14 1 Paul and Barnabas 5 are persecuted at Iconium: 6 At Lystra Paul  10 healeth a cripple: 13 They are about to do sacrifice unto them, 18 but they forbid it. 19 Paul by the persuasion of certain Jews, is stoned: 23 From thence passing through divers Churches,  26 they return to Antioch.

And [a]it came to pass in [b]Iconium, that they went both together into the Synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Grecians believed.

And the [c]unbelieving Jews stirred up, and corrupted the minds of the Gentiles against the brethren.

[d]So therefore they abode there a long time, and spake boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and caused signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

But the multitude of the city was divided: and some were with the Jews, and some with the Apostles.

And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and of the Jews with their rulers, to do them violence, and to stone them,

They were ware of it, and [e]fled unto Lystra, and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region round about,

And there preached the Gospel.

[f]Now there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, which was a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked.

He heard Paul speak: who beholding him and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped up, and walked.

11 Then when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter: and Paul Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

13 Then Jupiter’s Priest, which was before their city, brought bulls with garlands unto the [g]gates, and would have sacrificed with the people.

14 But when the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul heard it, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying,

15 [h]And saying, O men, why do ye these things? We are even men subject to the [i]like passions that ye be, and preach unto you, that ye should turn from these [j]vain things unto the living God, (A)which made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that in them are:

16 [k]Who in times past (B)[l]suffered all the Gentiles to walk in their own ways.

17 Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food, and gladness.

18 And speaking these things, scarce appeased they the multitude, that they had not sacrificed unto them.

19 [m]Then there came certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, which when they had persuaded the people, (C)stoned Paul, and drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he arose up, and came into the city, and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

21 [n]And after they had preached the glad tidings of the Gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch.

22 [o]Confirming the disciples hearts, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, affirming that we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdom of God.

23 [p]And when they had ordained them Elders by election in every Church, and prayed, and fasted, they commended them to the Lord in whom they believed.

24 [q]Thus they went throughout Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia.

25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they came down to [r]Attalia,

26 And thence sailed to [s]Antioch, (D)from whence they had been commended unto the grace of God, to the work, which they had fulfilled.

27 And when they were come and had gathered the Church together, they rehearsed all the things that God had done by them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

28 So there they abode a long time with the disciples.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 14:1 We ought to be no less constant in preaching of the Gospel, than the perverseness of the wicked is obstinate in persecuting of it.
  2. Acts 14:1 Iconium was a city of Lycaonia.
  3. Acts 14:2 Which obeyed not the doctrine.
  4. Acts 14:3 We ought not to leave our places and give place to threatenings, neither to open rage, but when there is no other remedy, and that not for our own quietness’ sake, but that the Gospel of Christ may be spread further abroad.
  5. Acts 14:6 It is lawful sometimes to flee dangers, in time convenient.
  6. Acts 14:8 It is an old subtlety of the devil, either to cause the faithful servants of God to be banished at once, or to be worshipped for idols: and that chiefly taking occasion by miracles wrought by them.
  7. Acts 14:13 Of the house where Paul and Barnabas were.
  8. Acts 14:15 That is also called idolatry, which giveth to creatures, be they never so holy and excellent, that which is proper to the only one God, that is invocation or calling upon.
  9. Acts 14:15 Men, as ye are, and partakers of the selfsame nature of man as you.
  10. Acts 14:15 He calleth idols vain things, after the manner of the Hebrews.
  11. Acts 14:16 Custom, be it never so old, doth not excuse the idolaters.
  12. Acts 14:16 Suffered them to live as they listed, prescribing and appointing them no kind of religion.
  13. Acts 14:19 The devil when he is brought to the last cast, at length rageth openly, but in vain, even then when he seemeth to have the upper hand.
  14. Acts 14:21 We must go forward in our vocation through a thousand deaths.
  15. Acts 14:22 It is the office of the ministers, not only to teach, but also to confirm them that are taught, and prepare them to the cross.
  16. Acts 14:23 The Apostles committed the Churches which they had planted, to proper and peculiar Pastors, which they made not rashly, but with prayers and fastings going before: neither did they thrust them upon Churches through bribery or lordly superiority, but chose and placed them by the voice of the congregation.
  17. Acts 14:24 Paul and Barnabas having made an end of their peregrination, and being returned to Antioch, do render an account to the Congregation or Church.
  18. Acts 14:25 Attalia was a sea city of Pamphylia, near to Lycia.
  19. Acts 14:26 Antioch of Syria.

In Iconium

14 At Iconium(A) Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue.(B) There they spoke so effectively that a great number(C) of Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.(D) So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly(E) for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.(F) The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles.(G) There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews,(H) together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them.(I) But they found out about it and fled(J) to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, where they continued to preach(K) the gospel.(L)

In Lystra and Derbe

In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth(M) and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed(N) 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!”(O) At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.(P)

11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”(Q) 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.(R) 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes(S) and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human,(T) like you. We are bringing you good news,(U) telling you to turn from these worthless things(V) to the living God,(W) who made the heavens and the earth(X) and the sea and everything in them.(Y) 16 In the past, he let(Z) all nations go their own way.(AA) 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony:(AB) He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons;(AC) he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”(AD) 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

19 Then some Jews(AE) came from Antioch and Iconium(AF) and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul(AG) and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples(AH) had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

The Return to Antioch in Syria

21 They preached the gospel(AI) in that city and won a large number(AJ) of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium(AK) and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.(AL) “We must go through many hardships(AM) to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders[a](AN) for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting,(AO) committed them to the Lord,(AP) in whom they had put their trust. 24 After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia,(AQ) 25 and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

26 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch,(AR) where they had been committed to the grace of God(AS) for the work they had now completed.(AT) 27 On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them(AU) and how he had opened a door(AV) of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.(AW)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 14:23 Or Barnabas ordained elders; or Barnabas had elders elected