Acts 21:29

29 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they thought that Paul had brought into the temple.)

Acts 21:29 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 21:29

For they had seen before with him in the city
Not of Ephesus, but of Jerusalem:

Trophimus an Ephesian;
the same that is mentioned in ( Acts 20:4 ) whom these Jews of Asia, and who very probably were inhabitants of Ephesus, knew very well to be a Gentile:

whom they supposed Paul had brought into the temple;
for seeing him walk with the apostle very familiarly through the streets of Jerusalem, they concluded from thence, that he took him with him into the temple, which was a very rash and ill grounded conclusion; and which shows the malignity and virulence of their minds, and how ready they were to make use of any opportunity, and take up any occasion against him, even a bare surmise, and which had no show of probability in it; for it can never be thought, that while Paul was using methods to remove the prejudices of the Jews against him, he should take such a step as this, to introduce a Gentile into the holy place, which he knew was unlawful, and would greatly irritate and provoke them.

Acts 21:29 In-Context

27 But when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia who had seen him in the temple [courts] stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,

28 shouting, "Israelite men, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place! And furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!"

29 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they thought that Paul had brought into the temple.)

30 And the whole city was stirred up, and the people came running together, and they seized Paul [and] dragged him outside of the temple [courts], and immediately the doors were shut.

31 And [as they] were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the military tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.