Acts:14

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue , and so spoke that a great number believed , both of Jews and of Greeks . * But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren . * So they spent a long time there , speaking boldly for the Lord , who bore witness to the word of his grace , granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands . * But the people of the city were divided ; some sided with the Jews , and some with the apostles . * When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers , to mistreat them and to stone them , * they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia , Lystra and Derbe , and to the surrounding country ; * and there they continued to preach the gospel . * At Lystra there was a man sitting who had no strength in his feet , lame from birth , who had never walked . * He listened to Paul speaking ; and Paul , looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well , * said with a loud voice , »Stand upright on your feet .« And he leaped up and began to walk . * And when the crowds saw what Paul had done , they lifted up their voices , saying in the Lycaonian language , »The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men !« * Barnabas they called Zeus , and Paul , because he was the chief speaker , they called Hermes . * The priest of Zeus , whose temple was just outside the city , brought oxen and garlands to the gates , and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds . * But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it , they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd , crying out * »Men , why are you doing this ? We also are men , of like nature with you , and bring you good news , that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them . * In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own ways ; * yet he did not leave himself without witness , in that he did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons , satisfying your hearts with food and gladness .« * Even with these words , they had difficulty keeping the crowds from offering sacrifice to them . * But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium ; and having won over the crowds , they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city , supposing that he was dead . * But after the disciples had gathered around him , he got up and entered the city . And the next day he went with Barnabas to Derbe . * After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples , they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch , * strengthening the souls of the disciples , encouraging them to continue in the faith , and saying , »Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God .« * And when they had appointed elders for them in every church , with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed . * They passed through Pisidia , and came into Pamphylia . * And when they had spoken the word in Perga , they went down to Attalia . * From there they sailed to Antioch , where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed . * When they arrived , they gathered the church together and declared all that God had done with them , and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles . * And they spent a long time with the disciples .

---