Acts 14 28

Acts 14:28 kjv

And there they abode long time with the disciples.

Acts 14:28 nkjv

So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.

Acts 14:28 niv

And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.

Acts 14:28 esv

And they remained no little time with the disciples.

Acts 14:28 nlt

And they stayed there with the believers for a long time.

Acts 14 verses

Acts 14 28 Meaning

After completing their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch in Syria, their sending church. This verse describes a significant period of time, unhurried and continuous, that they spent there in deep fellowship with the community of believers. This duration allowed them to report on God’s work among the Gentiles, strengthen the Antioch church, and find rest and spiritual refreshment within their spiritual home base, preparing them for future ministry endeavors and challenges.

Acts 14 28 Context

Acts chapter 14 describes the continued evangelistic work of Paul and Barnabas in various cities after their departure from Pisidian Antioch. They encountered a mixed reception, including both acceptance and fierce persecution, often facing Jewish opposition that stirred up Gentiles. In Iconium, they proclaimed the Gospel and performed signs, leading to many conversions but also an attempt to stone them (14:1-7). They fled to Lystra and Derbe, where Paul healed a lame man, causing the crowds to hail them as gods, which they humbly rejected (14:8-18). However, opponents from Antioch and Iconium followed them, instigating a crowd to stone Paul, leaving him for dead (14:19-20). Despite this, Paul recovered and, with Barnabas, continued to preach in Derbe before retracing their steps through Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch. On this return journey, they strengthened the disciples, encouraged perseverance in faith amidst tribulations, and appointed elders in every church (14:21-23). They then traveled through Pisidia and Pamphylia, preaching the word in Perga, and sailed back to Antioch in Syria (14:24-26). Upon arrival, as mentioned in Acts 14:27, they "gathered the church together and reported all that God had done with them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles." Verse 28 immediately follows this reporting, signifying a period of integration, rest, and consolidation for the missionaries and the home church, essential before embarking on future ministry, notably the Jerusalem Council discussed in Acts 15.

Acts 14 28 Word analysis

• And there (Κἀκεῖ – Kakei): A conjunction combined with an adverb of place. "And" connects this period of rest to their immediate return and reporting (Acts 14:27). "There" refers specifically to Antioch in Syria, which served as their commissioning church and spiritual home base for Gentile missions (Acts 13:1-3). It highlights the importance of a rooted community for missionaries.

• they stayed (διέτριβον – dietribon): The imperfect active indicative of diatribō. This verb signifies a continuous and sustained action, meaning to "spend time," "pass time," or "dwell." Unlike a mere stopover or transient visit, it implies a deliberate, unhurried, and significant period of residence. This was a time of more than just debriefing; it involved living among and investing in the community.

• a long time (χρόνον οὐκ ὀλίγον – chronon ouk oligon): Literally translated as "not a little time," this is an example of a Greek figure of speech called litotes, an understatement that emphasizes the positive. Thus, it strongly means "a considerable," "substantial," or "very long time." This indicates a crucial and extended period necessary for rest, recovery, processing their experiences, strengthening the Antioch church, and preparing for future theological developments and challenges.

• with the disciples (σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς – syn tois mathētais):

  • "with" (σὺν – syn): This preposition signifies close association, fellowship, and togetherness, implying deep interaction and mutual involvement.
  • "the disciples" (τοῖς μαθηταῖς – tois mathētais): Refers to the collective body of believers in Antioch, the entire Christian community. It highlights the communal aspect of early Christian life and ministry, emphasizing that Paul and Barnabas were not isolated figures but integral members of the local church. This indicates a period of mutual edification, where the apostles strengthened the believers, and the believers provided support and spiritual renewal to the apostles.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "And there they stayed a long time": This phrase emphasizes the stability and duration of their presence back at their home church, providing a counterpoint to the arduous and transient nature of their missionary journey. It suggests a time for rootedness, rather than continued itinerancy, essential for spiritual health and strategic planning.
  • "stayed a long time with the disciples": This further clarifies the nature of their prolonged stay, underscoring its focus on communal life, teaching, and fellowship. It signifies relational investment and highlights the reciprocal relationship between the missionaries and the supporting home church. It was a period of both imparting knowledge from their experiences and receiving strength and solidarity from the believing community.

Acts 14 28 Bonus section

• The "long time" referred to in this verse is widely understood by scholars to have spanned several months, possibly even over a year, given the theological and practical developments that followed in Acts chapter 15 leading up to the Jerusalem Council.
• This period highlights a balanced rhythm in ministry: active outreach and mission work ("going") are complemented by periods of intentional dwelling, consolidation, and internal growth ("building up" the existing community). This prevents burnout and ensures the health and spiritual formation of both missionaries and the church.
• The emphasis on being "with the disciples" showcases the organic nature of the early church as a community where leaders were deeply embedded, not separate from, the congregation. This fosters genuine spiritual support, accountability, and a shared vision for the Gospel.
• This pause was also crucial for allowing the radical implications of the Gentile mission to settle within the Antioch church, which was predominantly Jewish, preparing the ground for the significant theological challenges that would arise concerning Jewish law and Gentile converts, as detailed in the very next chapter of Acts.

Acts 14 28 Commentary

Acts 14:28 marks the conclusion of Paul and Barnabas's monumental first missionary journey, depicting a vital period of rest and integration. The apostles returned to Antioch, not merely to pass through, but to "stay a long time" (chronon ouk oligon), emphasizing a substantial and deliberate duration. This protracted residence, facilitated by the verb dietribon (to spend time/dwell), underscores a crucial phase of consolidation. After the intensity of establishing new churches amidst opposition, this provided a necessary season for personal spiritual refreshment, healing from past traumas (like Paul's stoning), and deep fellowship with their sending church. It was a time of crucial debriefing, where they recounted "all that God had done" (Acts 14:27), processing the profound implications of Gentile conversion for the entire church. This communal dwelling "with the disciples" allowed for mutual edification: Paul and Barnabas strengthened the believers with their accounts and teachings, while the Antioch church provided a supportive, loving environment that renewed their spirit for future endeavors. This vital intermission, highlighting the importance of a home base for ministry, perfectly sets the stage for the pivotal discussions regarding Gentile inclusion at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15.