Acts · chapter 14 of 28
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Acts 14 tells how Paul and Barnabas preach in Iconium, Lystra and Derbe on their first journey. In Lystra Paul heals a lame man, the people take them for Zeus and Hermes, and then Paul is stoned and left for dead; he gets up and continues. They strengthen the disciples, appoint elders in every church and return to Antioch to report what God had done.
This chapter continues the first missionary journey begun in Acts 13. It tells of the gospel's first contact with pagan communities without a biblical background, and shows the dangers and joys of mission: acclaimed one day, stoned the next. At the end, the missionaries return to their sending church.
In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas enter the synagogue and speak so effectively that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believe. The unbelieving Jews stir up the Gentiles against the brothers, but they stay a long time speaking boldly, and the Lord bears witness to the word with signs and wonders. The city is divided; when they learn of a plot to stone them, they flee to Lystra and Derbe.
In Lystra there is a man lame from birth who has never walked. Paul sees that he has faith to be healed and says in a loud voice for him to stand up straight; he leaps up and walks. The crowd, seeing it, shouts in the Lycaonian language that the gods have come down to them; they call Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, and the priest of the temple of Zeus brings oxen and garlands to offer sacrifice. The apostles tear their garments and rush out into the crowd, saying they are men like them and are preaching so that they turn to the living God, who made heaven, earth and sea, and who did not leave himself without witness, giving rains and fruitful seasons, food and gladness.
Jews come from Antioch and Iconium, win over the crowd and stone Paul, dragging him out of the city, supposing him dead. When the disciples gather around him, he rises and goes back into the city. The next day he leaves with Barnabas for Derbe, where they preach and make many disciples.
They return to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith, saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. In every church they appoint elders, pray with fasting and commit them to the Lord. They pass through Pisidia and Pamphylia and sail to Syrian Antioch, where they gather the church and report all that God had done with them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Paul and Barnabas refuse to be worshiped, say they are men like their hearers and call them to turn to the living God, creator of heaven, earth and sea. With people who lacked the Bible, they begin with the Creator, not with Israel's history.
Paul says God did not leave himself without witness, for he does good, gives rains and fruitful seasons and fills hearts with food and gladness. Creation and everyday kindness point to the Creator.
Paul and Barnabas encourage the disciples to continue in the faith and tell them that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. The gospel does not promise a life without difficulty but God's presence in it.
Paul and Barnabas appoint elders in every church, pray with fasting and commit them to the Lord. New churches are not left alone: they receive shepherds to care for them.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: They spoke in the synagogue and a great number of Jews and Greeks believed; then they fled a plot to stone them. — Acts 14:1-6
Answer: Paul told him to stand up straight, and he leaped up and began to walk. — Acts 14:8-10
Answer: Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes. — Acts 14:12
Answer: They stoned him and dragged him out of the city, supposing him dead. — Acts 14:19
Answer: That through many tribulations we must enter it. — Acts 14:22
Answer: All that God had done with them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. — Acts 14:27
Paul and Barnabas's reaction to worship in Lystra is a lesson for every ministry: when people want to applaud the servant, the servant points to the Lord. In your group, ask how you react to praise and to whom you give the glory.
Paul also gets up after being stoned and returns to the city. This is not self-made heroism: the disciples who gathered around him sustained him. Remember that perseverance is a community task; ask whom you can gather around this week to help them get back up.
Acts 14 closes the first missionary journey with a joyful report in Antioch. But success among the Gentiles raises an urgent question that will be settled in Acts 15: must Gentile believers submit to the law of Moses?
They were Greek gods: Zeus, the chief god, and Hermes, his messenger and spokesman. The people of Lystra thought Barnabas and Paul were those gods, probably because of a local legend, and so they wanted to offer them sacrifices.
The text says they dragged him out of the city thinking he was dead. It does not claim he actually died. When the disciples gathered around him he got up and went back into the city, which shows God's protection.
They were local leaders in charge of shepherding and caring for each community. This is the first time Acts describes Paul and Barnabas appointing them in the churches they founded, with prayer and fasting.