Acts 14
English Standard Version
Paul and Barnabas at Iconium
14 Now at Iconium (A)they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 (B)But the (C)unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against (D)the brothers.[a] 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for (E)the Lord, who bore witness to (F)the word of his grace, (G)granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city (H)were divided; (I)some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, (J)to mistreat them and (K)to stone them, 6 they learned of it and (L)fled to (M)Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.
Paul and Barnabas at Lystra
8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was (N)crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and (O)seeing that he had faith to be made well,[b] 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he (P)sprang up and began walking. 11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, (Q)“The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 Barnabas they called (R)Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of (S)Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and (T)wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they (U)tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “Men, (V)why are you doing these things? We also are men, (W)of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that (X)you should turn from these (Y)vain things to (Z)a living God, (AA)who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he (AB)allowed all the nations (AC)to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet (AD)he did not leave himself without witness, for he (AE)did good by (AF)giving you rains from heaven and (AG)fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with (AH)food and (AI)gladness.” 18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.
Paul Stoned at Lystra
19 (AJ)But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, (AK)they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had (AL)made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 (AM)strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them (AN)to continue in (AO)the faith, and saying that (AP)through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had (AQ)appointed (AR)elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting (AS)they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria
24 Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, 26 and from there they sailed to Antioch, (AT)where they had been (AU)commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. 27 And when they arrived and gathered the church together, (AV)they declared all that God had done with them, and (AW)how he had (AX)opened (AY)a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they remained no little time with the disciples.
Acts 14
New Testament for Everyone
Iconium
14 What happened in Iconium was much the same. They went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke, with the result that a large crowd, of both Jews and Greeks, came to faith. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against the brothers. 3 They stayed there a long time, speaking boldly on behalf of the Lord, who bore them witness to the word of his grace by giving signs and wonders which were done at their hands.
4 But the inhabitants of the city were divided. Some were with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5 But then the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, made an attempt to ill-treat them and stone them. 6 They got wind of it, however, and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding countryside. 7 There they went on announcing the good news.
Confusion in Lystra
8 There was a man sitting in Lystra who was unable to use his feet. He had been lame from his mother’s womb, and had never walked. 9 He heard Paul speaking. When Paul looked hard at him, and saw that he had faith to be made well, 10 he said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!”
Up he jumped, and walked about.
11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted loudly in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”
12 They called Barnabas “Zeus,” and Paul, because he was the main speaker, “Hermes.” 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the city gates. There was a crowd with him, and he was all ready to offer sacrifice.
14 But when the apostles, Paul and Barnabas, heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd.
15 “Men, men,” they shouted, “what on earth are you doing? We are just ordinary humans, with the same nature as you, and we are bringing you the wonderful message that you should turn away from these foolish things to the living God, the one who made heaven and earth and the sea and everything in them. 16 In earlier generations he allowed all the nations to go their own ways, 17 but even then he didn’t leave himself without witness. He has done you good, giving you rain from heaven and times of fruitfulness, filling your bodies with food and your hearts with gladness.”
18 Even by saying this, they only just restrained the crowds from offering them sacrifice. 19 But some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and persuaded the crowds to stone Paul. They dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 The disciples gathered round him, however, and he got up and went into the city. The next day he and Barnabas went off to Derbe.
Opening the door of faith
21 They preached in Derbe, and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the hearts of the disciples, and urging them to remain in the faith. They warned them that getting into God’s kingdom would mean going through considerable suffering. 23 In every church they appointed elders by laying hands on them. They fasted, prayed, and commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
24 They went through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia; 25 and when they had spoken the word in Perga they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, which was where they had been commended to God’s grace for the work which they had accomplished. 27 Once there, they called the church together, and told them all the things which God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles. 28 They stayed there a long time with the disciples.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
