Acts14

In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas preached, leading to many conversions but also opposition, forcing them to flee to Lystra. There, Paul healed a lame man, causing the people to mistake them for gods, which the apostles vehemently rejected, pointing to the living God. Despite being stoned and left for dead by hostile Jews, Paul miraculously recovered. He and Barnabas then revisited the churches, confirming disciples and ordaining elders before returning to Antioch to report their mission.
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Preaching and Persecution in Iconium

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.

Miracle and Mistaken Identity in Lystra

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.

Paul is Stoned and Revived

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. ​

The Return Journey and Strengthening the Churches

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.

Reporting Back to Antioch

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.

Study Notes for Acts 14

Verse 1

Iconium was a major city in the region of Phrygia and Lycaonia. Following their established pattern, Paul and Barnabas began their evangelism in the Jewish synagogue, resulting in conversions from both Jewish and Greek communities.

Verse 2

The pattern of Jewish opposition stirring up Gentile hostility against the apostles is a recurring theme in Acts, highlighting the divisive nature of the gospel message.

Verse 3

Despite the opposition, the apostles remained for a 'long time,' demonstrating courage. Their ministry was authenticated by the Lord through miraculous 'signs and wonders,' confirming the truth of the message.

Verse 4

The city became openly divided, indicating that the preaching of the gospel often forces people to choose allegiance, leading to polarization within a community.

Verse 6

Fleeing to Lystra and Derbe, cities in Lycaonia, was a strategic retreat, not an act of cowardice, consistent with Jesus’ instruction to shake the dust off their feet and move on (Matt 10:23).

Verse 8

Lystra was a Roman colony. This healing miracle parallels Peter’s healing of the lame man in Acts 3, confirming the power of the Spirit working through Paul.

Verse 9

Paul perceived the man’s readiness for healing. While the power belonged to God, the presence of faith (or receptivity) in the recipient was often a prerequisite for a miraculous cure.

Verse 11

The people spoke in the local Lycaonian dialect. Their immediate identification of Paul and Barnabas as gods reflects local pagan myths (like the popular story of Jupiter and Mercury visiting Phrygia in disguise).

Verse 12

Jupiter (Zeus) was the chief god, and Mercurius (Hermes) was the messenger god and orator. Since Paul was the 'chief speaker,' the people assigned him the role of the messenger god.

Verse 14

The apostles ‘rent their clothes,’ a dramatic Jewish gesture signifying horror and distress, used here to express absolute rejection of the blasphemous honor being offered to them.

Verse 15

Paul’s sermon to this purely pagan audience begins not with the Jewish Scriptures, but with natural revelation—the living God revealed through creation—a common rhetorical strategy when addressing non-Jews.

Verse 16

God allowed nations to 'walk in their own ways' (i.e., pursue idolatry) in the past, but the current ministry signaled a new era of worldwide evangelism.

Verse 17

God’s enduring goodness and sustaining power are evidenced through the natural world (rain and fruitful seasons), serving as a universal witness to His existence even among those who do not know Him.

Verse 19

The persistent opposition followed Paul from previous cities, demonstrating the organized and relentless nature of the antagonists. Paul’s stoning fulfills prophetic warnings about persecution.

Verse 20

Whether Paul’s revival was instantaneous or a dramatic natural recovery, his ability to rise and return to the city immediately demonstrates immense divine protection and courage.

Verse 21

Rather than taking the shorter route home, Paul and Barnabas risked returning through the dangerous cities where they had faced persecution to strengthen the new converts.

Verse 22

This verse presents a foundational theological truth: commitment to Christ necessitates enduring hardship. The apostles prepared new believers for the reality that 'much tribulation' precedes the full realization of the Kingdom.

Verse 23

The appointment of 'elders' (presbyteroi) in every church ensured organized leadership and stability for the fledgling Gentile congregations, establishing a structure for long-term governance.

Verse 26

Syrian Antioch was the sending church for this missionary journey. The apostles returned to report the success of the mission, acknowledging that their work was accomplished through divine grace.

Verse 27

The central theme of the report was how God 'opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.' This confirms the mission’s success and sets the stage for the theological crisis addressed in Acts 15.

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