God's New Bible

The Acts of the Apostles

Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 14 -

1
At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue, where they spoke so well that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.
2
But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
3
So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who affirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.
4
The people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews, and others with the apostles.
5
But when the Gentiles and Jews, together with their rulers, set out to mistreat and stone them,
6
they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding region,
7
where they continued to preach the gospel.

The Visit to Lystra and Derbe

8
In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked.
9
This man was listening to the words of Paul, who looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed.
10
In a loud voice Paul called out, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man jumped up and began to walk.
11
When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices in the Lycaonian language: “The gods have come down to us in human form!”
12
Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.
13
The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates, hoping to offer a sacrifice along with the crowds.
14
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
15
Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.
16
In past generations, He let all nations go their own way.
17
Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”
18
Even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could hardly stop the crowds from sacrificing to them.
19
Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead.
20
But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. And the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

Strengthening the Disciples

21
They preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
22
strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
23
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
24
After passing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.
25
And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
26
From Attalia they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had just completed.
27
When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
28
And they spent a long time there with the disciples.
1
In Iconium, they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed.
2
But the disbelieving(a) Jews stirred up and embittered the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers.
3
Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
4
But the multitude of the city was divided. Part sided with the Jews and part with the apostles.
5
When some of both the Gentiles and the Jews, with their rulers, made a violent attempt to mistreat and stone them,
6
they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding region.
7
There they preached the Good News.

The Visit to Lystra and Derbe

8
At Lystra a certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked.
9
He was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him and seeing that he had faith to be made whole,
10
said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” He leaped up and walked.
11
When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”
12
They called Barnabas “Jupiter”, and Paul “Mercury”, because he was the chief speaker.
13
The priest of Jupiter, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and would have made a sacrifice along with the multitudes.
14
But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes and sprang into the multitude, crying out,
15
Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of the same nature as you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;
16
who in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.
17
Yet he didn’t leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you (b) rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”
18
Even saying these things, they hardly stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice to them.
19
But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
20
But as the disciples stood around him, he rose up, and entered into the city. On the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe.

Strengthening the Disciples

21
When they had preached the Good News to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
22
strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom.
23
When they had appointed elders for them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord on whom they had believed.
24
They passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia.
25
When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
26
From there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled.
27
When they had arrived and had gathered the assembly together, they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations.
28
They stayed there with the disciples for a long time.

Footnotes

(a)14:2 or, disobedient
(b)14:17 TR reads “us” instead of “you”