18 amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Certain Jews from Asia - Acts 21:27.
Found me purified in the temple - Acts 21:26-27. They found me engaged in the sacred service of completing the observance of my vow.
Neither with multitude - Not having introduced a multitude with me - in a quiet and peaceful manner.
Found me purified in the temple - And the Jews of Asia, who stirred up the persecution against me in Jerusalem, found me purified in the temple, regularly performing the religious vow into which I had entered; giving no cause for suspicion; for I made no tumult, nor had I any number of people with me, by whom I could have accomplished any seditious purpose.
(k) Whereupon certain Jews from (l) Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
(k) And while I was occupied with those things.
(l) By this it is evident that these from Asia were Paul's enemies, and the ones that stirred up the people against him.
Whereupon,.... Or "among which"; while the apostle was busy about the offerings of the Nazarites:
certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple; and therefore could not be said to profane it; this he observes in answer to the charge of his attempting to profane it, and acquaints the governor how that was; as that having joined himself to four men that had a vow upon them, and being in the temple purifying himself with them, certain Jews that came from Ephesus, in Asia, who knew him there, and had a pique against him, found him here; not profaning the temple, as they pretended, but acting according to the worship and service of it; and that,
neither with a multitude; for there were but four men with him;
nor with tumult; making any noise and riot, or stirring up persons to sedition and rebellion.
found me purified in the temple--not polluting it, therefore, by my own presence, and neither gathering a crowd nor raising a stir: If then these Asiatic Jews have any charge to bring against me in justification of their arrest of me, why are they not here to substantiate it?
*More commentary available at chapter level.