Aa
Acceptance and Opposition
1In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a way that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks.
2But the Or disobeyingunbelieving Jews stirred up the Lit soulsminds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brothers.
3Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that I.e., confirming miraclessigns and wonders be performed by their hands.
4But the Lit multitudepeople of the city were divided; and some Lit weresided with the Jews, while others, with the apostles.
5And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to treat them abusively and to stone them,
6they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region;
7and there they continued to preach the gospel.
8In Lystra a man was sitting whose feet were incapacitated. He had been disabled from his mother’s womb, and had never walked.
9This man was listening to Paul as he spoke. Paul looked at him intently and saw that he had faith to be Lit savedmade well,
10and he said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” And the man leaped up and began to walk.
11When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us!”
12And they began calling Barnabas, In Lat Jupiter, the chief pagan god of RomeZeus, and Paul, In Lat Mercury, considered the messenger or spokesman for the pagan gods of RomeHermes, since he was Lit the leader of the speakingthe chief speaker.
13Moreover, the priest of Zeus, whose temple was Lit in front ofjust outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.
14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they tore their Or outer garmentsrobes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out
15and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men, of the same nature as you, preaching the gospel to you, to turn from these I.e., idolsuseless things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them.
16Lit Who in past generations permittedIn past generations He permitted all the Or Gentilesnations to go their own ways;
17yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, Lit fillingsatisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”
18And even by saying these things, only with difficulty did they restrain the crowds from offering sacrifices to them.
19But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking that he was dead.
20But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
21And after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made a good number of disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch,
22strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying,It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.”
23When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
24They passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia.
25When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
26From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been entrusted to the grace of God for the work that they had Lit fulfilledaccomplished.
27When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all the things that God had done with them and Lit thathow He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
28And they spent Lit not a littlea long time with the disciples.