Preaching in Iconium
1 Now it happened that in Iconium they entered togetherinto the synagogue of the Jews and spoke in such a way that a large number of both Jews and Greeks believed.
2 But the Jews who were disobedient stirred up and poisoned the mindsof the Gentiles against the brothers.
3 So they stayed therefor a considerable time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be performed through their hands.
4 But the population of the city was divided, and somewere with the Jews and somewith the apostles.
5 So when an inclination took place on the part of both the Gentiles and the Jews, together with their rulers, to mistreat themand to stone them,
6 they became aware of itandfled to the Lycaonian cities—Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region.
7 And there they were continuing to proclaim the good news.
Mistaken for Gods in Lystra
8 And in Lystra a certain man was sitting powerless in his feet, lame from birth,who had never walked.
9 This man listened whilePaul was speaking. Paul,looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be healed,
10 said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” And he leaped up and began walking.
11 And whenthe crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices in the Lycaonian language, saying, “The gods have become like men andhave come down to us!”
12 And they began callingBarnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, because he was the principal speaker.
13 And the priest of the templeof Zeus that was just outside the city brought bulls and garlands to the gates andwas wanting to offer sacrifice, along with the crowds.
14 But whenthe apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it,they tore their clothing andrushed out into the crowd, shouting
15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, proclaiming the good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things that are in them—
16 who in generations that are past permitted all the nationsto go their own ways.
17 And yet he did not leave himself without witness bydoing good, giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying youwith food and your hearts with gladness.”
18 And althoughthey said these things, only with difficulty did they dissuade the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.
19 But Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and when theyhad won over the crowds and stoned Paul, they dragged himoutside the city, thinking he was dead.
20 But afterthe disciples surrounded him, he got up andwent into the city. And on the next day he departed with Barnabas for Derbe.
Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria
21 And after theyhad proclaimed the good news in that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,
22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging themto continue in the faith and saying,“Through many persecutionsit is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God.”
23 And when theyhad appointed elders for them in every church, afterpraying with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
24 And they passed through Pisidia andcame to Pamphylia.
25 And afterthey proclaimed the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia,
26 and from there they sailed away to Antioch where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had completed.
27 And when theyarrived and called the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles.
28 And they stayed no little time with the disciples.
—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/38/32k/ACT/14-0a5c7cf19e0caded2e8ae6a2fcbc6943.mp3?version_id=90—