Bible Verses About Religious Zeal

and the synagogue having been dismissed, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes did follow Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were persuading them to remain in the grace of God.

And on the coming sabbath, almost all the city was gathered together to hear the word of God,

and the Jews having seen the multitudes, were filled with zeal, and did contradict the things spoken by Paul--contradicting and speaking evil.

And speaking boldly, Paul and Barnabas said, `To you it was necessary that first the word of God be spoken, and seeing ye do thrust it away, and do not judge yourselves worthy of the life age-during, lo, we do turn to the nations;

for so hath the Lord commanded us: I have set thee for a light of nations--for thy being for salvation unto the end of the earth.'

And the nations hearing were glad, and were glorifying the word of the Lord, and did believe--as many as were appointed to life age-during;

and the word of the Lord was spread abroad through all the region.

And the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the first men of the city, and did raise persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and did put them out from their borders;

and they having shaken off the dust of their feet against them, came to Iconium,

and the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

And it came to pass in Iconium, that they did enter together into the synagogue of the Jews, and spake, so that there believed both of Jews and Greeks a great multitude;

and the unbelieving Jews did stir up and made evil the souls of the nations against the brethren;

long time, indeed, therefore, did they abide speaking boldly in the Lord, who is testifying to the word of His grace, and granting signs and wonders to come to pass through their hands.

And the multitude of the city was divided, and some were with the Jews, and some with the apostles,

and when there was a purpose both of the nations and of the Jews with their rulers to use them despitefully, and to stone them,

they having become aware, did flee to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, and Derbe, and to the region round about,

and there they were proclaiming good news.

And a certain man in Lystra, impotent in the feet, was sitting, being lame from the womb of his mother--who never had walked,

this one was hearing Paul speaking, who, having stedfastly beheld him, and having seen that he hath faith to be saved,

said with a loud voice, `Stand up on thy feet upright;' and he was springing and walking,

and the multitudes having seen what Paul did, did lift up their voice, in the speech of Lycaonia, saying, `The gods, having become like men, did come down unto us;'

they were calling also Barnabas Zeus, and Paul Hermes, since he was the leader in speaking.

And the priest of the Zeus that is before their city, oxen and garlands unto the porches having brought, with the multitudes did wish to sacrifice,

and having heard, the apostles Barnabas and Paul, having rent their garments, did spring into the multitude, crying

and saying, `Men, why these things do ye? and we are men like-affected with you, proclaiming good news to you, from these vanities to turn unto the living God, who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all the things in them;