Acts 14
14
Paul and Barnabas Preach in Iconium
1At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue as usual. They spoke there with great power. Large numbers of Jews and Greeks became believers. 2But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up some of the Gentiles who were there. They turned them against the two men and the new believers. 3So Paul and Barnabas spent a lot of time there. They spoke boldly for the Lord. He gave them the ability to do signs and wonders. In this way the Lord showed that they were telling the truth about his grace. 4The people of the city did not agree with one another. Some were on the side of the Jews. Others were on the side of the apostles. 5Jews and Gentiles alike planned to treat Paul and Barnabas badly. Their leaders agreed. They planned to kill them by throwing stones at them. 6But Paul and Barnabas found out about the plan. They escaped to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding area. 7There they continued to preach the good news.
Paul Preaches in Lystra
8In Lystra there sat a man who couldn’t walk. He hadn’t been able to use his feet since the day he was born. 9He listened as Paul spoke. Paul looked right at him. He saw that the man had faith to be healed. 10So he called out, “Stand up on your feet!” Then the man jumped up and began to walk.
11The crowd saw what Paul had done. They shouted in the Lycaonian language. “The gods have come down to us in human form!” they exclaimed. 12They called Barnabas Zeus. Paul was the main speaker. So they called him Hermes. 13Just outside the city was the temple of the god Zeus. The priest of Zeus brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates. He and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas.
14But the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about this. So they tore their clothes. They rushed out into the crowd. They shouted, 15“Friends, why are you doing this? We are only human, just like you. We are bringing you good news. Turn away from these worthless things. Turn to the living God. He is the one who made the heavens and the earth and the sea. He made everything in them. 16In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17But he has given proof of what he is like. He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven. He gives you crops in their seasons. He provides you with plenty of food. He fills your hearts with joy.” 18Paul and Barnabas told them all these things. But they had trouble keeping the crowd from offering sacrifices to them.
19Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium. They won the crowd over to their side. They threw stones at Paul. They thought he was dead, so they dragged him out of the city. 20The believers gathered around Paul. Then he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch
21Paul and Barnabas preached the good news in the city of Derbe. They won large numbers of followers. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. 22There they helped the believers gain strength. They told them to remain faithful to what they had been taught. “We must go through many hard times to enter God’s kingdom,” they said. 23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church. The elders had trusted in the Lord. Paul and Barnabas prayed and fasted. They placed the elders in the Lord’s care. 24After going through Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas came into Pamphylia. 25They preached the good news in Perga. Then they went down to Attalia.
26From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch. In Antioch they had been put in God’s care to preach the good news. They had now completed the work God had given them to do. 27When they arrived at Antioch, they gathered the church together. They reported all that God had done through them. They told how he had opened a way for the Gentiles to believe. 28And they stayed there a long time with the believers.
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Acts 14
14
1And it came to pass in Iconium, that they did enter together into the synagogue of the Jews, and spake, so that there believed both of Jews and Greeks a great multitude;
2and the unbelieving Jews did stir up and made evil the souls of the nations against the brethren;
3long time, indeed, therefore, did they abide speaking boldly in the Lord, who is testifying to the word of His grace, and granting signs and wonders to come to pass through their hands.
4And the multitude of the city was divided, and some were with the Jews, and some with the apostles,
5and when there was a purpose both of the nations and of the Jews with their rulers to use [them] despitefully, and to stone them,
6they having become aware, did flee to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, and Derbe, and to the region round about,
7and there they were proclaiming good news.
8And a certain man in Lystra, impotent in the feet, was sitting, being lame from the womb of his mother — who never had walked,
9this one was hearing Paul speaking, who, having stedfastly beheld him, and having seen that he hath faith to be saved,
10said with a loud voice, ‘Stand up on thy feet upright;’ and he was springing and walking,
11and the multitudes having seen what Paul did, did lift up their voice, in the speech of Lycaonia, saying, ‘The gods, having become like men, did come down unto us;’
12they were calling also Barnabas Zeus, and Paul Hermes, since he was the leader in speaking.
13And the priest of the Zeus that is before their city, oxen and garlands unto the porches having brought, with the multitudes did wish to sacrifice,
14and having heard, the apostles Barnabas and Paul, having rent their garments, did spring into the multitude, crying
15and saying, ‘Men, why these things do ye? and we are men like-affected with you, proclaiming good news to you, from these vanities to turn unto the living God, who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all the things in them;
16who in the past generations did suffer all the nations to go on in their ways,
17though, indeed, without witness He did not leave himself, doing good — from heaven giving rains to us, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness;’
18and these things saying, scarcely did they restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.
19And there came thither, from Antioch and Iconium, Jews, and they having persuaded the multitudes, and having stoned Paul, drew him outside of the city, having supposed him to be dead;
20and the disciples having surrounded him, having risen he entered into the city, and on the morrow he went forth with Barnabas to Derbe.
21Having proclaimed good news also to that city, and having discipled many, they turned back to Lystra, and Iconium, and Antioch,
22confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting to remain in the faith, and that through many tribulations it behoveth us to enter into the reign of God,
23and having appointed to them by vote elders in every assembly, having prayed with fastings, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
24And having passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia,
25and having spoken in Perga the word, they went down to Attalia,
26and thence did sail to Antioch, whence they had been given by the grace of God for the work that they fulfilled;
27and having come and gathered together the assembly, they declared as many things as God did with them, and that He did open to the nations a door of faith;
28and they abode there not a little time with the disciples.
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