Acts 14:8–23

MISTAKEN FOR GODS IN LYSTRA

⁸In Lystra a man was sitting who was without strength in his feet, had never walked, and had been lame from birth. ⁹He listened as Paul spoke. After looking directly at him and seeing that he had faith to be healed, ¹⁰Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet!” And he jumped up and began to walk around.^l

¹¹When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”^{m 12}Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the town, brought bulls and wreaths to the gates because he intended, with the crowds, to offer sacrifice.

¹⁴The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting,^{n 15}“People! Why are you doing these things? We are people also, just like you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you turn from these worthless things^o to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them.^{Bp 16}In past generations he allowed all the nations^q to go their own way, ¹⁷although he did not leave himself without a witness,^r since he did what is good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons^s and filling you with food and your ^C hearts with joy.” ¹⁸Even though they said these things, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.

¹⁹Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead.^{t 20}After the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.^u

CHURCH PLANTING

²¹After they had preached the gospel in that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch,^{v 22}strengthening the^A disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith^w and by telling them, “It is necessary to go through many hardships^x to enter the kingdom of God.” ²³When they had appointed elders^y for them in every church and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.