp darts and various instruments, and the place was upon a very great eminence.''

So it was that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the
people:
the sense is, either that the crowd of the people was so great, and they so pressed upon Paul and the soldiers that conducted him, that he was even thrown upon them, and bore up by them; or else such was the rage of the people against him, that the soldiers were obliged to take him up in their arms, and carry him, in order to secure him from being tore in pieces by them.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F7 Hist. de 70 Interpret. p. 36. Ed. Oxon.

Acts 21:35 In-Context

33 Then the military tribune came up [and] arrested him and ordered [him] to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what it was that he had done.

34 But some in the crowd were shouting one thing [and] others [another], and [because] he was not able to find out the truth on account of the commotion, he gave orders to bring him into the barracks.

35 And when he came to the steps, it happened that he had to be carried by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd,

36 for the crowd of people was following [them], shouting, "Away with him!"

37 And [as he] was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the military tribune, "Is it permitted for me to say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek?