Acts 14 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

Paul and Barnabas in Iconium

Act 14:1The same thing happened in Iconium.[fn] Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers.

Act 14:2

Act 14:2Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas.

Act 14:3

Act 14:3But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders.

Act 14:4

Act 14:4But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.

Act 14:5

Act 14:5Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them.

Act 14:6

Act 14:6When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area.

Act 14:7

Act 14:7And there they preached the Good News.

Paul and Barnabas in Lystra and Derbe

Act 14:8

Act 14:8While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting

Act 14:9

Act 14:9and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed.

Act 14:10

Act 14:10So Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.

Act 14:11

Act 14:11When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human form!”

Act 14:12

Act 14:12They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker.

Act 14:13

Act 14:13Now the temple of Zeus was located just outside the town. So the priest of the temple and the crowd brought bulls and wreaths of flowers to the town gates, and they prepared to offer sacrifices to the apostles.

Act 14:14

Act 14:14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting,

Act 14:15

Act 14:15“Friends,[fn] why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.

Act 14:16

Act 14:16In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways,

Act 14:17

Act 14:17but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.”

Act 14:18

Act 14:18But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them.

Act 14:19

Act 14:19Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead.

Act 14:20

Act 14:20But as the believers[fn] gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch of Syria

Act 14:21

Act 14:21After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia,

Act 14:22

Act 14:22where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.

Act 14:23

Act 14:23Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

Act 14:24

Act 14:24Then they traveled back through Pisidia to Pamphylia.

Act 14:25

Act 14:25They preached the word in Perga, then went down to Attalia.

Act 14:26

Act 14:26Finally, they returned by ship to Antioch of Syria, where their journey had begun. The believers there had entrusted them to the grace of God to do the work they had now completed.

Act 14:27

Act 14:27Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too.

Act 14:28

Act 14:28And they stayed there with the believers for a long time.