BOOK 44 OF 66 · HISTORY · KING JAMES BIBLE

Acts 14

Acts book home•Chapter 14 of 28•28 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Acts 14 Overview

Paul and Barnabas preach in Iconium with both belief and violent opposition. At Lystra a lame man is healed, and the crowd mistakes the missionaries for gods; Paul and Barnabas tear their clothes and urge them to turn from vanities to the living Creator. Opponents later persuade the crowd to stone Paul, yet he survives and continues to Derbe. The missionaries retrace their route, strengthen disciples, appoint elders in every church, and report to Antioch what God has done among the Gentiles.

ActsBook

14Chapter

28Verses

HistoryDivision

Before you read Acts 14

Coming from

At Antioch, prophets and teachers minister to the Lord and fast, and the Holy Ghost directs Barnabas and Saul to missionary work. In Cyprus Paul confronts Elymas the sorcerer, and the Roman deputy believes. In Pisidian Antioch Paul preaches Israel’s history culminating in Jesus’ death and resurrection, proclaims forgiveness and justification through Him, and warns against unbelief. Jewish resistance leads Paul and Barnabas to turn their public mission toward the Gentiles, who rejoice in the word.

In this chapter

Acts 13 launched the first missionary journey and established justification through faith in Christ. Acts 14 shows the cost and church-building work that follow evangelistic success.

Leads into

Acts 15 addresses the major doctrinal crisis over whether Gentile believers must be circumcised and keep Moses’ law to be saved.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The Lystra sermon begins with creation and providence rather than Israel’s detailed history because the audience is pagan. The gospel witness is contextualized without changing the identity of the living God.

The statement ‘we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God’ is spoken to existing disciples being strengthened. It describes the path of faithful discipleship in a hostile world, not tribulation as the price of eternal life.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Apostolic ministry combines evangelism and church strengthening

Paul and Barnabas do not count decisions and disappear; they return to establish disciples and elders.

Miracles must not redirect worship toward messengers

The missionaries violently reject divine honors.

Public opinion is unstable

The same city that wants to worship Paul later stones him.

Christian mission expects hardship

Tribulation is presented as normal within faithful kingdom service.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Acts 3:12–16

Peter likewise refuses personal credit for a miracle and points hearers to God.

Romans 1:19–25

Paul’s later description of Creator/rebel/idol categories resembles his Lystra appeal to turn from vanities to the living God.

2 Timothy 3:10–11

Paul later reminds Timothy of persecutions at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra.

Titus 1:5

The appointment of elders in local churches becomes a continuing apostolic pattern.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not use “faith to be healed” as a universal formula that sick people can guarantee healing by generating enough faith

This is a specific apostolic sign event.

Do not teach that suffering earns entrance into God’s kingdom

The statement strengthens people already called disciples.

Do not assume contextual preaching means omitting Christ permanently

Acts adapts starting points while the missionary message remains centered on the living God and gospel.

Do not romanticize persecution

Paul survives severe violence, and the churches need strengthening precisely because suffering is real.

Read Acts 14 watching for…

The repeated mixture of belief and opposition.

How Paul responds to attempted worship.

The content of the Creator-focused Lystra appeal.

The speed of the crowd’s reversal.

The return journey through dangerous cities.

The appointment of elders and report to Antioch.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-7Paul and Barnabas preach at Iconium until opposition forces them to flee 8-18Paul heals a lame man at Lystra and refuses worship as a god 19-23Paul is stoned, rises, and strengthens disciples while elders are appointed 24-28The missionaries return to Antioch and report what God did among the Gentiles

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.

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

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.

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

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,

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

And there they preached the gospel.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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:

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

And there they abode long time with the disciples.