And 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.
αλλοι δε αλλο τι εβοων εν τω οχλω μη δυναμενος δε γνωναι το ασφαλες δια τον θορυβον εκελευσεν αγεσθαι αυτον εις την παρεμβολην
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Since they saw that the followers of the new grace observed the precepts of the law less and performed the temple rites less often, they feared, as it says in the Gospel, that the Romans would come and destroy their place and nation (see Jn 11:48).
The Apostle was seized, and the enraged crowd would have torn him apart if the tribune, Lysias (Acts 23:26), commander of the Jerusalem garrison, had not heard of the popular disturbance and come to the scene with part of the troops entrusted to him. Thinking Paul truly guilty of something, the tribune approached, took him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then, unable to learn what the prisoner was accused of because of the disorderly shouting of the people, he ordered him to be brought into the fortress.
Having taken him into custody, Lysias asked him "who he was and what he had done." In answer, such disorderly cries arose in the crowd that nothing could be understood. Despairing of learning anything definite in such circumstances, Lysias ordered the Apostle to be led into the barracks.
Because of the confusion, he could learn nothing certain. As usually happens in such cases, cf. Acts 19:32, some shouted one thing and others another.
This was all the more so because more than one slander had been brought against Paul. Some repeated one accusation and others another, surely with embellishments, as happens in such cases.
Consequently, the tribune ordered the bound Paul to be led into the fortress. Judging by the Greek word, this means the part of the fortress of Antonia where the Roman troops’ quarters, or barracks, were located.
There he hoped to learn from the prisoner himself who he was. By this same taking, or arrest, of Paul, he removed from the rebellious crowd the occasion for continuing the disturbance.
For however large the crowd was, and however enraged, it still could not dare attack the fortress in order to release from there the man it hated and tear him apart.
The tribune had the Apostle Paul led into the fortress in order to protect him from the attack of the crowd. To satisfy the crowd, chains were also put on Paul, especially since his innocence could not be determined at once.
The binding of the supposed criminal could calm even his fiercest enemies. Therefore it may be said that the commander acted prudently. Besides this, he had his own fears, which he later disclosed to Paul; v. 38.
“The fortress into which Paul was ordered to be led, judging by the Greek word παρεμβολή, means that part of the fortress of Antonia where the Roman soldiers’ quarters, or barracks, were located.
There the tribune hoped to learn from the prisoner himself who he was. By this same taking, or arrest, of Paul, he removed from the rebellious crowd the occasion for continuing the disturbance.
For however large the crowd was, and however enraged, it still could not dare attack the fortress in order to release from there the man it hated and tear him apart.”
When the seized Apostle was in mortal danger, the tribune snatched him from their hands. Then, at the Apostle's request, he allowed him to speak to the people from the steps (Acts 21:40).
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 24 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS