What does Acts 22:10 mean?
Upon the completion of his third missionary journey, Paul has returned to Jerusalem to give an update to the apostles and the elders of the church. With him are several Jewish and Gentile Jesus-followers who have brought support from their home congregations for the Jerusalem church (Acts 20:4; Romans 15:26). One of these is Trophimus, with whom Paul walked through Jerusalem. Jews from the same province as Trophimus saw him with Paul, and later saw Paul in the temple. They falsely assume Paul brought Trophimus—a Gentile—into the temple. They drag Paul away and incite the crowd to pound on him. Roman soldiers rescue Paul who is now explaining to the mob why he was with Trophimus in the city (Acts 21:27–40).Paul is telling about his conversion, how he started with strict Pharisee training that led him to persecute Christians, even chasing them to Damascus. While Paul was on the road to Damascus, Jesus arrived in a great light and accused Paul of persecuting Him. Blinded, Paul entered Damascus and spent three days fasting until a man named Ananias arrived and led him to believe in Jesus (Acts 9:1–19; 22:3–9, 11–13).
When Paul eventually returned to Jerusalem, his old associates did not welcome his conversion and tried to kill him. Paul went to the temple to pray (Acts 22:17–18). Jesus told him the Jews would no longer accept him, so he would be His witness to the Gentiles (Acts 9:28–30; 22:21). Trophimus is one of those Gentiles.
