Acts 14

1In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.

2But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers and sisters.

3So they stayed there for a considerable time, speaking boldly and relying on the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling signs and wonders to be done through their hands.

4But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and others with the apostles.

5When both Gentiles and Jews, together with their rulers, made a move to mistreat them and stone them,

6they learned of it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region,

7and there they continued to proclaim the good news.

8In Lystra there sat a man who could not use his feet. He had been lame from birth and had never walked.

9He listened as Paul was speaking. Paul looked straight at him and saw that he had faith to be healed,

10and he said in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And the man leaped up and began to walk.

11When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”

12They called Barnabas Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.

13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and garlands to the gates, and he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifices.

14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,

15“Men, why are you doing this? We too are only human, just like you. We are bringing you the good news, so that you will turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them.

16In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own ways.

17Yet he did not leave himself without a witness, for he has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, and by filling your hearts with food and joy.”

18Even with these words, they could hardly keep the crowds from offering sacrifices to them.

19Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds over. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead.

20But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

21They proclaimed the good news in that city and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,

22strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. They said, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”

23They appointed elders for them in each church, and with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

24Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia.

25After they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

26From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been entrusted to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.

27When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

28And they stayed there with the disciples for a long time.