Acts 21 & 22

The temple consisted of three separate courts.

• The innermost court was the Court of Israel where Jewish men could offer their sacrifices. Only consecrated priest actually entered the temple building itself, and only the high priest could enter the inner sanctuary of the Most Holy Place- and then only once a year on the Day of Atonement.
• The second court was the Court of the Women where Jewish families could gather for prayer and worship.
• The outer court was the Court of the Gentiles, open to anyone who wanted to worship God. If any Gentile went beyond the barrier into the second court, he or she would be put to death. The Roman authorities, out of respect for the Jewish religion, authorized the death sentence for this trespass even for their own Roman citizens.