# Acts 14 📖: Ministry in Lystra and Derbe [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Acts Overview]] | [[Acts 13]] | [[Acts 15]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) #### Paul and Barnabas at Iconium **Principle**: Expect opposition [[#Verse 01.]] The same thing happened in Iconium when Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large group of both Jews and Greeks believed.  [[#Verse 02.]] But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.  [[#Verse 03.]] So they stayed there for a considerable time, speaking out courageously for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace, granting miraculous signs and wonders to be performed through their hands.  [[#Verse 04.]] But the population of the city was divided; some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. [[#Verse 05.]] When both the Gentiles and the Jews (together with their rulers) made an attempt to mistreat them and stone them,  [[#Verse 06.]] Paul and Barnabas learned about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region. [[#Verse 07.]] There they continued to proclaim the good news. ### Paul and Barnabas at Lystra **Principle**: Never stop pointing to Jesus. [[#Verse 08.]] In Lystra sat a man who could not use his feet, lame from birth, who had never walked.  [[#Verse 09.]] This man was listening to Paul as he was speaking. When Paul stared intently at him and saw he had faith to be healed,  [[#Verse 10.]] he said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And the man leaped up and began walking.  [[#Verse 11.]] So when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”  [[#Verse 12.]] They began to call Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.  [[#Verse 13.]] The priest of the temple of Zeus, located just outside the city, brought bulls and garlands to the city gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifices to them.  [[#Verse 14.]] But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, [[#Verse 15.]] “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are men, with human natures just like you! We are proclaiming the good news to you, so that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them. [[Exodus 20]], [[Psalm 146#Verse 06.]] [[#Verse 16.]] In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own ways,  [[#Verse 17.]] yet he did not leave himself without a witness by doing good, by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying you with food and your hearts with joy.”  [[#Verse 18.]] Even by saying these things, they scarcely persuaded the crowds not to offer sacrifice to them. [[#Verse 19.]] But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and after winning the crowds over, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, presuming him to be dead.  [[#Verse 20.]] But after the disciples had surrounded him, he got up and went back into the city. On the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. ### Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria **Principle**: Returning from missionary journey. Always return to your roots. [[#Verse 21.]] After they had proclaimed the good news in that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch.  [[#Verse 22.]] They strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, “We must enter the kingdom of God through many persecutions.”  [[#Verse 23.]] When they had appointed elders for them in the various churches, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the protection of the Lord in whom they had believed. [[#Verse 24.]] Then they passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia,  [[#Verse 25.]] and when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.  [[#Verse 26.]] From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.  [[#Verse 27.]] When they arrived and gathered the church together, they reported all the things God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles. [[#Verse 28.]] So they spent considerable time with the disciples. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ###### Verse 28. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe (14:1, 6) were cities in the Roman province of Galatia, in modern Turkey. 2. The people of Lystra spoke in the Lycaonian language (14:11), so Paul and Barnabas did not understand at first what was happening. 3. The crowd called Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes (14:12). Hermes was the messenger of the gods, and Paul was the main speaker. 4. A local legend told of Zeus and Hermes visiting the region in disguise and being rejected by everyone but one old couple, which may explain the crowd's eagerness. 5. Tearing their clothes (14:14) was a Jewish sign of grief and protest against blasphemy. 6. Paul's message at Lystra starts with creation rather than the Old Testament (14:15-17), since his audience did not know the Scriptures. 7. Paul was stoned at Lystra (14:19), which he later mentions in 2 Corinthians 11:25. 8. Timothy was from Lystra (16:1) and may have witnessed Paul's suffering there (2 Timothy 3:11). 9. Paul and Barnabas retraced their steps to strengthen the new churches (14:21-22). 10. The first journey ended back in Antioch of Syria, where they reported how God had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles (14:26-27). ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the living Lord who calls people away from worthless idols to the living God (14:15; 1 Thessalonians 1:9). His followers enter the kingdom through many hardships, as He did (14:22; John 16:33). ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. The crowd at Lystra tried to worship Paul and Barnabas, but they tore their clothes and pointed to the living God (14:11-15). How do we handle praise in a way that honors God? 2. Paul pointed to rain, crops, and joy as evidence of God's kindness (14:17). Where do you see God's goodness in everyday life? 3. Paul was stoned and left for dead, then got up and went back into the city (14:19-20). What gives that kind of perseverance? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 15: Turn from worthless things to the living God who made heaven and earth. - 📖 verse 17: God has not left Himself without a witness, giving rain, crops, and joy. - 📖 verse 22: We must enter the kingdom of God through many persecutions. - 📖 verse 23: Paul and Barnabas appoint elders in every church with prayer and fasting. ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 [[Acts 03#Verse 02.|Acts 3:2-8]] - Peter heals a man lame from birth. - 🔗 [[1 Thessalonians 01#Verse 09.|1 Thessalonians 1:9]] - Turned from idols to serve the living God. - 🔗 [[Romans 01#Verse 20.|Romans 1:20]] - God's invisible attributes seen in creation. - 🔗 [[2 Timothy 03#Verse 11.|2 Timothy 3:11]] - Persecutions at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. - 🔗 [[Titus 01#Verse 05.|Titus 1:5]] - Appoint elders in every town. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Acts 14 - SOAP|Expect Difficulty with Joy]] ##### 📄 Outline (Acts‬ ‭14‬:‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬) “Where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” BI- The initiation of Suffering. (Gangs- blood-in) How Do We Truly Encourage Others 1. Continue in the faith 2. Remind them that suffering happens. 3. The Prize is being part of the Kingdom of God. ## 📂 Internal Notes %% ### Outline **Big Idea**: **Point 1**: **Point 2**: **Point 3**: %%