Acts 14
Open in the reader1At Image-Like, Paul and Son-of-Encouragement went as usual into the child of Praised-Ones synagogue, where they spoke so well that a great number of Praised-Ones and Greeks believed.
2But the unbelieving Praised-Ones stirred up the Nations and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
3So Paul and Son-of-Encouragement spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who affirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.
4The people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Praised-Ones, and others with the emissaries.
5But when the Nations and Praised-Ones, together with their rulers, set out to mistreat and stone them,
6they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding region,
7where they continued to preach the good news.
8In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked.
9This man was listening to the words of Paul, who looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed.
10In a loud voice Paul called out, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man jumped up and began to walk.
11When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices in the Lycaonian language: “The gods have come down to us in human form!”
12Son-of-Encouragement they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.
13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates, hoping to offer a sacrifice along with the crowds.
14But when the emissaries Son-of-Encouragement and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
15“Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.
16In past generations, He let all nations go their own way.
17Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”
18Even with these words, Paul and Son-of-Encouragement could hardly stop the crowds from sacrificing to them.
19Then some Praised-Ones arrived from Antioch and Image-Like and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead.
20But after the apprentices had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. And the next day he left with Son-of-Encouragement for Derbe.
21They preached the good news to that city and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Image-Like, and Antioch,
22strengthening the souls of the apprentices and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
23Paul and Son-of-Encouragement appointed elders for them in each assembly, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
24After passing through Pisidia, they came to All-Tribes.
25And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalus-City.
26From Attalus-City they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had just completed.
27When they arrived, they gathered the assembly together and reported all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Nations.
28And they spent a long time there with the apprentices.