“And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language” (Acts 21:40 ESV)

Even though Paul was beaten and falsely accused by a mob in Jerusalem, he was still determined to tell them the story of his conversion on the road to Damascus. The only reason he was in the Temple area was because the apostle James had asked him to take part in a Jewish purification rite in order to show his observance of the law to those who accused him otherwise. Paul’s submission to Christ and to the apostle James is in view here. Paul was a man under authority. So, when his life was threatened, instead of making a plea for his own life, he made a plea for those who persecuted him, that they might hear and believe the gospel.