6 But they found out about it and fledw to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preachx the gospel.y

In Lystra and Derbe

8 In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birthz and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healeda 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!”b At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.c

11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”d 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.e 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothesf and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human,g like you. We are bringing you good news,h telling you to turn from these worthless thingsi to the living God,j who made the heavens and the earthk and the sea and everything in them.l 16 In the past, he letm all nations go their own way.n 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony:o He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons;p he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”q 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

19 Then some Jewsr came from Antioch and Iconiums and won the crowd over. They stoned Pault and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciplesu had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

The Return to Antioch in Syria

21 They preached the gospelv in that city and won a large numberw of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconiumx and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.y “We must go through many hardshipsz to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed eldersa a for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting,b committed them to the Lord,c in whom they had put their trust.