BWE - Acts - 14

14:1  In Iconium Paul and Barnabas did as they had done before in other places. They went into the Jews’ meeting place and spoke. Many of the Jews and the other people believed.

14:2  But the Jews who did not believe said wrong things about them. They spoiled the minds of those who were not Jews so that they hated the Christians.

14:3  Paul and Barnabas stayed there a long time anyway. They did not fear to talk about the Lord. The Lord proved that the message about his blessing was true. He worked through Paul and Barnabas. They did signs and wonderful things.

14:4  The people of the city were divided. Some of them agreed with the Jewish leaders. Some of them agreed with the apostles.

14:5  Then some of those people who were not Jews joined together with the Jews and their leaders. They made a plan to give the apostles much trouble and to kill them with stones.

14:6  Paul and Barnabas found out about this. So they left quickly. They went to Lystra and Derbe in the district of Lycaonia and the country around.

14:7  There they told people the good news.

14:8  At Lystra a man was sitting. He was not able to walk because he had no strength in his feet. He had never walked since he was born.

14:9  This man heard Paul speak. Paul looked at the man. He saw that the man believed he would be healed.

14:10  Paul said, ‘Stand up on your feet!’ The man jumped up and walked.

14:11  When the people saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their own language, ‘The gods have become like men! They have come down to visit us.’

14:12  They named Barnabas, Jupiter. And they named Paul, Mercury, because he was the one who talked.

14:13  There was a temple of Jupiter in front of the city. The priest of the temple brought animals and flowers to the gates to make a sacrifice. All the people were with him.

14:14  But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes and ran in among the people shouting.

14:15  They said, ‘Why are you people doing this? We are only men like you. You should leave these gods which cannot help you. You should turn to the living God. He made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them.

14:16  In the time that is past, God allowed all people to do what they wanted to do.

14:17  But even then he had some ways to make himself known. He did things that were good. He gave us rain from the sky and good harvests. And he gives you all the food you need and makes you very happy. Surely these things speak for him.’

14:18  By saying these things they stopped the people from making sacrifices to them.

14:19  Some of the Jewish leaders from Antioch and Iconium came to Lystra and won the people to their side. They threw stones at Paul. Then they carried him out of the city because they thought he was dead.

14:20  But as the disciples gathered around him, he got up and they went back into the city. The next day Paul and Barnabas left and went to Derbe.

14:21  They told the good news to the people in Derbe. Many people believed what they taught. Then they went back to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch.

14:22  They talked to the disciples to help them. They told them to keep on believing. They said, ‘We must go through much trouble to get into God’s kingdom.’

14:23  They chose leaders for them in every church. They talked with God and fasted. When they were finished, they gave the leaders over to the Lord’s care, because they believed in him.

14:24  They went through the district of Pisidia to Pamphylia.

14:25  They told the good news to the people in Perga. Then they went to the town of Attalia.

14:26  From there they went in a boat to Antioch. It was there that the people had given them over to God’s care. They had asked him to bless them in this work. Now they had finished the work.

14:27  When they reached the city, they called all the church people together. They told them all that God had done for them. They said, ‘Now God has opened the way to believe for those who are not Jews.’

14:28  Paul and Barnabas stayed a long time with the disciples at Antioch.