What was happening in Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe in this passage?

This passage follows Paul and Barnabas as they move from city to city on their journey. In Iconium, they start in the synagogue, preach so clearly that many Jews and Greeks believe, and God backs their message with signs and wonders. But unbelieving Jews stir up the Gentiles, and a violent plot grows. When they hear of plans to stone them, they move on to Lystra and then Derbe. In these places they keep preaching, see a crippled man healed, face idolatry and then stoning, and later return to strengthen the young churches.

Why did the people of Lystra try to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods?

In Lystra, Paul heals a man who had been crippled from birth and had never walked. When the crowd sees him leap up and walk, they shout in their own language that the gods have come down in human form. They call Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mercurius, and even the priest of Jupiter brings oxen and garlands to offer sacrifice. They read the miracle through their old pagan beliefs. Instead of seeing the living God behind the healing, they try to give worship to the messengers standing in front of them.

How did Paul and Barnabas respond when people wanted to sacrifice to them?

When Paul and Barnabas realize people are about to offer sacrifice to them, they are horrified. They tear their clothes, rush into the crowd, and shout that they are only human, with the same nature and feelings as everyone else. They tell the people to turn from these empty practices to the living God, the Creator of heaven, earth, sea, and everything in them. They explain that God has always given good gifts like rain, fruitful seasons, food, and gladness as a witness to himself. Even with this, they barely stop the crowd.

What does it mean that God left not himself without witness?

Paul explains to the people in Lystra that, even when God allowed nations to go their own way, he still left clear signs of himself. God showed his kindness by giving rain from heaven, fruitful seasons, and filling human hearts with food and gladness. These everyday gifts are like a quiet testimony that there is a living, generous Creator behind the world. So people cannot say they had no hint of God at all. Creation, harvests, and the joy they bring are meant to point people away from idols and toward the true God.

Why was Paul stoned and left for dead, and what happened next?

Hostile Jews travel from Antioch and Iconium to Lystra and win over the crowd that had once tried to worship Paul and Barnabas. The mood swings, and they stone Paul, drag him out of the city, and assume he is dead. While the disciples stand around him, he gets up and actually goes back into the city. The next day he leaves with Barnabas for Derbe. Instead of quitting, they keep preaching. Later they even return to Lystra, the very place he was stoned, to strengthen the believers there.

What does “through much tribulation we enter into the kingdom of God” mean?

When Paul and Barnabas revisit the new believers, they do not promise an easy path. They strengthen their souls and urge them to stay in the faith, saying that we must enter God’s kingdom through many troubles. This means hardship is not a strange accident for followers of Jesus, but part of the normal path. Opposition, suffering, and pressure often come with belonging to Christ. Yet this does not shut the door of the kingdom; it is the road that leads there. This verse helps believers expect trials and keep going instead of giving up.

Why did Paul and Barnabas appoint elders in every church?

As Paul and Barnabas retrace their steps, they do more than preach once and move on. In each church, they appoint elders, praying with fasting as they do so. These elders are local leaders who will care for, teach, and guide the believers after the missionaries leave. By commending these churches to the Lord in whom they had believed, Paul and Barnabas show that lasting ministry needs ongoing shepherds, not just visiting workers. This also shows they did not act high‑handedly, but sought God’s guidance and involved the gathered believers.

What does this passage teach about how believers should respond to persecution?

Here we see several responses. Paul and Barnabas stay “long time” in Iconium, speaking boldly even as opposition grows, showing courage and patience. When a plan to stone them becomes clear, they leave, not out of fear for comfort, but so the message can continue in other places. After Paul is stoned in Lystra, he gets up, keeps traveling, and later returns to strengthen that same church. Together this shows that believers may sometimes stand firm in danger and sometimes move on, but in both cases they keep trusting God and continue the work.

What does this passage show about God’s work among Gentiles?

Throughout this passage, people who are not Jews respond to God’s message. In Iconium many Greeks believe alongside Jews. In Lystra and Derbe, Paul and Barnabas preach to a mostly pagan crowd, call them from idols to the living Creator, and see a crippled man healed through faith. At the end, when they return to their sending church, they gather the believers and report all that God had done with them, especially that he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. This makes clear that God’s grace and salvation are for all nations.

Acts.14.1

Acts 14:1

KJV

And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

Paul and Barnabas at Iconium

1 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

4 But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.

5 And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,

6 They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:

7 And there they preached the gospel.

The Visit to Lystra and Derbe

8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:

9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.

14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,

15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

16 Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.

17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

18 And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

Strengthening the Disciples

21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:

26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.