Acts 14 13

Acts 14:13 kjv

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.

Acts 14:13 nkjv

Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.

Acts 14:13 niv

The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

Acts 14:13 esv

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.

Acts 14:13 nlt

Now the temple of Zeus was located just outside the town. So the priest of the temple and the crowd brought bulls and wreaths of flowers to the town gates, and they prepared to offer sacrifices to the apostles.

Acts 14 verses

Acts 14 13 Meaning

Acts chapter 14 verse 13 describes the Lystran people's immediate and misdirected response after Paul healed a crippled man. The verse states that the priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen for sacrifice and garlands for decoration to the city gates, intending to offer a formal sacrifice with the entire crowd to Barnabas and Paul, whom they believed to be gods incarnate, Zeus and Hermes. This act illustrates their profound misunderstanding of the source of the miraculous healing, attributing it to their pagan deities rather than the one true God preached by the apostles.

Acts 14 13 Context

The events of Acts 14:13 follow Paul and Barnabas's arrival in Lystra during their first missionary journey. After enduring persecution in Iconium (Acts 14:1-7), they fled to Lystra and Derbe. In Lystra, Paul healed a man who had been crippled from birth and had never walked (Acts 14:8-10). This astonishing miracle immediately prompted the pagan Lystran crowd, steeped in Greco-Roman polytheistic beliefs, to declare that Barnabas and Paul were gods who had "come down to us in the likeness of men" (Acts 14:11-12). They identified Barnabas, likely due to his more imposing stature or commanding presence, as Zeus, the king of the gods, and Paul, as the primary speaker, as Hermes, the messenger god who accompanied Zeus. Acts 14:13 vividly describes the practical manifestation of this pagan veneration, as the local religious authority, the priest of Zeus, took the lead in preparing a grand sacrifice. The act was a spontaneous outpouring of folk religion combined with formal priestly ritual, believing that a genuine divine epiphany had occurred within their city.

Acts 14 13 Word Analysis

• Then (Τε): This conjunction signifies a continuation or consequence, directly linking the priest's actions to the preceding events of the healing and the crowd's acclamation of Barnabas and Paul as gods. It indicates an immediate, spontaneous response.
• the priest (ὁ ἱερεύς - ho hiereus): Refers to a professional religious functionary, distinct from the common people. This specific individual was dedicated to the worship of Zeus. His leadership highlights the official and traditional nature of the attempted sacrifice, demonstrating the community's ingrained polytheistic culture.
• of Zeus (τοῦ Διός - tou Dios): Specifies the deity whom this priest served. Zeus was the supreme god in the Greek pantheon, king of the gods and ruler of the sky. Lystra, being a Roman colony, had strong connections to Greek mythology, and Zeus was a paramount figure. This specific attribution underscores the perceived grandeur and significance of the "gods" who had supposedly appeared.
• whose temple (οὗ ὁ ναὸς - hou ho naos): A significant architectural and religious structure. The existence of a dedicated temple indicates the widespread and institutionalized worship of Zeus in Lystra, reinforcing the cultural milieu.
• was in front of the city (πρὸ τῆς πόλεως - pro tes poleos): This indicates a common practice of locating major temples outside or near the main gate of a city. This location would have made it highly visible and accessible for public rituals, also positioning the deity as a protector or guardian of the city, or as a site for travelers to seek blessings upon entering.
• brought (ἤγαγεν - ēgagen): A vivid verb indicating active transport, reflecting the priest's initiation and arrangement of the ritual.
• oxen (ταύρους - taurous): Large, powerful animals, often bullocks, were premium sacrificial victims, especially for major deities like Zeus. Their offering symbolized wealth, importance, and reverence. The sheer size of the offering underscores the gravity and honor the Lystrans wished to bestow upon Paul and Barnabas.
• and (καὶ - kai): Connects the two elements being brought.
• garlands (στέμματα - stemmata): Floral wreaths or fillets. These were used to adorn sacrificial animals, altars, or sometimes worn by the participants and priests themselves during religious festivals and sacrifices, signifying piety and sacredness. They are essential elements of traditional pagan offerings, preparing the objects of sacrifice for the divine.
• to the gates (ἐπὶ τοὺς πυλῶνας - epi tous pulōnas): The city gates were significant public spaces, points of entry and exit, where important announcements were made and legal proceedings sometimes took place. Bringing the sacrificial elements here suggests an intention for a public, city-wide ritual, further demonstrating the enthusiasm and official nature of their misidentification of Paul and Barnabas as gods.
• and wanted (ἤθελέν - ēthelen): Expresses clear intent or desire.
• to offer sacrifice (θύειν - thuein): The act of religious offering, specifically by slaughtering animals, which was a central feature of pagan worship designed to appease, honor, or seek favor from deities.
• with the crowds (σὺν τοῖς ὄχλοις - syn tois ochlois): Highlights the communal and public aspect of the event. It was not merely the priest's intention but a shared desire and participation of the whole populace, showing their widespread conviction in the divine status of Paul and Barnabas.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Then the priest of Zeus": This phrase introduces the official religious leadership involved in the pagan response. It establishes the immediate link to the specific cult present in Lystra and signals the solemnity with which the event was being treated from the Lystrans' perspective.
• "whose temple was in front of the city": Provides important cultural and topographical context. It emphasizes the prominent role of Zeus worship in Lystra and indicates the central location of the temple, making the ritual an important public event.
• "brought oxen and garlands to the gates": Details the specific instruments and setting of a pagan sacrifice. Oxen signify a major, expensive offering, while garlands denote purification, adornment, and consecration for sacred purposes. The gates highlight the public, communal, and official nature of the intended worship.
• "and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds": This final phrase captures the ultimate aim: a collective, solemn act of worship. It underscores the shared, enthusiastic, but ultimately misguided devotion of the Lystran people to Paul and Barnabas as divine beings. The conjunction of priest and crowds shows this was a city-wide affair, born of a sincere but misinformed religious impulse.

Acts 14 13 Bonus Section

• The Lystran Identity of Zeus and Hermes: The identification of Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes specifically by the Lystrans may have been influenced by a local legend or mythological narrative, perhaps the story of Philemon and Baucis (from Ovid's Metamorphoses), where Zeus and Hermes visited a region in Phrygia (nearby Lystra) in disguise and were welcomed only by an old, poor couple. This pre-existing cultural narrative would have predisposed them to believe in such a divine "epiphany." Zeus (the older, leader-like figure) fits Barnabas's assumed gravitas, and Hermes (the eloquent messenger) fits Paul's role as the primary speaker.
• Danger to the Apostles: The attempt to offer sacrifice was not just a theological affront; it was also a very real danger. Had Paul and Barnabas accepted or even hesitated in rejecting the worship, they would have legitimized idolatry in the eyes of the Lystrans, and potentially incurred the wrath of God. Moreover, their forceful refusal soon led to them being stoned (Acts 14:19), illustrating the rapid shift from veneration to violence in their highly superstitious and volatile context.
• Apoligetic Contrast: This episode contrasts sharply with Paul's later, more nuanced approach in Athens (Acts 17:22-31), where he engaged with philosophical discourse. Here in Lystra, he confronts raw, primal idolatry and must vehemently deny any divine status, forcefully correcting their understanding of God's nature. This reflects Paul's adaptive communication, tailoring his message to the audience's cultural and intellectual context.

Acts 14 13 Commentary

Acts 14:13 vividly illustrates the profound religious and cultural clash encountered by the apostles during their mission. Following the healing of the crippled man, the Lystrans' immediate attribution of the miracle to their pagan gods reveals their worldview. In their understanding, powerful acts must originate from the divine, and seeing no other explanation, they spontaneously connected Paul and Barnabas to their known pantheon. The presence and initiative of the priest of Zeus signify the full official sanction of this misguided devotion, leading to an organized attempt at a major public sacrifice.

This act of intended worship posed an immediate and serious theological challenge to Paul and Barnabas. It directly violated the fundamental tenets of their monotheistic faith, which prohibited the worship of anything other than the one true God (Exo 20:3). Furthermore, accepting such worship would have amounted to blasphemy and a severe betrayal of their mission. Their immediate and vehement rejection of this worship (Acts 14:14-18) underscores the absolute necessity of distinguishing the Creator from creation, and true worship from idolatry. The scene also highlights the fickle nature of popular opinion: what begins as enthusiastic veneration quickly turns into hostile rejection when the apostles challenge their entrenched beliefs.