Acts 14
1 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish meeting place and spoke very convincingly [about the Lord Jesus]. As a result, many Jews and also non-Jews believed [in Jesus].
In Iconium the same thing happened. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and spoke so convincingly that many of both the Jewish and Greek-speaking worshipers trusted in Jesus.
2 But [some of] the Jews refused to believe [that message, and] told the non-Jews not to believe it. They told the non-Jewish people that the message [about Jesus] was not true. As a result, [some of] the non-Jews became angry towards the believers [there].
But the Jews that refused to believe in Jesus stirred up the feelings of the foreigners, and poisoned them against the believers.
3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there speaking boldly for the Lord, and the Lord Jesus enabled them to do many miracles. In this way he showed [people] that the message about how the Lord saves us in a way that we do not deserve is true.
Paul and Barnabas stayed there a long time, speaking to them boldly in the Lord, who confirmed their message of grace through the miraculous signs that they were enabled to perform.
4 The people [who lived] in [Iconium] city strongly disagreed with each other [concerning the message about Jesus]. Some of them agreed with the Jews [SYN] [who did not believe that message]. Others agreed with Paul and Barnabas.
The inhabitants of the town were divided, with some supporting the Jews and some the apostles.
5 Then the non-Jewish people and the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] [who opposed those two] talked among themselves about how they could mistreat them. Some of the important men in that city agreed to help them. Together, they decided that they would [kill Paul and Barnabas by] throwing stones at them.
But then the foreigners and the Jews, together with their leaders, decided to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.
6 But Paul and Barnabas heard about that, so they quickly went away to Lycaonia [district. They went] to Lystra and Derbe [cities in that district] and to the area surrounding [those cities].
However, they found out about it and fled to the region of Lycaonia, to the towns of Lystra and Derbe,
7 [While they were] in that area, they continually told people the message [about the Lord Jesus].
where they continued to share the good news.
8 [Once while Paul was preaching to people] in Lystra, a man was sitting there who was crippled in his legs. When [his mother] bore him he had crippled legs, so he was never able to walk.
In the town of Lystra there was a disabled man who was lame in both feet. He had been crippled from birth and had never been able to walk.
9 He listened as Paul was speaking [about the Lord Jesus]. Paul looked directly at him and could see [in the man’s face] that he believed that [the Lord Jesus] could make him well.
He sat there listening to Paul speaking. When Paul looked directly at him, and realized that the man was trusting in God to heal him,
10 So Paul called out [to him], “Stand up!” [When the man heard that], he [immediately] jumped up and began to walk [normally].
Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet!” The man jumped to his feet and started walking.
11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, [they thought that Paul and Barnabas] [were/must be]) [the gods that they worshipped]. So they shouted [excitedly] in their [own] Lycaonia language, “[Look! These people are] the gods [that we(inc) worship! They] made themselves look like people and have come down [from the sky/heaven to help us]!”
When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted out in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come down to us looking like men!”
12 They began to say that Barnabas was [probably the chief god, whose name was]. And [they began to say that] Paul was Hermes, [the messenger/spokesman for the other gods. They mistakenly thought that] because Paul was the one who had been speaking.
They identified Barnabas as the Greek god Zeus, and Paul as the god Hermes because he was one who did most of the talking.
13 Just outside [the gates of] the city there was a temple [where the people worshipped Zeus. The priest who was there heard what Paul and Barnabas had done, so he came] to the city gate, where many people had already gathered. He brought [two] bulls with wreaths [of flowers around their necks]. The priest and the other people wanted to kill the bulls [as part of a ceremony] to worship Paul and Barnabas.
The priest of the temple of Zeus that lay just outside the town, brought oxen and wreaths to the town gates. He planned to carry out a sacrifice in front of the crowds.
14 But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard about that, [and understood that the people thought that they were gods and wanted to sacrifice the bulls to worship them], they [were very distressed], so they tore their own clothes. They rushed among the people, shouting,
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul learned what was happening, they tore their clothes, and rushed into the crowds, shouting out,
15 “Men, (you must not kill those bulls [to worship us(dl)!]/why are you doing this?) [RHQ] [We are not gods]! We are just human beings like you! We have come to tell you some good news! [We have come to tell you about] God who is all-powerful. He wants you to stop worshipping other gods, because they cannot help you. This true God made the heaven/sky and the earth and the oceans and everything in it.
“People, what are you doing? We are human beings with the same kind of nature as you. We came to bring you good news, so you could turn from these pointless things to a God who is truly alive. He is the one who made heaven, earth, and sea, and everything in them.
16 In the past, all of you non-Jewish people [worshipped whatever gods that you wanted to]. God let you worship them, [because you did not know him].
In past times he allowed all the nations to follow their own ways.
17 But he has shown us [LIT] [that] he acts kindly [toward us(inc)]. He is the one who causes it to rain and causes crops to grow. He is the one who gives you plenty of food, and makes you very happy.”
Even so he still provided evidence of himself by doing good, sending you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons, providing all the food you need, and filling you with happiness.”
18 The people heard what [Paul] said, but they still thought that they should sacrifice those bulls to worship Paul and Barnabas. [But finally, the people decided not to do it].
With these words they barely managed to stop the crowds from offering sacrifices to them.
19 [However], after that, some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and persuaded many of the people of Lystra [that the message Paul had been telling them] was not true. The people [who believed what those Jews said became angry with Paul. They let the Jews] throw stones at him [until he fell down, unconscious]. They [all] thought that he was dead, so they dragged him outside the city [and left him lying there]. But some of the believers [in Lystra had followed them outside the city].
But then some Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul, and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead.
20 They came and stood around Paul, [where he was lying on the ground]. And Paul [became conscious! He] stood up and went back into the city [with the believers]. Acts 14:20b-23 The next day, Paul and Barnabas [left Lystra and] traveled to Derbe.
But when the believers gathered around him, he got up, and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
21 They [stayed there several days and they kept telling] the people the good message [about Jesus]. Many people became believers. After that, Paul and Barnabas [started on their way back. They] went again to Lystra. [Then they went from there] to Iconium, and [then they went] to Antioch [in Pisidia province].
After sharing the good news with the people in that town, and after many had become believers, they went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.
22 [In each city], they helped the believers [SYN] to become strong [spiritually], and they urged them to keep on trusting in [the Lord Jesus]. They told [the believers], “It is necessary that [we endure] people often persecuting us [(inc)] before we enter the place where God will rule [over us forever].”
They encouraged the believers to remain firm and to continue to trust in Jesus. “We have to go through many trials to enter God's kingdom,” they said.
23 Paul and Barnabas appointed leaders for each congregation. [And before Paul and Barnabas left each town, they gathered the believers together and spent some time] praying and (fasting/not eating any food). Then Paul and Barnabas entrusted the [leaders and other believers] to the Lord [Jesus], in whom they had believed, [in order that he would care for them].
After they had appointed elders for every church, and had prayed and fasted with them, Paul and Barnabas left them in the Lord's care, the one that they trusted in.
24 After Paul and Barnabas had traveled through Pisidia [district], they went [south] to Pamphylia [district].
They passed through Pisidia, and arrived in Pamphylia.
25 [In that district], they [arrived] at Perga and preached God’s message [about the Lord Jesus to the people there. Then] they went down [to the seacoast] at Attalia.
They spoke God's word in Perga, and then went on to Attalia.
26 There they got on a ship and went back to Antioch [in Syria province]. That was the place where Paul and Barnabas had been appointed {where [believers] had sent Paul and Barnabas} to go [to other places] and preach. [Antioch was the place where the believers] had asked God to kindly help Paul and Barnabas in the work that they had now completed.
From there they sailed back to Antioch where they had started out, having been dedicated there in God's grace to the work they had now accomplished.
27 When they arrived in Antioch, they called the believers together. Then Paul and Barnabas told them all that God had helped them to do. [Specifically, they told them how God] had enabled [IDM] [many] non-Jewish people to believe [in Jesus].
When they arrived, they called the church together. They reported everything God had done through them, and how he had opened a door for the foreigners to trust in him.
28 Then Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch with the [other] believers for several months.
They stayed there with the believers for a long time.
