The Acts of the Apostles

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- Chapter 14 -

Now it happened in Iconium that they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and they spoke in such a way that a copious multitude of both Jews and Greeks believed.

Yet truly, the Jews who were unbelieving had incited and enflamed the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers.

And so, they remained for a long time, acting faithfully in the Lord, offering testimony to the Word of his grace, providing signs and wonders done by their hands.

Then the multitude of the city was divided. And certainly, some were with the Jews, yet truly others were with the Apostles.

Now when an assault had been planned by the Gentiles and the Jews with their leaders, so that they might treat them with contempt and stone them,(a)

they, realizing this, fled together to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the entire surrounding region. And they were evangelizing in that place.

And a certain man was sitting at Lystra, disabled in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked.

The Visit to Lystra and Derbe

This man heard Paul speaking. And Paul, gazing at him intently, and perceiving that he had faith, so that he might be healed,

said with a loud voice, “Stand upright upon your feet!” And he leaped up and walked around.

But when the crowds had seen what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice in the Lycaonian language, saying, “The gods, having taken the likenesses of men, have descended to us!”

And they called Barnabas, ‘Jupiter,’ yet truly they called Paul, ‘Mercury,’ because he was the lead speaker.

Also, the priest of Jupiter, who was outside the city, in front of the gate, bringing in oxen and garlands, was willing to offer sacrifice with the people.

And as soon as the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, had heard this, tearing their tunics, they leapt into the crowd, crying out

and saying: “Men, why would you do this? We also are mortals, men like yourselves, preaching to you to be converted, from these vain things, to the living God, who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them.

In previous generations, he permitted all nations to walk in their own ways.

But certainly, he did not leave himself without testimony, doing good from heaven, giving rains and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness.”(b)

And by saying these things, they were barely able to restrain the crowds from immolating to them.

Now certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived there. And having persuaded the crowd, they stoned Paul and dragged him outside of the city, thinking him to be dead.

But as the disciples were standing around him, he got up and entered the city. And the next day, he set out with Barnabas for Derbe.

And when they had evangelized that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,

Strengthening the Disciples

strengthening the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them that they should remain always in the faith, and that it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God through many tribulations.

And when they had established priests for them in each church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

And traveling by way of Pisidia, they arrived in Pamphylia.

And having spoken the word of the Lord in Perga, they went down into Attalia.

And from there, they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had now accomplished.

And when they had arrived and had gathered together the church, they related what great things God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

And they remained for no small amount of time with the disciples.

Footnotes

(a)14:5 Literally, the text says ‘an assault of the Gentiles and Jews,’ but the meaning is that Gentiles and Jews were the ones planning the assault, so the translation rephrases to make this clear. Also, the verb ‘factus esset’ might seem to mean that they had already made such an assault, but instead the meaning is that they made a plan to carry out the assault. So the most literal translation is not always the most accurate.(Conte)

(b)14:16 Corrected in the Latin and English according to the 1590 Sixtus V edition.(Conte)

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.

But the disbelieving(a) Jews stirred up and embittered the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers.

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.

But the multitude of the city was divided. Part sided with the Jews and part with the apostles.

When some of both the Gentiles and the Jews, with their rulers, made a violent attempt to mistreat and stone them,

they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding region.

There they preached the Good News.

The Visit to Lystra and Derbe

At Lystra a certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked.

He was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him and seeing that he had faith to be made whole,

said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” He leaped up and walked.

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!”

They called Barnabas “Jupiter”, and Paul “Mercury”, because he was the chief speaker.

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.

But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes and sprang into the multitude, crying out,

“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;

who in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.

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.”

Even saying these things, they hardly stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice to them.

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.

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

When they had preached the Good News to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,

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.

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.

They passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia.

When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

From there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled.

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.

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”