Acts 14:6-23

6Paul and Barnabas learned about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region.

7There they continued to proclaim the good news.

8In Lystra sat a man who could not use his feet, lame from birth, who had never walked.

9This man was listening to Paul as he was speaking. When Paul stared intently at him and saw he had faith to be healed,

10he said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And the man leaped up and began walking.

11So when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”

12They began to call Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.

13The priest of the temple of Zeus, located just outside the city, brought bulls and garlands to the city gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,

15“Men, why are you doing these things? We too are men, with human natures just like you! We are proclaiming the good news to you, so that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them.

16In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own ways,

17yet he did not leave himself without a witness by doing good, by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying you with food and your hearts with joy.”

18Even by saying these things, they scarcely persuaded the crowds not to offer sacrifice to them.

19But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and after winning the crowds over, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, presuming him to be dead.

20But after the disciples had surrounded him, he got up and went back into the city. On the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

21After they had proclaimed the good news in that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch.

22They strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, “We must enter the kingdom of God through many persecutions.”

23When they had appointed elders for them in the various churches, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the protection of the Lord in whom they had believed.