Although Phillips gives a rather literal rendering of the Greek “to go in among the crowd,” this leaves a wrong impression of Paul’s intention. What Paul actually wanted to do was to go before the crowd (New English Bible “to appear before the assembly”), and he probably had hopes of reasoning with them (see Jerusalem Bible “Paul wanted to make an appeal to the people”). However, as is later pointed out by the city clerk, this was not a legal meeting (v. 39), and it is very possible that Paul’s life would have been in danger had he appeared before the crowd at this time. Believers is literally “disciples.”

In order to indicate clearly Paul’s intent in going before the crowd, it may be necessary to say “to go before the crowd in order to speak to them.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .