Acts 21:40
And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying, And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
In the midst of tumult Paul remained calm and self-possessed, with his mind stayed upon God and angels about him, resolved not to leave without setting truth before his countrymen. God had given him influence over the Roman officer, so his deferential request in Greek to speak to the people was granted as permission. After receiving permission he stood on the stairs and beckoned with his hand to the people, a gesture that attracted attention while his bearing commanded respect.
A great silence and quiet then fell over the people. The quiet came as suddenly as when the temple courts were cleared of traffickers. He spoke to the throng in the Hebrew tongue. At the sound of that familiar holy language the people kept even more silence, and in that universal hush he began his defense.