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Paul and Barnabas in Iconium

14 Paul and Barnabas spoke in the synagogue in Iconium, just as they had done at Antioch, and many Jews and Gentiles[a] put their faith in the Lord. But the Jews who did not have faith in him made the other Gentiles angry and turned them against the Lord's followers.

Paul and Barnabas stayed there for a while, having faith in the Lord and bravely speaking his message. The Lord gave them the power to work miracles and wonders, and he showed that their message about his gift of undeserved grace was true.

The people of Iconium did not know what to think. Some of them believed the Jewish group, and others believed the apostles. Finally, some Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, decided to make trouble for Paul and Barnabas and to stone them to death.

6-7 But when the two apostles found out what was happening, they escaped to the region of Lycaonia. They preached the good news there in the towns of Lystra and Derbe and in the nearby countryside.

Paul and Barnabas in Lystra

In Lystra there was a man who had been born with paralyzed feet and had never been able to walk. The man was listening to Paul speak, when Paul saw that he had faith in Jesus and could be healed. So he looked straight at the man 10 and shouted, “Stand up!” The man jumped up and started walking around.

11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they yelled out in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have turned into humans and have come down to us!” 12 The people then gave Barnabas the name Zeus, and they gave Paul the name Hermes,[b] because he did the talking.

13 The temple of Zeus was near the entrance to the city. Its priest and the crowds wanted to offer a sacrifice to Barnabas and Paul. So the priest brought some bulls and flowers to the city gates. 14 When the two apostles found out about this, they tore their clothes in horror and ran to the crowd, shouting:

15 (A) Why are you doing this? We are humans just like you. Please give up all this foolishness. Turn to the living God, who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In times past, God let each nation go its own way. 17 But he showed he was there by the good things he did. God sends rain from heaven and makes your crops grow. He gives food to you and makes your hearts glad.

18 Even after Paul and Barnabas had said all this, they could hardly keep the people from offering a sacrifice to them.

19 Some Jewish leaders from Antioch and Iconium came and turned the crowds against Paul. They hit him with stones and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But when the Lord's followers gathered around Paul, he stood up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas went to Derbe.

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria

21 Paul and Barnabas preached the good news in Derbe and won some people to the Lord. Then they went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Pisidia. 22 They encouraged the followers and begged them to remain faithful. They told them, “We have to suffer a lot before we can get into God's kingdom.” 23 Paul and Barnabas chose some leaders for each of the churches. Then they went without eating[c] and prayed that the Lord would take good care of these leaders who had trusted in the Lord.

24 Paul and Barnabas went on through Pisidia to Pamphylia, 25 where they preached in the town of Perga. Then they went down to Attalia 26 and sailed to Antioch in Syria. It was there that they had been placed in God's care for the work they had now completed.[d]

27 After arriving in Antioch, they called the church together. They told the people what God had helped them do and how he had made it possible for the Gentiles to believe. 28 Then they stayed there with the followers for a long time.

Footnotes

  1. 14.1 Gentiles: The Greek text has “Greeks,” which probably means people who were not Jews. But it may mean Gentiles who worshiped with the Jews.
  2. 14.12 Hermes: The Greeks thought of Hermes as the messenger of the other gods, especially of Zeus, their chief god.
  3. 14.23 went without eating: See the note at 13.2.
  4. 14.26 the work they had now completed: See 13.1-3.

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