Acts 14:8-20
The gospel redirects misplaced worship to the living God, yet faithfulness may lead from applause to persecution.
8 At Lystra a certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked.
9 He was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole,
10 said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” He leaped up and walked.
11 When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”
12 They called Barnabas “Jupiter”, and Paul “Mercury”, because he was the chief speaker.
13 The priest of Jupiter, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and would have made a sacrifice along with the multitudes.
14 But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes, and sprang into the multitude, crying out,
15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;
16 who in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.
17 Yet he didn’t leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”
18 Even saying these things, they hardly stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice to them.
19 But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
20 But as the disciples stood around him, he rose up, and entered into the city. On the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe.
The gospel redirects misplaced worship to the living God, yet faithfulness may lead from applause to persecution.
To demonstrate the gospel’s confrontation with pagan misunderstanding and mob hostility in Lystra.
This episode follows the division in Iconium and marks a shift into a more rural, pagan context. Unlike synagogue settings, Paul now addresses a Gentile crowd without shared scriptural background. The passage highlights both miraculous power and intense suffering, advancing the missionary journey narrative toward deeper perseverance themes.
In Lystra, a predominantly Gentile city in Lycaonia, Paul heals a man lame from birth. The local population, influenced by Greco-Roman mythology, identifies Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes. A priest prepares sacrifices before the apostles intervene, redirecting attention to the Creator. Soon, hostile Jews from other cities stir the crowd, leading to Paul's stoning. Though presumed dead, Paul survives and continues ministry.
Through Many Hardships into the Kingdom
Acts 14 shows that Spirit-sent mission advances through bold preaching, suffering, correction of idolatry, strengthened churches, appointed elders, and God’s opened door of faith to the Gentiles.