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Acts 14 KJV

Paul and Barnabas in Iconium and Lystra

Historical Narrative 4 min 28 verses 627 words Luke jews ร—6 done ร—5 paul ร—5 iconium ร—3 gentiles ร—3

Acts Chapter 14: Paul and Barnabas in Iconium and Lystra

The crowd's cry that 'the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men' directly echoes Ovid's account in Metamorphoses of Zeus and Hermes visiting the Phrygian hills disguised as mortals, a local Lycaonian tradition that explains why Barnabas is identified with Jupiter and Paul with Mercury as the chief speaker.

A1๐Ÿ”—nd it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

2๐Ÿ”— But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

3๐Ÿ”— Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

4๐Ÿ”— But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.

5๐Ÿ”— And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,

6๐Ÿ”— They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:

7๐Ÿ”— And there they preached the gospel.

8๐Ÿ”— And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his motherโ€™s womb, who never had walked:

9๐Ÿ”— The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

10๐Ÿ”— Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

11๐Ÿ”— And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

12๐Ÿ”— And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

13๐Ÿ”— Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.

14๐Ÿ”— Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,

15๐Ÿ”— And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

16๐Ÿ”— Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.

17๐Ÿ”— 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.

18๐Ÿ”— And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

19๐Ÿ”— And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

20๐Ÿ”— Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

21๐Ÿ”— And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

22๐Ÿ”— Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

23๐Ÿ”— And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

24๐Ÿ”— And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

25๐Ÿ”— And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:

26๐Ÿ”— And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

27๐Ÿ”— And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

28๐Ÿ”— And there they abode long time with the disciples.

Commentary & Study Notes Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871) ยท Public Domain they went both together into the synagogue โ€” Though Paul was now the prominent speaker and actor, yet in everything Barnabas went along with him. a... multitude... of the Greeks beโ€ฆ

Classic verse-by-verse commentary on Acts 14 from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (1871). Covers: Meeting with similar success and similar opposition at iconium, paul and barnabas flee for their lives to lystra and derbe, and preach there; At lystra paul healing a cripple, the people are scarce restrained from sacrificing to them as gods, but afterwards, their minds being poisoned, they stone paul, leaving him for dead--withdrawing to derbe, they preach and teach there; Paul and barnabas retrace their steps, return to antioch in syria, and thus complete their first missionary journey.

1
they went both together into the synagogue โ€” Though Paul was now the prominent speaker and actor, yet in everything Barnabas went along with him. a... multitude... of the Greeks believed โ€” meaning probably the religious proselytes, as opposed to "the Gentiles" mentioned Ac 14:2.
3
Long time therefore abode they โ€” because in spite of opposition they were meeting with so much success. speaking boldly in the Lord โ€” rather, "in dependence on the Lord," that is, on their glorified Head. who gave testimony to the word of his grace โ€” a notable definition of the Gospel, whose whole burden is GRACE. and granted โ€” "granting," that is, who confirmed the Gospel by granting miraculous attestation to it. (The "and" is wanting in the best manuscripts).
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Chapter Context

Did You Know?

1

The crowd's cry that 'the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men' directly echoes Ovid's account in Metamorphoses of Zeus and Hermes visiting the Phrygian hills disguised as mortals, a local Lycaonian tradition that explains why Barnabas is identified with Jupiter and Paul with Mercury as the chief speaker.

2

Paul's brief speech in verses 15-17 deliberately avoids any Old Testament quotation or messianic proof-texting, instead employing a natural-theology argument about 'the living God' who sends rain and fruitful seasons, a rhetorical strategy tailored to a pagan audience and paralleling his later Areopagus address.

3

After being stoned and dragged out of Lystra as dead, Paul immediately rises and re-enters the very city that assaulted him, an action that underscores the narrative's emphasis on apostolic endurance and foreshadows his later catalog of sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11.

4

The return journey through the same cities to 'confirm the souls of the disciples' and appoint elders represents the earliest explicit model of follow-up pastoral care and local church leadership structures in the Gentile mission, rather than a one-time evangelistic raid.

5

The statement that 'we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God' is placed on the lips of Paul and Barnabas immediately after the stoning, functioning as a theological interpretation of their own recent suffering and a corrective to any triumphalist expectations of the kingdom.