Acts 14:12-28

12They addressed Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes because Paul did most of the talking.

13Zeus’ temple was at the entrance to the city. The priest of the god Zeus brought bulls with flowery wreaths around their necks to the temple gates. The priest and the crowd wanted to offer a sacrifice ⌞to Paul and Barnabas⌟.

14When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they were very upset. They rushed into the crowd

15and said, “Men, what are you doing? We’re human beings like you. We’re spreading the Good News to you to turn you away from these worthless gods to the living God. The living God made the sky, the land, the sea, and everything in them.

16In the past God allowed all people to live as they pleased.

17Yet, by doing good, he has given evidence of his existence. He gives you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He fills you with food and your lives with happiness.”

18Although Paul and Barnabas said these things, they hardly kept the crowd from sacrificing to them.

19However, Jews from the cities of Antioch and Iconium arrived in Lystra and won the people over. They tried to stone Paul to death and dragged him out of the city when they thought that he was dead.

20But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day Paul and Barnabas left for the city of Derbe.

21They spread the Good News in that city and won many disciples. Then they went back to the cities of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (which is in Pisidia).

22They strengthened the disciples in these cities and encouraged the disciples to remain faithful. Paul and Barnabas told them, “We must suffer a lot to enter God’s kingdom.”

23They had the disciples in each church choose spiritual leaders, and with prayer and fasting they entrusted the leaders to the Lord in whom they believed.

24After they had gone through Pisidia, they went to Pamphylia.

25They spoke the message in the city of Perga and went to the city of Attalia.

26From Attalia they took a boat and headed home to the city of Antioch ⌞in Syria⌟. (In Antioch they had been entrusted to God’s care  for the work they had now finished.)

27When they arrived, they called the members of the church together. They reported everything God had done through them, especially that he had given people who were not Jewish the opportunity to believe.

28They stayed for a long time with these disciples.