The Acts of the Apostles 14

Iconium

1What happened in Iconium was much the same. They went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke, with the result that a large crowd, of both Jews and Greeks, came to faith. 2But the unbelieving Jews stirred up and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against the brothers. 3They stayed there a long time, speaking boldly on behalf of the Lord, who bore them witness to the word of his grace by giving signs and wonders which were done at their hands.

4But the inhabitants of the city were divided. Some were with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5But then the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, made an attempt to ill-treat them and stone them. 6They got wind of it, however, and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding countryside. 7There they went on announcing the good news.

Confusion in Lystra

8There was a man sitting in Lystra who was unable to use his feet. He had been lame from his mother’s womb, and had never walked. 9He heard Paul speaking. When Paul looked hard at him, and saw that he had faith to be made well, 10he said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!”

Up he jumped, and walked about.

11When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted loudly in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”

12They called Barnabas “Zeus,” and Paul, because he was the main speaker, “Hermes.” 13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the city gates. There was a crowd with him, and he was all ready to offer sacrifice.

14But when the apostles, Paul and Barnabas, heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd.

15“Men, men,” they shouted, “what on earth are you doing? We are just ordinary humans, with the same nature as you, and we are bringing you the wonderful message that you should turn away from these foolish things to the living God, the one who made heaven and earth and the sea and everything in them. 16In earlier generations he allowed all the nations to go their own ways, 17but even then he didn’t leave himself without witness. He has done you good, giving you rain from heaven and times of fruitfulness, filling your bodies with food and your hearts with gladness.”

18Even by saying this, they only just restrained the crowds from offering them sacrifice. 19But some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and persuaded the crowds to stone Paul. They dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20The disciples gathered round him, however, and he got up and went into the city. The next day he and Barnabas went off to Derbe.

Opening the door of faith

21They preached in Derbe, and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22strengthening the hearts of the disciples, and urging them to remain in the faith. They warned them that getting into God’s kingdom would mean going through considerable suffering. 23In every church they appointed elders by laying hands on them. They fasted, prayed, and commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

24They went through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia; 25and when they had spoken the word in Perga they went down to Attalia. 26From there they sailed to Antioch, which was where they had been commended to God’s grace for the work which they had accomplished. 27Once there, they called the church together, and told them all the things which God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles. 28They stayed there a long time with the disciples.

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The Acts of the Apostles 14: NTFE

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a. The New Testament for Everyone, Third Edition. Copyright © 2011, 2018, 2019 by Nicholas Thomas Wright, The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. All rights reserved. Published by Zondervan, 2023.

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