Acts 14
Living Bible
14 At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went together to the synagogue and preached with such power that many—both Jews and Gentiles—believed.
2 But the Jews who spurned God’s message stirred up distrust among the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas, saying all sorts of evil things about them. 3 Nevertheless, they stayed there a long time, preaching boldly, and the Lord proved their message was from him by giving them power to do great miracles. 4 But the people of the city were divided in their opinion about them. Some agreed with the Jewish leaders, and some backed the apostles.
5-6 When Paul and Barnabas learned of a plot to incite a mob of Gentiles, Jews, and Jewish leaders to attack and stone them, they fled for their lives, going to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding area, 7 and preaching the Good News there.
8 While they were at Lystra, they came upon a man with crippled feet who had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. 9 He was listening as Paul preached, and Paul noticed him and realized he had faith to be healed. 10 So Paul called to him, “Stand up!” and the man leaped to his feet and started walking!
11 When the listening crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted (in their local dialect, of course), “These men are gods in human bodies!” 12 They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Jupiter, and that Paul, because he was the chief speaker, was Mercury! 13 The local priest of the Temple of Jupiter, located on the outskirts of the city, brought them cartloads of flowers and prepared to sacrifice oxen to them at the city gates before the crowds.
14 But when Barnabas and Paul saw what was happening, they ripped at their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, 15 “Men! What are you doing? We are merely human beings like yourselves! We have come to bring you the Good News that you are invited to turn from the worship of these foolish things and to pray instead to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. 16 In bygone days he permitted the nations to go their own ways, 17 but he never left himself without a witness; there were always his reminders—the kind things he did such as sending you rain and good crops and giving you food and gladness.”
18 But even so, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them!
19 Yet only a few days later, some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the crowds into a murderous mob that stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, apparently dead. 20 But as the believers stood around him, he got up and went back into the city!
The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. 21 After preaching the Good News there and making many disciples, they returned again to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 where they helped the believers to grow in love for God and each other. They encouraged them to continue in the faith in spite of all the persecution, reminding them that they must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations. 23 Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church and prayed for them with fasting, turning them over to the care of the Lord in whom they trusted.
24 Then they traveled back through Pisidia to Pamphylia, 25 preached again in Perga, and went on to Attalia.
26 Finally they returned by ship to Antioch, where their journey had begun and where they had been committed to God for the work now completed.
27 Upon arrival they called together the believers and reported on their trip, telling how God had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles too. 28 And they stayed there with the believers at Antioch for a long while.
Acts 14
King James Version
14 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.
2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
4 But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
5 And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,
6 They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:
7 And there they preached the gospel.
8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:
9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.
14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
16 Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
18 And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.
19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.
25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:
26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.
Acts 14
GOD’S WORD Translation
Paul and Barnabas in Iconium
14 The same thing happened in the city of Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went into the synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large crowd of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up some people who were not Jewish and poisoned their minds against the believers. 3 Paul and Barnabas stayed in the city of Iconium for a long time. They spoke boldly about the Lord, who confirmed their message about his good will [a] by having them perform miracles and do amazing things. 4 But the people of Iconium were divided. Some were for the Jews, while others were for the apostles.
5 In the meantime, Paul and Barnabas found out that the non-Jewish people and the Jewish people with their rulers planned to attack them and stone them to death. 6 So they escaped to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding territory. 7 They spread the Good News there.
Paul and Barnabas in Lystra
8 A man who was born lame was in Lystra. He was always sitting because he had never been able to walk. 9 He listened to what Paul was saying. Paul observed him closely and saw that the man believed he could be made well. 10 So Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand up.” The man jumped up and began to walk.
11 The crowds who saw what Paul had done shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come to us, and they look human.” 12 They addressed Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes because Paul did most of the talking. 13 Zeus’ temple was at the entrance to the city. The priest of the god Zeus brought bulls with flowery wreaths around their necks to the temple gates. The priest and the crowd wanted to offer a sacrifice ⌞to Paul and Barnabas⌟.
14 When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they were very upset. They rushed into the crowd 15 and said, “Men, what are you doing? We’re human beings like you. We’re spreading the Good News to you to turn you away from these worthless gods to the living God. The living God made the sky, the land, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In the past God allowed all people to live as they pleased. 17 Yet, by doing good, he has given evidence of his existence. He gives you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He fills you with food and your lives with happiness.” 18 Although Paul and Barnabas said these things, they hardly kept the crowd from sacrificing to them.
19 However, Jews from the cities of Antioch and Iconium arrived in Lystra and won the people over. They tried to stone Paul to death and dragged him out of the city when they thought that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city.
Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria
The next day Paul and Barnabas left for the city of Derbe. 21 They spread the Good News in that city and won many disciples. Then they went back to the cities of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (which is in Pisidia). 22 They strengthened the disciples in these cities and encouraged the disciples to remain faithful. Paul and Barnabas told them, “We must suffer a lot to enter God’s kingdom.” 23 They had the disciples in each church choose spiritual leaders,[b] and with prayer and fasting they entrusted the leaders to the Lord in whom they believed.
24 After they had gone through Pisidia, they went to Pamphylia. 25 They spoke the message in the city of Perga and went to the city of Attalia. 26 From Attalia they took a boat and headed home to the city of Antioch ⌞in Syria⌟. (In Antioch they had been entrusted to God’s care [c] for the work they had now finished.) 27 When they arrived, they called the members of the church together. They reported everything God had done through them, especially that he had given people who were not Jewish the opportunity to believe. 28 They stayed for a long time with these disciples.
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