The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 14 -

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

and the unbelieving Jews stirred up and made the souls of the nations evil against the brothers;

[for a] long time, indeed, therefore, they abided 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 mistreat [them], and to stone them,

they having become aware, fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, and Derbe, and the surrounding region,

and there they were proclaiming good news.

The Visit to Lystra and Derbe

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 steadfastly beheld him, and having seen that he has faith to be saved,

said with a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet upright”; and he was springing and walking,

and the multitudes having seen what Paul did, lifted up their voice in the speech of Lycaonia, saying, “The gods, having become like men, came down to us”;

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

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

and having heard, the apostles Barnabas and Paul, having torn their garments, sprung into the multitude, crying

and saying, “Men, why do you do these things? And we are similar-feeling men with you, proclaiming good news to you, to turn to the living God from these vanities, who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all the things in them;

who in the past generations permitted all the nations to go on in their ways,

though, indeed, He did not leave Himself without witness, doing good—giving rains to us from Heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness”;

and saying these things, they scarcely restrained the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

And there came there, from Antioch and Iconium, Jews, and they having persuaded the multitudes, and having stoned Paul, drew him outside of the city, having supposed him to be dead;

and the disciples having surrounded him, having risen he entered into the city, and on the next day he went forth with Barnabas to Derbe.

Strengthening the Disciples

Having also proclaimed good news to that city, and having discipled many, they turned back to Lystra, and Iconium, and Antioch,

confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting to remain in the faith, and that it is required of us to enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations,

and having appointed to them elders in every assembly by vote, having prayed with fastings, they commended them to the LORD in whom they had believed.

And having passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia,

and having spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia,

and [from] there sailed to Antioch, from where they had been given by the grace of God for the work that they fulfilled;

and having come and gathered the assembly together, they declared as many things as God did with them, and that He opened a door of faith to the nations;

and they abided there with the disciples [for] not a short time.

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”