Acts 14 meaning explained in AI Summary

• Healing and Preaching in Lystra: Paul and Barnabas perform a healing in Lystra, leading to the conversion of many people. They are initially mistaken for gods.
• Accusations and Stoning: However, Jewish opponents arrive and stir up trouble, resulting in Paul being stoned and left for dead.

Paul and Barnabas continue their missionary journey, facing both opposition and acceptance as they spread the Gospel:

1. Healing and Opposition in Iconium (vv. 1-7):

• Paul and Barnabas preach in the synagogue at Iconium, winning over a significant number of Jews and Gentiles.
• This success sparks opposition from unbelieving Jews who poison the minds of the Gentiles against them.
• Despite the threats, Paul and Barnabas boldly continue preaching for a considerable time.

2. Miracles and Mixed Reactions in Lystra (vv. 8-20):

• In Lystra, Paul heals a man crippled from birth, leading the people to believe they are gods (Zeus and Hermes).
• They are horrified by this and try to offer sacrifices to them, but Paul and Barnabas tear their clothes and preach against idolatry.
• However, Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrive and stir up the crowd, who then stone Paul and drag him out of the city, leaving him for dead.
• Miraculously, Paul gets up and returns to the city. The next day, he and Barnabas travel to Derbe.

3. Strengthening the Disciples and Returning to Antioch (vv. 21-28):

• In Derbe, they preach the Gospel and make many disciples.
• They then revisit Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain faithful despite persecution.
• They appoint elders in each church and, after prayer and fasting, entrust them to the Lord.
• Finally, they return to their home church in Antioch, reporting all that God had done through them and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

Key Themes:

• The Power of the Gospel: Despite opposition, the Gospel continues to spread, demonstrating its inherent power.
• The Cost of Discipleship: Following Jesus comes with challenges and persecution, but also with God's strength and presence.
• The Importance of Church Leadership: Paul and Barnabas establish leadership in the new churches, emphasizing the importance of structure and guidance for believers.
• God's Sovereignty: Despite setbacks and opposition, God is ultimately in control, opening doors for the Gospel and protecting His messengers.

Acts 14 bible study ai commentary

The gospel's advance inevitably meets fierce opposition, showcasing the stark contrast between the worship of the one Creator God and pagan superstition. This chapter powerfully frames suffering and persecution not as a sign of failure, but as the normative path for entering the Kingdom of God. It chronicles the immense personal cost of apostolic ministry and the establishment of local church leadership to ensure the endurance of the new believers.

Acts 14 context

This chapter documents the latter part of Paul's first missionary journey with Barnabas. They are in the Roman province of Galatia, moving through the cities of Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. This region, known as Lycaonia, had a distinct local culture and language. Crucially, a well-known local myth, recorded by the Roman poet Ovid, told of the gods Zeus and Hermes visiting the Phrygian region disguised as mortals. The local people had rejected them, except for one poor, elderly couple (Baucis and Philemon) whom the gods rewarded. This story was deeply ingrained in the local consciousness and directly explains the crowd's extreme reaction to the miracle at Lystra, as they believed they were seeing a repeat of this divine visitation and did not want to make the same mistake of dishonoring the gods again.

Acts 14:1-4

At Iconium they entered the Jewish synagogue together and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles.

In-depth-analysis

• Ministry Pattern: Continues the established pattern from Acts 13: preach in the synagogue first, where God-fearing Gentiles were also present.
• Effective Preaching: The phrase "spoke in such a way" implies their message was clear, persuasive, and Spirit-empowered, leading to a significant response.
• Division: The gospel message is inherently divisive; it forces a choice. The city splits between those who believe and those who oppose. This is a recurring result of their preaching.
• Poisoned their minds: Greek ekakōsan tas psychas, literally "made their souls evil" toward the believers. This was a campaign of slander and malicious propaganda.
• Boldness and Endurance: In the face of opposition, they did not flee immediately but "remained for a long time." Their boldness (parrēsiazomenoi) came from their reliance on the Lord.
• Divine Confirmation: The Lord validates their message ("the word of his grace") by granting "signs and wonders." Miracles were not the message itself but the divine seal upon the message, attesting to its truth.
• "Apostles": Luke applies this title to Barnabas and Paul, not as members of the original Twelve, but in its broader sense of "sent ones" or official emissaries from the church at Antioch.

Bible references

• Acts 13:46-47: "...It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you... we are turning to the Gentiles." (Continues the established missionary strategy).
• Hebrews 2:4: "...while God also bore witness by signs and wonders... according to his own will." (Explains the purpose of miracles confirming the Gospel).
• Romans 15:19: "...by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God..." (Paul describing his own ministry as being authenticated by God's power).
• Matthew 10:34: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." (Jesus predicts the division His message would cause).

Cross references

1 Cor 1:23 (Christ crucified is a stumbling block), John 7:43 (division over Jesus), Luke 12:51 (Jesus brings division), 1 Th 2:2 (boldness in the face of opposition), Mark 16:20 (Lord works with them confirming the word).

Acts 14:5-7

When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, and there they continued to preach the gospel.

In-depth-analysis

• Organized Opposition: This was no longer just verbal slander but a coordinated plot (hormē, "a violent rush" or "assault") involving both ethnic groups and civic leaders. Stoning was the intended method.
• Strategic Withdrawal: Their flight was not cowardly but prudent. They followed Jesus' instruction to flee persecution and carry the mission elsewhere. They escaped to continue the work, not to abandon it.
• New Territory: They move deeper into a more rustic and less Hellenized part of Galatia (Lycaonia). This marks a shift to a primarily pagan audience with less initial exposure to Jewish monotheism.
• Undaunted Mission: The response to a death threat is simply to change location and immediately "continue to preach the gospel." Their focus on the mission is absolute.

Bible references

• Matthew 10:23: "When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next..." (Direct fulfillment of Jesus' command to his disciples).
• Proverbs 22:3: "The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it." (Wisdom in avoiding unnecessary harm to preserve the mission).
• 2 Corinthians 11:25: "Once I was stoned..." (Paul later lists the stoning that occurs in this chapter as part of his apostolic credentials).

Cross references

Acts 9:23-24 (Paul escapes a plot in Damascus), Acts 17:10 (fleeing Berea), 2 Tim 3:11 (Paul reminds Timothy of these persecutions).

Acts 14:8-10

Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet." And he sprang up and began to walk.

In-depth-analysis

• Parallels to Acts 3: This healing is a deliberate echo of Peter's healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate. It shows that the same power of Christ is working through Paul as through Peter, authenticating Paul's apostleship.
• From Birth: The chronicity of the condition is emphasized to highlight the miracle's magnitude. It was an undeniable, supernatural event.
• Faith to be Healed: Paul, through discernment, perceives the man's faith (pistin tou sōthēnai). The Greek sōthēnai can mean to be healed (physically) or to be saved (spiritually), and here the context suggests both are intertwined. The man's faith, kindled by hearing the gospel, was the receptive channel for God's power.
• Authoritative Command: Paul does not pray or perform a ritual. He speaks with direct, commanding authority, similar to Jesus. The power is in the spoken command issued in Christ's authority.
• Immediate Result: The man "sprang up" (ēllato, a leaping motion) and "began to walk" (periepatei, continuous action). The healing was instantaneous and complete.

Bible references

• Acts 3:1-8: "And leaping up, he stood and began to walk... walking and leaping and praising God." (The primary parallel, showing apostolic continuity).
• Isaiah 35:6: "then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy." (Echoes the OT promise of messianic restoration and healing).
• Matthew 9:28-29: "...Jesus said to them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?'... 'According to your faith be it done to you.'" (Demonstrates the principle of faith as a conduit for miracles).

Cross references

Luke 7:50 (your faith has saved you), Mark 5:34 (faith and healing), John 5:1-9 (Jesus heals a man lame for 38 years).

Acts 14:11-13

And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.

In-depth-analysis

• Pagan Worldview: The crowd's immediate interpretation is filtered through their pagan, mythological framework. A supernatural event must be the work of their gods.
• The Lycaonian Language: Speaking their local dialect explains why Paul and Barnabas did not immediately understand what was happening. This was not a universal language but a regional one.
• Zeus and Hermes: As noted in the context, this specific identification was prompted by the local legend of Zeus (Jupiter) and Hermes (Mercury) visiting. They identified the more reserved or imposing Barnabas as the chief god Zeus, and the primary orator Paul as Hermes, the messenger god.
• Immediate Worship: The response is not just wonder, but immediate worship. The priest of the local temple of Zeus mobilizes for a formal sacrifice, bringing oxen and garlands, indicating the seriousness of their belief.
• Polemics: This entire scene is a polemic against paganism. It exposes its core flaw: misattributing God's work to false deities and the readiness to worship created beings (or even fellow humans) rather than the Creator. It highlights the vast conceptual gap between monotheism and polytheism.

Bible references

• Acts 12:21-23: "And the people were shouting, 'The voice of a god, and not of a man!' And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down..." (A stark contrast where Herod accepted worship and was judged).
• Daniel 4:30-31: "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built...? While the words were in the king's mouth... 'The kingdom has departed from you.'" (The danger of human pride and self-deification).
• Romans 1:25: "...they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator..." (The theological principle behind the Lystran's error).

Cross references

Acts 28:6 (Maltese islanders think Paul is a god), Exod 20:3-5 (prohibition of idolatry), Dan 2:46 (Nebuchadnezzar falls before Daniel).

Acts 14:14-18

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness." Even with these words they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

In-depth-analysis

• Apostles' Horror: Tearing their garments was a traditional Jewish expression of profound grief, horror, or indignation, typically in response to blasphemy. Here, it is horror at being the object of idolatry.
• "We are also men": Their first act is to demolish the divine pedestal, declaring their common humanity (homoiopatheis, "of same feeling/suffering").
• General Revelation Apologetic: Paul's speech is a masterclass in pre-evangelism to a pagan audience. He doesn't quote Jewish scripture (which would be meaningless to them). Instead, he argues from General Revelation:
  1. Starts with Creation: He points to the "living God" as the Creator of all things.
  2. Addresses their Idolatry: He calls their gods "vain things" (mataiōn, empty, useless idols).
  3. Explains God's Past Work: God in His sovereignty "allowed all nations to go their own ways," a concept Paul explains further in Romans.
  4. Points to God's Goodness: God never left Himself without a witness (amartyron). His evidence is His consistent, benevolent provision in nature (rain, seasons, food), which should lead people to gratitude towards Him, not local deities.
• The sermon had a limited, immediate goal: stop the sacrifice. Even with this powerful appeal, they "scarcely restrained" the crowd, showing how deeply ingrained their superstition was.

Bible references

• Acts 17:22-31: "The God who made the world and everything in it... does not live in temples made by man..." (Paul's later, more philosophical speech in Athens, using a similar starting point).
• Romans 1:19-20: "For what can be known about God is plain to them... His invisible attributes... have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world..." (The theological foundation for Paul's sermon).
• Psalm 19:1: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." (The principle that creation points to the Creator).

Cross references

1 Kgs 18:29 (vainly calling on Baal), Jer 10:1-16 (idols vs. the living God), Psa 146:6 (God the creator), 1 Th 1:9 (turn from idols to serve a living God).

Acts 14:19-20

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.

In-depth-analysis

• Persistent Opposition: The Jewish opponents were so dedicated to stopping Paul that they traveled over 100 miles from Antioch and Iconium to track him down and incite a new crowd against him.
• Fickleness of the Crowd: This is a stunning reversal. The same crowd that wanted to worship Paul as a god is now persuaded to execute him. This demonstrates the instability of human opinion not grounded in truth.
• Stoning: A brutal method of execution. That they dragged him out of the city "supposing that he was dead" indicates the severity of the attack. Luke, a physician, uses careful language; he doesn't state Paul was dead, but that the mob believed he was. Whether he was miraculously resuscitated from near-death or actually resurrected, the recovery is supernatural.
• Disciples' Loyalty: The new believers did not scatter in fear. They "gathered about him," a sign of loyalty and care, even at great personal risk.
• Supernatural Resilience: Paul's ability to get up, re-enter the very city that just stoned him, and travel the next day is a testament to God's preserving power. This act of re-entry was a powerful sign of defiance and God's victory over the enemy's attack.

Bible references

• 2 Corinthians 11:25: "Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned..." (Paul recounting this event as a badge of honor and proof of his suffering for Christ).
• 2 Timothy 3:11: "...my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me." (Paul explicitly mentions this event to Timothy, who was from Lystra and likely a witness).
• Galatians 6:17: "From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus." (The permanent scars from this stoning and other attacks were a physical sign of his union with the suffering of Christ).

Cross references

Acts 7:58 (stoning of Stephen), 2 Cor 4:8-10 (perplexed but not in despair, carrying death of Jesus so life of Jesus may be manifested).

Acts 14:21-23

When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

In-depth-analysis

• Courageous Return: Instead of taking a safe route home, they deliberately retrace their steps back into the very cities where they were nearly killed. Their priority was the new believers, not their own safety.
• Core of Discipleship: They focused on "strengthening the souls" and "encouraging them to continue in the faith." Early discipleship involves fortification and pastoral care.
• Theology of Suffering: The key message is that suffering is not an elective but a necessity: "through many tribulations (thlipseōn) we must enter the kingdom of God." This is presented as a fundamental truth of the Christian life, preparing the new converts for the reality of what is to come.
• Church Planting: Paul and Barnabas did not just make converts; they established organized churches.
• Appointing Elders: Cheirotonēsantes (appointing) likely refers to a formal recognition of leaders, not necessarily a democratic vote. They establish a leadership structure for long-term governance, teaching, and protection.
• Committing to the Lord: Even after appointing leaders, the ultimate guardian of the church is the Lord. Prayer and fasting underscore the gravity of this task and their complete dependence on God to sustain the new churches.

Bible references

• John 16:33: "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (Jesus' own teaching on the inevitability of tribulation).
• Titus 1:5: "This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you." (The normative practice of establishing local church leadership).
• Romans 5:3: "...we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance..." (Paul's developed theology on the formative power of suffering).

Cross references

1 Th 3:2-4 (Paul sent Timothy to establish and exhort concerning faith in affliction), 2 Tim 2:12 (if we endure, we will reign), 1 Pet 4:12-13 (do not be surprised at the fiery trial), Acts 20:32 (Paul commends Ephesian elders to God).

Acts 14:24-28

Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples.

In-depth-analysis

• Journey Complete: They finish the loop of their first journey, finally preaching in Perga where they had only passed through before (Acts 13:13).
• Sending Church: They return to their home base, Antioch of Syria. Luke notes they were "commended to the grace of God" from there, emphasizing that the mission began and ended with the local church's commissioning and God's enabling grace.
• Accountability and Reporting: Their first act is to gather the church and give a report. This establishes a principle of missionary accountability.
• Theological Summary: The entire journey is summarized in two key phrases:
  1. "all that God had done with them": They give God the credit. They were instruments, but He was the primary actor.
  2. "how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles": This is the theological punchline of the first journey. God Himself has definitively opened the way for Gentiles to be included in His people by faith, apart from the Mosaic Law. This sets the stage for the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15.
• Period of Rest: They remained "no little time" (a Lukan understatement) with the church, a time of rest, teaching, and fellowship before the next phase of ministry.

Bible references

• 1 Corinthians 16:9: "for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries." (Paul using the same "open door" metaphor for missionary opportunity).
• Colossians 4:3: "...praying also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word..." (The concept that God is the one who creates ministry opportunities).
• Acts 15:12: "And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles." (This same report will be given at the Jerusalem Council).

Cross references

Acts 13:1-3 (their initial sending from Antioch), Acts 21:19 (Paul reports to James and the elders in Jerusalem after his third journey), Rev 3:8 (I have set before you an open door).

Acts chapter 14 analysis

• Missionary Cycle: The chapter establishes a repeatable cycle that appears throughout Acts: 1) Proclamation in a strategic location (synagogue). 2) Conversion of both Jews and Gentiles. 3) Opposition and persecution, often stirred up by unbelieving Jews. 4) A strategic withdrawal or turning to a new audience. 5) Miraculous signs validating the message. 6) Establishment of local leadership for long-term health.
• Theology of Power vs. Theology of the Cross: The chapter holds these two in perfect tension. God's power is spectacularly displayed in the healing (vv. 8-10) and Paul's survival (v. 20). But this power is manifested through messengers who embrace suffering, rejection, and near-death experiences. The stoning immediately follows the attempt to worship them, vividly illustrating that the apostolic life is one of suffering, not glory.
• The Marks of Jesus: Paul's physical suffering at Lystra gave experiential weight to his later statement in Galatians 6:17: "I bear on my body the marks (stigmata) of Jesus." These were not self-inflicted but were the scars of his allegiance to Christ, a powerful counter-argument to Judaizers who insisted on the 'mark' of circumcision.
• Timothy's Conversion: Though not mentioned here, 2 Timothy 3:10-11 strongly implies that Timothy, a native of Lystra, witnessed these events firsthand. The persecution at Lystra was part of his own discipleship journey and the reason Paul could point back to it as a shared memory.
• Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Paul's speech (v. 16) holds these two in balance. God in His sovereignty "allowed all the nations to go their own ways," yet this does not absolve them of responsibility, as He never "left himself without witness" (v. 17). This lays a foundation for the gospel's call to repentance.

Acts 14 summary

Paul and Barnabas preach with success in Iconium, causing division and forcing them to flee a murder plot. In Lystra, Paul heals a man crippled from birth, leading the pagan crowd to mistake them for the gods Zeus and Hermes and attempt to worship them. The apostles are horrified and correct them, pointing from creation to the one living God. Their enemies arrive, turn the crowd, and stone Paul, leaving him for dead. He miraculously survives, and they press on to Derbe before courageously backtracking through the hostile cities to strengthen the disciples, warning them that entrance to the kingdom requires tribulation, and appointing elders for the new churches. They finally return to Antioch, reporting that God has opened a "door of faith" to the Gentiles.