Historical

Paul and Barnabas preach at Iconium. Some believe, some stir up a revolt. At Lystra the people want to make sacrifice to Barnabas and Paul, who refuse it and exhort the people to worship the true God. Paul is stoned. After that, he goes to Derbe, and again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.

14 And it happened in Iconium that Paul and Barnabas went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great number both of the Jews, and also of the Greeks, believed. ² But the unbelieving Jews stirred up and disquieted the minds of the Gentiles against the brethren.

³ They remained there a long time, and acquitted themselves boldly with the help of the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, causing signs and wonders to be done by their hands. ⁴ The people of the city were divided: part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. ⁵ When an assault was planned, both by the Gentiles and also by the Jews with their leaders, to put them to shame and to stone them, ⁶ they were aware of it, and fled to Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia and to the region that lies round about, ⁷ and there preached the gospel.

⁸ And at Lystra there sat a certain man weak in his feet, being crippled from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. ⁹ This man heard Paul preach. Paul looked at him and perceived that he had faith to be whole, ¹⁰ and said with a loud voice, Stand upright on your feet! And he started up and walked.

¹¹ And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, Gods have come down to us in the likeness of men! ¹² And they called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercurius, because he was the preacher. ¹³ Then the priest of Jupiter, who dwelt in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the temple porch, and wanted to make sacrifice with the people.

¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the people, crying out and saying, ¹⁵ Sirs, why do you do this? We are mortal men like you, and preach to you that you should turn from these vanities to the living God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them – ¹⁶ who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. ¹⁷ Nevertheless, he did not leave himself without witness, in that he showed his goodness in giving us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. ¹⁸ And with these words, they barely refrained the people from making sacrifice to them.

¹⁹ But certain Jews from Antioch and lconium came there, and they won the people over, and stoned Paul and drew him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. ²⁰ However, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and went into the city.

And the next day, Paul departed with Barnabas to Derbe. ²¹ After they had preached to that city and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium and Antioch, ²² and strengthened the disciples’ souls, exhorting them to continue in the faith, affirming that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. ²³ And they appointed elders by election in every congregation, and prayed and fasted, and committed them to God on whom they believed.

²⁴ And they went through Pisidia, and came into Pamphylia. ²⁵ And when they had preached the word of God in Perga, they descended into Attalia, ²⁶ and from there returned by ship to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work that they had completed. ²⁷ When they arrived and had gathered the congregation together, they described all that God had done by them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they remained there a long time with the disciples.

Disagreement about circumcision. The apostles bring peace to the matter at Jerusalem, and Paul and Barnabas preach at Antioch.

15 Then certain men came from Judea and taught the brethren, Unless you are circumcised as observed by Moses, you cannot be saved. ² And when dissension arose, and Paul and Barnabas had set themselves hard against them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. ³ And after they were brought on their way by the congregation, they passed over Phoenicia and Samaria, telling about the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brethren.

⁴ And when they got to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the congregation, and by the apostles and elders. And they described what things God had done by them. ⁵ Then there rose up certain men of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying that it was necessary to circumcise the Gentiles, and to enjoin them to keep the law of Moses. ⁶ And the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.

⁷ And when there was much disputing, Peter rose up and said to them, Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, and gave to them the Holy Spirit, even as he did to us. ⁹ And he put no difference between them and us, but with faith purified their hearts. ¹⁰ Now therefore why do you tempt God, and put a yoke on the disciples’ necks that neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, as they do.

¹² Then all the company was silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul, who told what signs and wonders God had shown among the Gentiles by them.

¹³ And afterward, while they held their peace, James spoke, saying, Men and brethren, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simon told how God at the beginning visited the Gentiles and took out of them people for his name. ¹⁵ And to this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written: ¹⁶ After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; and that which is fallen into decay of it, I will build again; and I will set it up, ¹⁷ so that the rest of mankind may seek after the Lord, even all the Gentiles upon whom my name is named, ¹⁸ says the Lord who does all these things.

Known to God are all his works from the beginning of the world. ¹⁹ Therefore my recommendation is that we not trouble those who from among the Gentiles are turned to God, ²⁰ but that we write to them to keep themselves from the defilement of idols, from fornication, from things strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For Moses since ancient times has had those who preach him in every city, and he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.

²² Then it pleased the apostles and elders with the whole congregation to send men chosen from their own company to Antioch (in Syria) with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas, called also Barsabas, and Silas, who were chief men among the brethren, ²³ and gave them letters in their hands as follows:

The apostles, elders, and brethren send greetings to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. ²⁴ Since we have heard that certain men who departed from us have troubled you with words and unsettled your minds, saying you must be circumcised and keep the law – to whom we gave no such instruction – ²⁵ it seemed therefore to us a good thing, when we came together with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also tell you the same things by mouth. ²⁸ For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to put no greater burden upon you than these necessary things, ²⁹ that is to say, to abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and fornication. From which, if you keep yourselves, you will do well. So fare ye well.

³⁰ When they departed, they went to Antioch, and gathered the whole community together and delivered the epistle. ³¹ When they had read it, the people were glad of that consolation. ³² And Judas and Silas, being prophets, exhorted the brethren with much preaching, and strengthened them. ³³ And after they had stayed there a little while, they were let go in peace from the brethren to the apostles. ³⁴ Notwithstanding, it pleased Silas to remain there still. ³⁵ Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others.

³⁶ But after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every place where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing. ³⁷ And Barnabas gave counsel to take with them John, called also Mark. ³⁸ But Paul did not think it good to take him into their company, who had departed from them at Pamphylia and not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And the dissension was so sharp between them that they separated one from the other. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ and Paul chose Silas and departed, committed by the brethren to the grace of God. ⁴¹ And he went through all Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the congregations.

Timothy is circumcised. Paul preaches at Phillipi, and there he is put in prison.

16 Then Paul went to Derbe and to Lystra. And a certain disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a woman who was a Jewess and believed, but his father was a Greek. ² The brethren of Lystra and of Iconium spoke well of Timothy. ³ Paul wanted him to go forth with him, and took and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those quarters, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they went through the towns, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, as resolved by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem. ⁵ And so the congregations were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

⁶ When they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia, ⁷ they came to the region of Mysia, and sought to go into Bithynia. But the Spirit would not permit them. ⁸ Then they went over Mysia and down to Troas. ⁹ And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: there stood a man from Macedonia who appealed to him, saying, Come into Macedonia and help us! ¹⁰ After he had seen the vision, immediately we prepared to go into Macedonia, persuaded that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. ¹¹ Then we set sail from Troas, and with a straight course went to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi, which is the chief city in the parts of Macedonia, and a Roman colony.

We were in that city for several days. ¹³ And on the Sabbath days we went out of the city, beside a river where people were accustomed to pray. And we sat down and spoke to the women who gathered there. ¹⁴ And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira who worshipped God, listened to us, and the Lord opened her heart so that she attended to the things that Paul said. ¹⁵ When she was baptized, and her household, she invited us, saying, If you think that I believe on the Lord, come into my house and stay there. And she constrained us.

¹⁶ And it happened as we went to prayer that a certain girl possessed with a spirit that prophesied met us, who brought her masters much income by prophesying. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, who show to us the way of salvation! ¹⁸ And she did this many days. But Paul, not pleased, turned about and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! And it came out the same hour.

¹⁹ And when her master and mistress saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the marketplace to the authorities, ²⁰ and brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men are troubling our city. They are Jews, and preach customs ²¹ that are not lawful for us to receive nor to observe, seeing we are Romans.

²² And the people ran on them, and the magistrates tore their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods. ²³ And when they had beaten them sore, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them securely. ²⁴ Which jailer, when he had received such direction, thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks.

²⁵ At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and lauding God, and the prisoners heard them. ²⁶ And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken. And immediately all the doors opened, and every man’s bonds were loosed. ²⁷ When the keeper of the prison awoke out of his sleep and saw the prison doors open, he drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!

²⁹ Then he called for a light and rushed in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, ³⁰ and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? ³¹ And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, and your household. ³² And they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds, and was baptized with all who belonged to him straightaway. ³⁴ When he had brought Paul and Silas into his house, he set food before them, and rejoiced that he with all his household believed on God.

³⁵ And when it was day, the magistrates sent their officers, saying, Let those men go. ³⁶ The keeper of the prison told this to Paul, saying, The magistrates have sent word to release you; now therefore take your leave, and go in peace.

³⁷ Then Paul said to them, They have beaten us openly, without a trial, for all that we are Romans, and have cast us into prison. And now would they send us away quietly? No, not so, but let them come themselves and get us out.

³⁸ When the officers told these words to the magistrates, they feared, hearing that Paul and Silas were Romans, ³⁹ and came and entreated them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. ⁴⁰ And they went out of the prison and entered into the house of Lydia. And when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them and departed.