Paul and Barnabas in Iconium

14 In Iconium [13:51], ·Paul and Barnabas [^Lthey] went as usual to the Jewish synagogue [^Cthey typically appealed to their fellow Jews first]. They spoke ·so well [^Lin such a way] that a great many Jews and Greeks believed. ² But the Jews who did not believe ·excited [stirred up] the Gentiles and ·turned them [poisoned their minds; ^Lharmed/did evil to their souls] against the ·believers [^Lbrothers (and sisters)]. ³ [^LSo; Therefore] ·Paul and Barnabas [^LThey] stayed in Iconium a long time and spoke ·bravely [or boldly] for the Lord. He ·showed [testified; confirmed] that their ·message [word] about his grace was true by giving them the power to work [miraculous] signs and ·miracles [wonders]. ⁴ But [^Lthe people/population of] the city was divided. Some of the people agreed with the Jews, and others ·believed [^Lwere with] the apostles.

⁵ Some Gentiles, some Jews, and some of their rulers ·wanted [intended; plotted] to mistreat Paul and Barnabas and to stone them to death. ⁶ When ·Paul and Barnabas [^Lthey] learned about this, they ·ran away [fled; escaped] to Lystra [^Ceighteen miles south of Iconium] and Derbe [^Csixty miles southeast from Lystra], cities in Lycaonia [^Cthe administrative district], and to the areas around those cities. ⁷ They ·announced the Good News [preached the Gospel] there, too.

Paul in Lystra and Derbe

⁸ In Lystra [v. 6] there sat a man who had been ·born crippled [^Llame from the womb of his mother]; he had never walked. ⁹ As this man was listening to Paul speak, Paul looked straight at him and saw that he ·believed [had faith that] God could heal him. ¹⁰ So he ·cried out [^Lsaid with a loud voice], “Stand up on your feet!” The man jumped up and began walking around. ¹¹ When the crowds saw what Paul did, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have ·become like humans [or taken on human form] and have come down to us!” ¹² Then the people began to call Barnabas “Zeus” [^Cmain god of the Greek pantheon] and Paul “Hermes,” [^Cthe Greek god who delivered messages] because he was the main speaker. ¹³ The priest in the temple of Zeus, which was ·near [or beside; at the entrance of] the city, brought some ·bulls [or oxen] and ·flowers [garlands; wreaths] to the ·gates [temple gates; or city gates; ^Cbut it is doubtful that Lystra had city walls at this time]. He and the people wanted to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas. ¹⁴ But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard about it, they tore their clothes [^Cindicating outrage or sorrow]. They ran in among the people, shouting, ¹⁵ “·Friends [^LMen], why are you doing these things? We are only human beings ·like [of the same nature as] you. We are bringing you the ·Good News [Gospel] and are telling you to turn away from these worthless things and turn to the living God. He is the One who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them [Ex. 20:11; Ps. 146:6]. ¹⁶ In the past [^Lgenerations], God let all the nations ·do what they wanted [^Lgo their own way]. ¹⁷ Yet he ·proved he is real [^Lhas not left himself without a witness] by ·showing kindness [doing good], by giving you rain from heaven and crops at the right ·times [seasons], by ·giving you [satisfying/filling you with] food and filling your hearts with joy [Ps. 104:13–15].” ¹⁸ Even with these words, they were barely able to keep the crowd from offering sacrifices to them.

¹⁹ Then some Jews [^Cthose who had opposed them earlier; 13:50–51; 14:2, 5] came from Antioch and Iconium and persuaded the people to turn against Paul. So they threw stones at him [2 Cor. 11:25; ^Cstoning was the main Jewish method of execution] and dragged him out of town, thinking they had killed him. ²⁰ But the ·followers [disciples] ·gathered around him [or surrounded him; ^Ceither to protect from further attack or to check on his condition], and he got up and went back into the town [^Cperhaps a miracle; certainly evidence of Paul’s perseverance]. The next day he and Barnabas left and went to the city of Derbe [v. 6].

The Return to Antioch in Syria

²¹ ·Paul and Barnabas [^LThey] ·told the Good News [preached the Gospel] in Derbe, and many became ·followers [disciples]. ·Paul and Barnabas [^LThey] returned to Lystra [14:6], Iconium, and Antioch, ²² ·making the followers of Jesus stronger [^Lstrengthening the souls/lives of the disciples] and ·helping them stay [^Lencouraging/exhorting them to remain/persevere] in the faith. They said, “We must ·suffer many things [endure/pass through many trials/persecutions] to enter God’s kingdom.” ²³ They ·chose [appointed; or elected] elders [1 Tim. 5:17–20; Titus 1:5–9] for each church, ·by [after; ^Lwith] praying and fasting [^Cgiving up eating for spiritual purposes]. These elders had ·trusted [believed in] the Lord, so Paul and Barnabas ·put them in [committed them to] the Lord’s care.

²⁴ Then they went through Pisidia [13:14] and came to Pamphylia [13:13]. ²⁵ When they had ·preached the message [^Lspoken the word] in Perga [13:13], they went down to Attalia [^Ceight miles southwest of Perga]. ²⁶ And from there they sailed away to Antioch [^Cin Syria about 400 miles away] where ·the believers had put them into God’s care [^Lthey had been delivered over to God’s grace] to do the work that they had now ·finished [completed; fulfilled].

²⁷ When they arrived in Antioch, ·Paul and Barnabas [^Lthey] gathered the church together. They ·told [reported/recounted to] the church all about what God had done with them and how God had ·made it possible for the Gentiles to believe [^Lopened a door of faith to the Gentiles]. ²⁸ And they stayed there ·a long [a considerable; ^Lno little] time with the ·followers [disciples].