Acts:14
Seeker Overlay ON
*
IN Iconium Paul and Barnabas went in the same way into the synagogue and spoke so that a large number both of Jews and of Greeks believed .
*
But the unbelieving Jews excited and embittered the minds of the Gentiles against the brethren .
*
Therefore the apostles spent considerable time speaking freely and fearlessly in reliance upon the Lord ,
who bore witness to his gracious message by permitting signs and wonders to be done by their hands .
*
The people of the city became divided ;
some were with the Jews and some with the apostles .
*
But when there was a rush made by the Gentiles and the Jews ,
along with their rulers ,
to hustle them and stone them ,
*
the apostles learned of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia ,
Lystra and Derbe ,
and the surrounding country ,
*
and there they went on telling the good news .
*
In Lystra there was a man sitting who was powerless in his feet .
He had been lame from his mother '
s womb and never had walked .
*
He was listening to Paul as he was speaking .
Paul fixed his eyes on him ,
and ,
seeing that he had faith to be healed ,
*
said in a loud voice , "
Stand up straight on your feet ."
He sprang up and walked about .
*
When the crowds saw what Paul had done ,
they raised their voices ,
saying in Lycaonian , "
The gods have taken human form and come down to us ."
*
They called Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes ,
because he was the principal speaker .
*
Then the priest of Zeus ,
whose temple was in front of the city ,
brought bulls and garlands to the gates ,
followed by the crowds ,
and intended to offer sacrifice .
*
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it ,
they rent their garments and sprang into the crowd ,
crying out ,
* "
Men ,
why are you doing this ?
We too are men with the same weaknesses that you have .
We are bringing you the good news that you are to turn from these foolish things to the living God ,
who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all things that are in them .
*
In past generations he permitted all the nations to go their own ways ,
*
though he did not leave himself without evidence ,
for he did you good and gave rains from heaven and fruitful seasons ,
filling your hearts with food and gladness ."
*
Even by saying this they with difficulty kept the crowds from offering sacrifice to them .
*
But Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds ,
and they stoned Paul and dragged him outside of the city ,
thinking that he was dead .
*
But when the disciples gathered around him he rose up and reentered the city .
On the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe .
*
Telling the good news in that city they made a number of disciples .
Then they returned to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch ,
*
reassuring the minds of the disciples and encouraging them to be steadfast in the faith ,
saying , "
Through many trials we must enter into the kingdom of God ."
*
They appointed elders for them in every church ,
and after prayer and fasting committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed .
*
They passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia .
*
After telling the message in Perga ,
they came down to Attalia .
*
From there they sailed for Antioch ,
where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had now completed .
*
Upon their arrival they assembled the church and narrated all that God ,
working with them ,
had done ,
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles .
*
There they passed no little time with the disciples .