Chapter 26 Acts 14:1–28

Literary Context

The third, fourth, and fifth episodes of Luke’s report on the missionary work of Paul and Barnabas in the cities of Cyprus, South Galatia, and Pamphylia (13:1–14:28) describe the missionaries’ proclamation of the gospel in Iconium (14:1–7), in Lystra (14:8–20), and in Derbe and Perge (14:21–28). The latter episode includes the return journey to Antioch in Syria (vv. 26b–28). Since the missionaries’ experience in Iconium and Lystra is similar, their work in Derbe is related in only a few words, and the Lystra episode contains a speech to pagans narrated in direct speech (vv. 15–17), I will treat these three episodes together. The next episode narrates the events of the Apostles’ Council (15:1–33), which clarifies the modalities of Paul’s missionary work among Gentiles, whom he does not require to submit to circumcision and to the entire Mosaic law, a practice that the other apostles and the Jerusalem church under the leadership of James confirm.

IV. The Mission of Paul in Asia Minor: Cyprus, Galatia, Pamphylia (13:1–15:33)
1. A. The Mission of Paul and Barnabas on Cyprus, South Galatia, and Pamphylia (13:1–14:28)
  1. 26. The mission on Cyprus (13:1–12)
  2. 27. The mission in Pisidian Antioch (13:13–52)
  3. 28. The mission in Iconium (14:1–7)
  4. 29. The mission in Lystra (14:8–20)
  5. 30. The mission in Derbe and Perge (14:21–28)
2. B. The Apostles’ Council in Jerusalem: Policies for the Mission among Gentiles (15:1–33)
  1. 31. The Council of the Apostles, Elders, As Well As Paul and Barnabas (15:1–33)

Main Idea

The missionary work of Paul and Barnabas takes place in a context of opposition and persecution; it is accompanied by signs and wonders; it challenges religious ideas that confuse God and the world; it proclaims the living God and his grace; and it nurtures new churches through structural consolidation and sending churches through missionary information.

Translation

Structure and Literary Form

The Iconium episode (14:1–7) consists of two brief incidents. Luke narrates the proclamation of the gospel in Iconium (vv. 1–4) in summary fashion with six elements: the proclamation of the gospel in the synagogue (v. 1a-d); the conversion of a large number of Jews and Gentiles (v. 1e-h); the opposition of local Jews against the believers (v. 2); the continued missionary work of Paul and Barnabas (v. 3a-c); the occurrence of signs and wonders (v. 3d-e); the divided reaction of the citizens of Iconium (v. 4). The second incident reports on the opposition and persecution of local Jews and Gentile city officials who force Paul and Barnabas to leave the city (vv. 5–7), narrated in three steps: the plan to stone Paul and Barnabas (v. 5); the flight of Paul and Barnabas to Lycaonia (v. 6); the proclamation of the gospel in Lycaonia (v. 7).

The experiences of Paul and Barnabas parallel their experiences in Pisidian Antioch: preaching in the synagogue leads to conversions of Jews and Gentiles, unbelieving Jews oppose the missionaries, who continue to preach and teach until the situation becomes too dangerous and they are forced to leave the city. The episode is a narrative, with statements that could be regarded as summaries (vv. 1, 3, 7), and a brief comment on travel (v. 6).

The Lystra episode (14:8–20) consists of three incidents: Paul heals a lame man in Lystra (14:8–14, the third such healing in Acts);1 Paul speaks at the temple of Zeus (14:15–18, his third speech in Acts);2 the local Jews persecute the missionaries (14:19–20). The episode is a narrative that includes a miracle story (vv. 8–12), direct speech (of the citizens of Lystra, who speak Lycaonian; v. 11), a speech (vv. 15–17), and a brief travel notice (v. 20).

The episode that narrates the mission in Derbe and Perge (vv. 21–28) consists of four incidents. First, Luke briefly narrates the missionary work of Paul and Barnabas in Derbe (v. 21a-c). The second incident relates the consolidation of the churches in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (vv. 21d–23), which includes the appointment of elders. Third, Luke gives a brief report on missionary work in Perge (vv. 24–25). The fourth incident relates the return journey of Paul and Barnabas to Antioch in Syria, where they report on their missionary work (vv. 26–28). This episode is a narrative, a brief report on church organization (v. 23), brief direct speech (v. 22), and several travel notices (vv. 21, 24, 25, 26).

Exegetical Outline

I. The Mission in Iconium (14:1–7)

A. The Proclamation of the Gospel in Iconium (14:1–4)
1. 1. The proclamation of the gospel in the synagogue (14:1a-e)
2. 2. The conversion of a large number of Jews and Gentiles (14:1f-h)
3. 3. The opposition of local Jews against the believers (14:2)
4. 4. The continued missionary work of Paul and Barnabas (14:3a-c)
5. 5. The occurrence of signs and wonders (14:3d-e)
6. 6. The divided reaction of the citizens of Iconium (14:4)
B. The Persecution by Local Jews and Gentile Officials (14:5–7)
1. 1. The plan to stone Paul and Barnabas (14:5)
2. 2. The flight of Paul and Barnabas to Lycaonia (14:6)
3. 3. The proclamation of the gospel in Lycaonia (14:7)

II. The Mission in Lystra (14:8–20)

A. The Healing of a Lame Man in Lystra (14:8–14)

1. Description of a lame man in Lystra who has been crippled since birth (14:8)

2. Paul’s proclamation of the gospel in the presence of the lame man (14:9a-b)

3. The faith of the lame man and Paul’s reaction (14:9c-e)

4. Paul’s command to stand up (14:10a-c)

5. The miracle (14:10d-e)

6. The effect of the miracle on the crowds (14:11–13)

a. The acknowledgment of the miracle (14:11a-b)

b. Acclamation of Paul and Barnabas as gods in human form (14:11c-f)

c. Admiration of Barnabas and Paul as Zeus and Hermes (14:12)

d. The plan of the priest of Zeus to offer sacrifices for Paul and Barnabas (14:13)

7. The refusal of Barnabas and Paul to have sacrifices offered in their honor (14:14)

B. Paul’s Speech in Front of the Temple of Zeus (14:15–18)

1. Address: “Friends” (14:15a)

2. The human identity of Paul and Barnabas (14:15b-d)

3. The purpose of their visit (14:15e)

4. The content of the good news that they proclaim (14:15f–17)

a. Call to turn from worthless idols to the living God (14:15f-g)

b. God’s sovereignty as the Creator (14:15h-k)

c. God’s forbearance of the nations’ behavior (14:16)

d. God’s goodness in providing rain, fruit, and food (14:17)

5. The difficulty of preventing the crowds’ sacrifice (14:18)

C. The Persecution by Local Jews and the Citizens of Lystra (14:19–20)

1. The arrival and activity of Jews from Pisidian Antioch and Iconium (14:19a-c)

2. The stoning of Paul (14:19d-f)

3. The recovery of Paul (14:20a-c)

4. The departure of Paul and Barnabas, who travel to Derbe (14:20d-f)

III. The Mission in Derbe and Perge (14:21–28)

A. Missionary Work in Derbe (14:21a-c)
1. 1. The proclamation of the gospel in Derbe (14:21a-b)
2. 2. The conversion of people in Derbe (14:21c)
B. Consolidation of the Congregations in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (14:21d–23)
1. 1. The visitation of the churches in Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch (14:21d-f)
2. 2. The encouragement of the believers and the appointment of elders (14:22–23)
C. Missionary Work in Perge (14:24–25)
1. 1. The journey through Pisidia to Pamphylia (14:24)
2. 2. The proclamation of the gospel in Perge (14:25a)
3. 3. The journey from Perge to Attalia (14:25b)
D. Return Journey to Antioch in Syria (14:26–28)
1. 1. The journey from Attalia to Antioch (14:26)
2. 2. The report of Paul and Barnabas to the church in Antioch (14:27)
3. 3. The sojourn of Paul and Barnabas in Antioch (14:28)

Explanation of the Text

14:1 In Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the synagogue of the Jews. They spoke in such a manner that a large number of Jews and Greeks believed (ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν Ἰκονίῳ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ λαλῆσαι οὕτως ὥστε πιστεῦσαι Ἰουδαίων τε καὶ Ἑλλήνων πολὺ πλῆθος). This first incident (vv. 1–4) of the Iconium episode narrates the proclamation of the gospel by Paul and Barnabas. As in Salamis (13:5), evidently in Paphos (13:6), and in Pisidian Antioch (13:14), they attend “as usual”3 the synagogue service (see on 6:9) with the goal of proclaiming the good news of Jesus, Israel’s Messiah, to the Jews gathered there. Iconium (mod. Konya), located at the juncture of several important roads, was the most important assize center where the governors regularly heard legal cases. Augustus established a Roman colony besides which the old Greek city continued to exist. Pliny describes Iconium as a “most famous city” of a tetrarchy (Nat. 5.25.95).

Without giving further details, Luke relates that the missionaries “spoke,” obviously with the understanding that Paul and Barnabas preached a message similar to that presented in Pisidian Antioch (13:16–41). The results of their preaching are similar as well: Jews “believed” (πιστεῦσαι); i.e., they came to faith in Jesus as Israel’s Messiah and Savior, as did “Greeks,” a reference either to God-fearers or, more plausibly, to Greek citizens of Iconium who heard the gospel preached in other venues in the city. Luke’s account is compressed and omits references to other locations, but he is concerned to note that “a large number” of people were converted.

14:2 The Jews, however, who did not believe, stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers (οἱ δὲ ἀπειθήσαντες Ἰουδαῖοι ἐπήγειραν καὶ ἐκάκωσαν τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἐθνῶν κατὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν). Once again Jews opposed Paul and Barnabas. Luke relates three actions, expressed with verbs in aorist tenses: they “did not believe” the proclamation about the fulfillment of God’s promises in Jesus Messiah. They “stirred up” the Gentiles, i.e., the unbelieving Greeks in the city, and “poisoned” their minds against the brothers; i.e., they caused the population of Iconium to think badly about the Christians. The “brothers” are either Paul and Barnabas, or, more likely, the new believers in the emerging congregation, which would have included men and women.

14:3 Nevertheless they stayed there for a considerable time, speaking fearlessly for the Lord, who confirmed the message about his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders (ἱκανὸν μὲν οὖν χρόνον διέτριψαν παρρησιαζόμενοι ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ τῷ μαρτυροῦντι ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ, διδόντι σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα γίνεσθαι διὰ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν). While many commentators find the transition from v. 2 to v. 3 harsh and the narrative logic “very obscure,”4 even generally skeptical exegetes see Luke’s point, particularly if the expression translated as “nevertheless” (μὲν οὖν) is taken to be adversative (“rather”) and not as expressing result. Luke affirms that “opposition did not daunt the two, who dug in their heels”5 since “the brothers needed their support, and the greater the opposition the bolder they became.”6

Paul and Barnabas stayed “for a considerable time,” a general time reference that could imply several months. They “spoke fearlessly” (παρρησιαζόμενοι; see on 4:13; 9:27) for the Lord, despite the opposition; the present tense of the participle fits the missionaries’ preaching over a considerable period of time. The content of their proclamation is described as “the message about his grace” (ὁ λόγος τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ), i.e., the proclamation of God’s grace (see on 4:33) revealed and made possible through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, Messiah and Savior, a message they proclaimed to everyone who was willing to listen, both Jews and Gentiles.

The fact that the Lord “confirmed” the proclamation of the gospel through “signs and wonders” (σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα; see on 2:19, 22) may have been the reason why Paul and Barnabas were able to stay in Iconium for some time. The miracles that happened must have caused people to be in awe of the missionaries, as had happened in Jerusalem (2:43; 5:12–13) and in Samaria (8:6–7), minimizing for the time being the influence of the hate campaign initiated by some of the Jews. God’s intervention, mediated through the missionaries (διὰ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν, lit., “by their hands”), was expressed (presumably) in healings and exorcisms. Note that the subject of the phrase that describes confirmation of the missionaries’ message through miracles is not the missionaries but “the Lord.” It is God, not human beings, who initiates authentic miracles, which means that they cannot be “used” in evangelism as “tools” to provoke faith.

14:4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews while some sided with the apostles (ἐσχίσθη δὲ τὸ πλῆθος τῆς πόλεως, καὶ οἱ μὲν ἦσαν σὺν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, οἱ δὲ σὺν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις). Luke notes the divided reaction of the population of the city to the presence of Paul and Barnabas and their message, accompanied by miracles. Some sided with the unbelieving members of the Jewish community in Iconium, while others sided with the missionaries. In other words, some citizens were impressed with their activities and were willing to let them be active in the city, while others wanted to get rid of them; the division of opinion may have been voiced in a meeting of the popular assembly of the citizens. Or Luke could be describing more conversions: the preaching of Paul and Barnabas, accompanied by miracles, made some people willing to side with those Jews who opposed the missionaries, while other citizens believed their message and joined the emerging congregation.

Paul and Barnabas are called “apostles” here and in v. 14. Paul is otherwise never described with this term in Acts, as Luke reserves the term “apostles” (ἀποστόλοι; see on 1:2) for the Twelve. Since Luke is the only evangelist who traces the designation of the Twelve as “apostles” to Jesus himself (Luke 6:13; see Matt 10:2 and Mark 3:14; 6:30 for the term “apostles” used by the gospel writers), he evidently wants to be consistent and use that title for the Twelve only, even though he knows that there were other missionaries who used that designation (see vv. 4, 14). Luke surely would have known that Paul had to insist on his right to be called an apostle,7 yet he did not use the second volume of his work to bolster Paul’s apostolic credentials.

Paul and Barnabas are “apostles” not in the sense of the Twelve, who had accompanied Jesus during his ministry in Galilee, “from the beginning of the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us” (1:22). However, both Paul and Barnabas had been “sent” out by the risen Lord (Paul, 9:15), by the church in Jerusalem (Barnabas, 11:22), and by the church in Syrian Antioch (Barnabas and Paul, 13:3, 4) to which they reported back (14:26–27). Thus, Luke’s use of the term “apostle” in v. 4 is a hint that he saw Paul and Barnabas as having a role similar to that of the twelve apostles.

14:5–7 When an attempt was made by Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat and stone them, they found out about it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities in Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region, where they continued to proclaim the gospel (ὡς δὲ ἐγένετο ὁρμὴ τῶν ἐθνῶν τε καὶ Ἰουδαίων σὺν τοῖς ἄρχουσιν αὐτῶν ὑβρίσαι καὶ λιθοβολῆσαι αὐτούς, συνιδόντες κατέφυγον εἰς τὰς πόλεις τῆς Λυκαονίας Λύστραν καὶ Δέρβην καὶ τὴν περίχωρον, κἀκεῖ εὐαγγελιζόμενοι ἦσαν). The second incident (vv. 5–7) of the Iconium episode relates the persecution of Peter and Barnabas by local Jews and Gentile officials, with the subsequent departure of the missionaries. The Gentiles and the Jews rejecting the proclamation of Paul and Barnabas conspire with their “leaders” in their common desire to mistreat 8 and stone the two missionaries (v. 5). The city officials involved probably include descendants of the Roman colonists, as Iconium had been refounded as a Roman colony.

In a Jewish context, death by stoning was done to false teachers for teaching blasphemy. Since officials of the city are involved, it seems obvious that Luke does not refer to a synagogue punishment—the death penalty cases had to be tried by the governors of Roman provinces. It appears that some Jewish, Greek, and Roman citizens of Iconium wanted to harass the missionaries and pelt them with stones as a deterrent to further activities, probably accepting the possibility that they would be seriously injured or even killed.

Paul and Barnabas receive information about the plot to mistreat and stone them (v. 6a). They decide that the collaboration of their Jewish and Gentile enemies with city officials has created a situation so dangerous that they must leave the city in a hurry (v. 6b). Luke’s reference to disciples and to elders appointed by Paul and Barnabas during their return journey (vv. 21–23) implies that a church was established. Luke then notes that Paul and Barnabas go to Lystra and Derbe and the territory controlled by these two cities in Lycaonia (v. 6b-e; for Lystra and Derbe, see on 14:8, 20). Lystra was about 20 miles (34 km.) southwest of Iconium, and Derbe was 93 miles (150 km.) east of Lystra.

Luke concludes the Iconium episode by noting in summary fashion that Paul and Barnabas continue to proclaim the gospel (εὐαγγελιζόμενοι, present participle; see on 5:42) in Lycaonia (v. 7a), the region to which Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe belonged. Since the conjunction translated “where” (κἀκεῖ) comes after the phrase that refers to the territories controlled by Lystra and Derbe, it is possible that the missionaries preach in other Lycaonian towns besides these two cities. Traveling from Lystra to Derbe on the Via Sebaste, Paul and Barnabas would have passed through Dalisandos, Kodylessos, Posala, Ilistra, and Laranda.9

14:8 In Lystra there sat a man who could not use his feet; he was lame from birth and had never walked (καί τις ἀνὴρ ἀδύνατος ἐν Λύστροις τοῖς ποσὶν ἐκάθητο, χωλὸς ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς αὐτοῦ ὃς οὐδέποτε περιεπάτησεν). Luke now focuses on a sequence of events that take place in Lystra (vv. 8–20). He provides few details concerning the missionary activity of Paul and Barnabas in Lystra; instead, he concentrates entirely on the healing of a lame man and on the nearly fatal consequences for the missionaries.

Lystra (near mod. Hatunsaray), an older town in which Augustus established a military colony, was the “sister” city of Pisidian Antioch, perhaps because the Roman colonies were founded at the same time. Research has shown that Lystra was a prosperous city that was not as insignificant as earlier scholars assumed. The fact that the inhabitants of Lystra spoke Lycaonian (v. 11) does not mean that they were “rustics”;10 many of the people living in Asia Minor, particularly those in the cities, were bilingual, speaking their native, indigenous languages as well as Greek.

Luke begins with the healing of a lame man.11 He introduces the unnamed man with four descriptions: (1) he “sat,” probably in the central plaza, earning his living as a beggar (cf. v. 9); (2) he “could not use his feet,” i.e., he was crippled, which was the reason why he was sitting on the ground; (3) he was “lame from birth”; (4) he had thus “never walked” in his life.

14:9–10 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. When Paul looked directly at him and saw that he had faith to be saved, he said in a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man leaped up and walked around (οὗτος ἤκουσεν τοῦ Παύλου λαλοῦντος· ὃς ἀτενίσας αὐτῷ καὶ ἰδὼν ὅτι ἔχει πίστιν τοῦ σωθῆναι, εἶπεν μεγάλῃ φωνῇ· ἀνάστηθι ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας σου ὀρθός. καὶ ἥλατο καὶ περιεπάτει). Luke relates that the lame man was in Paul’s audience, listening as Paul proclaimed the good news of God’s offer of forgiveness and justification through faith in Jesus, the Lord and Savior. While Luke does not indicate whether the man was Jewish (who could have heard Paul speak in the synagogue, although Luke does not mention a synagogue in the Lystra episode), or a Greek or a Roman, the presence of the crowd (v. 11) suggests that Paul was speaking in public, probably in the agora, the central plaza of Lystra. The present tense of the participle (λαλοῦντος) suggests that the lame man listened to Paul over a period of time.

Luke highlights three details at the beginning of the miracle account. (1) When Paul sees the lame man among the people listening to his message, he “looks directly at him.” The stare, together with the loud voice mentioned subsequently, may help explain how the citizens of Lystra come to the conclusion that “the gods have come down to us” in Paul and Barnabas (v. 11). In Greco-Roman texts as well as in Jewish literature, the stare and the loud voice are indicators of the action or presence of the gods (or God) who mingle with human beings.

(2) Paul perceives that the man has “faith” to be saved. In the context of the description of the lame man’s illness and Luke’s earlier accounts of the healing of lame men (3:1–10; 9:32–35) and of other miracles (4:30; 5:12; 6:8; 8:13; 14:3), the man’s hope to be “saved” (σωθῆναι; see on 4:9) should be understood in terms of an expectation to be cured. Since Luke’s readers know that Paul’s message connects faith with Jesus the Savior, with forgiveness of sins, and with eternal life (13:12, 39, 48), the faith of the lame man probably includes all of these. The expectation that the power of the God of the Jews whom Paul proclaims, a power that brought Jesus back from the dead, would bring him onto his feet and heal him from his birth defect and also grant him forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

(3) Paul addresses the lame man “in a loud voice,” which is appropriate for the following command: “Stand up on your feet!” (v. 10c). He commands him to do what he cannot do by himself, never having stood on his feet without people supporting him.12 Paul knows, supernaturally, that God will heal this lame man and thus he issues the command, with the expectation that God will grant healing instantaneously.

Luke’s next comment formulates the demonstration of the miracle: the man “leaped up” (ἥλατο) and “walked around” (περιεπάτει; v. 10d-e). The tenses of the verbs (first aorist, then imperfect) underline in the first instance the immediate and total effectiveness of the healing, demonstrated in the fast motion of the leap, and, in the second instance, the permanent effects of the healing: the man who has never walked before is now able to walk around.

14:11–12 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the leading speaker (οἵ τε ὄχλοι ἰδόντες ὃ ἐποίησεν Παῦλος ἐπῆραν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν Λυκαονιστὶ λέγοντες· οἱ θεοὶ ὁμοιωθέντες ἀνθρώποις κατέβησαν πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἐκάλουν τε τὸν Βαρναβᾶν Δία, τὸν δὲ Παῦλον Ἑρμῆν, ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸς ἦν ὁ ἡγούμενος τοῦ λόγου). The narrative continues with a description of the effect of the miracle on the people who witness the healing (wonder among the people is a regular element in miracle accounts). Luke describes four phases of the effect that the healing miracle has on the people.

(1) The crowds acknowledge that a miracle has taken place (v. 11a-b). The people who saw what happened conclude that it was Paul who had caused the miracle to happen—which was correct on the surface but not in reality, for only God the Creator can do the impossible.

(2) The crowds respond with an acclamation, hailing Paul and Barnabas as gods in human form (v. 11c-f). Luke relates the response of the crowds in direct speech, in Greek, although he notes that they spoke in their native Lycaonian language. This is Luke’s only comment about a language other than Greek (21:37) or Hebrew/Aramaic (21:40; 22:2; 26:14). While Greek had become the main language of Asia Minor since the conquest of Alexander in 334/333 BC, remaining the lingua franca until the eleventh century, the indigenous languages had not vanished. The geographer Strabo (died in AD 21) states that four indigenous languages could be heard in the border areas of the provinces of Asia and Lycia (Pisidian, Solymian, Greek, and Lydian), that the Carian language was still spoken in the region around Kaunos, and that in the region of Kibyra one could still hear the Lydian language.13

Since the lame man was listening to Paul’s preaching (v. 9), he was evidently able to understand Greek besides his native Lycaonian. Luke’s comment about the language used by the citizens of Lystra signals that Paul did not preach only to Greeks but also to “barbarians” (cf. Rom 1:14), and that he was not only active in major centers like Antioch, Corinth, Athens, or Ephesus but also in rural regions such as the hinterland of Lycaonia. Some have suggested that the use of the Lycaonian language accounts for the fact that “Paul and Barnabas are slow to pick up on the populace’s intentions.”14 This inference goes beyond the text.

As the citizens hail Paul and Barnabas as deities, they would have made sure that the two “gods in human form” understand that they have recognized them. The fact that they evidently do not prevent any preparations from being made could be explained in various ways; e.g., Paul and Barnabas may have continued to preach in the agora while citizens of Lystra leave in order to contact the priest of Zeus, who then starts preparations for a procession and sacrifice. In any case, the Lystrans conclude from the healing miracle that Paul and Barnabas are “gods” (θεοί) who have “come down” appearing “in human form.” The definite article (οἱ θεοί) probably points forward to v. 12, as the Lycaonians certainly would not have believed that only two gods existed. Thus, their acclamation can be understood in the sense that “the gods whom we particularly associate with our region have come down.”15 The verb “come down” suggests that the gods live in heaven.

(3) The people admire Barnabas as Zeus (Διός or Ζεύς; v. 12), perhaps because he had a more impressive appearance, but more probably because he is the older of the two. Paul is identified as Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) because he was the leading speaker. Zeus is the Sky Father, the highest god, the gatherer of clouds who sends rain and thunder and lightning, the god who presides over the dealings of the community, the savior, the god of the universe. Hermes is, as Zeus’s son, the swift messenger sent by Zeus, the emissary (with staff in hand) who crosses the boundary between the living and the dead, and thus the god of transition and the mediator between the gods and humans.16

The reaction of the Lystrans can be understood in the context of local traditions. A legend connected with neighboring Phrygia relates that two local gods, perhaps Tarchunt and Runt (or Pappas and Men), wandered through the region as human beings. Nobody provided them with hospitality until Philemon and Baucis, an older couple, shared their supplies with the unrecognized gods. The gods rewarded the couple, making them priests in the temple of Zeus, eventually transforming them into sacred trees, while inflicting judgment on the other people.17 Several scholars suggest that Luke consciously alludes to this legend, which does not preclude the possibility that the citizens of Lystra, thinking of this myth, indeed reacted as Luke describes because they do not want to make the same mistake again.18

14:13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and garlands to the gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices (ὅ τε ἱερεὺς τοῦ Διὸς τοῦ ὄντος πρὸ τῆς πόλεως ταύρους καὶ στέμματα ἐπὶ τοὺς πυλῶνας ἐνέγκας σὺν τοῖς ὄχλοις ἤθελεν θύειν). The final effect of the healing miracle is the plan of the priest of Zeus and of the crowd to organize a spontaneous procession from the city to the temple and to kill bulls as sacrifices. Apparently the preaching of Paul and Barnabas has “failed to affect these Gentiles.”19

“Bulls,” the noblest sacrificial animal, were often sacrificed to Zeus, the strongest of the gods. “Garlands” woven from twigs were worn on the head by people participating in the procession from the city to the temple, which, often in Greek cities, was located outside the city walls. Garlands were brought into the city for Paul and Barnabas to wear as participants in the procession from the city to the altar of Zeus situated in front of the temple where the bulls (adorned with ribbons and gilded horns) would be sacrificed. Other participants in the procession would have carried a basket with the knife for the sacrifice, a vessel containing water, and an incense burner; musicians played the flute. The ritualized slaughter of the bull would be followed by a meal. The “gates” to which the priest brought the bulls and garlands were the gates of the city; from there a procession could be organized to the temple.

14:14–15 When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, “Friends, why do you do this? We are human beings like you, bringing you the good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them” (ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ ἀπόστολοι Βαρναβᾶς καὶ Παῦλος διαρρήξαντες τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν ἐξεπήδησαν εἰς τὸν ὄχλον κράζοντες καὶ λέγοντες· ἄνδρες, τί ταῦτα ποιεῖτε; καὶ ἡμεῖς ὁμοιοπαθεῖς ἐσμεν ὑμῖν ἄνθρωποι εὐαγγελιζόμενοι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν ματαίων ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπὶ θεὸν ζῶντα, ὃς ἐποίησεν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς).

As soon as Paul and Barnabas, again called “apostles” (cf. v. 4), hear of the plan to organize a procession to the temple of Zeus and to offer sacrifices, they express their refusal to participate in the strongest terms. They tear their clothes as a sign of grief and horror;20 they rush out into the crowd, moving quickly in order to stop the proceedings; they shout with a loud voice so that their protests are clearly and unambiguously heard. They protest because they cannot “retranslate” the healing and the reaction of the crowds into Christian terms.21

The speech that follows (vv. 15–18) is attributed in v. 14 to both Paul and Barnabas, though it is usually treated as a speech of Paul. It begins with a brief address as “friends” (ἄνδρες, lit., “men”). Its first part (v. 15a-d) relates the assertion of Paul and Barnabas that they are “human beings” (ἄνθρωποι), just like the citizens of Lystra; the personal pronoun “we” is emphatic (καὶ ἡμεῖς, at the beginning of the clause). Since they are humans, the Lystrans should not be “doing this”; they should not organize a procession, a sacrifice, and a communal meal in their honor. Paul and Barnabas want to make sure that only the one true God is honored.

In the second part of the speech, Paul explains the purpose of their visit (v. 15e). He and Barnabas have come to Lystra “bringing … the good news” (εὐαγγελιζόμενοι). This means they are not the message, only the messengers. The present tense of the participle expresses an action in progress: they have been preaching the good news of Jesus the Savior since they arrived in Lystra, and this is what they intend to continue to do while they are in the city.

Next, Paul explains the content of the good news that they proclaim (vv. 15f–17). Luke summarizes four assertions of Paul’s explanation of the gospel, which is adapted to this particular situation—face-to-face with a priest of Zeus, with people about to honor them as gods, and with a bull to be sacrificed on an altar in front of a temple erected in honor of Zeus. This situation explains why the speech is not christological or kerygmatic as earlier speeches in Acts, but theological, explaining the sovereignty of the one true God in whom they believe and whose reality is part of the message of Jesus the Savior, which they proclaim in Lystra.

(1) The first assertion (v. 15f-g) is a call to turn from worthless idols to the living God. Paul asserts that the gods that have been mentioned, Zeus and Hermes, together with the sacrificial bulls, the garland, the procession, the altar of sacrifice, and the temple, are “worthless things” (ματαία, a Greek word that describes persons or things that are “of no use” and thus “idle, empty, fruitless, useless, powerless, lacking truth”).22 This is Old Testament language, where the LXX uses the same derogatory term to condemn the pagan worship of other gods.23 In nonbiblical Greek, the term refers to vain and foolish persons or empty talk, and would thus be understandable for polytheists who do not know the Jewish use of the term.

The fact that the traditional gods are “worthless” means that they have no power, e.g., no power to heal the lame man, since these gods do not intervene in human affairs. This is why they should “turn” away from from their traditional gods and worship rituals, which means stopping their preparations for a procession to the temple of Zeus and for offering sacrifices. This first assertion is first negative before it makes a positive point: the citizens of Lystra must stop practicing their ancestral religions and turn away from their ineffective gods and temples and sacrifices, and they must turn to to the “living God” (θεὸς ζῶν), an expression used in the Old Testament to describe the one true God who created heaven and earth, who has revealed himself to Israel, and who intervened in Israel’s history.24 The adjective “living” expresses the biblical and Jewish conviction that Israel’s God is the source of life.25

(2) God is the sovereign Creator God. The living God whom Paul and Barnabas proclaim has made the heavens, the earth, and the sea, and all animate beings and inanimate objects that exist in the heavens, on the earth, and in the sea.26 This God has the power to heal the lame man. A fuller explanation of this point would have led to a critique of the religiosity of the pagans, who divinized individual forces of nature—including Zeus, venerated as weather god. And it would have provided the opportunity to critique pagan cosmology, which claimed that “Zeus is aether, Zeus is earth, Zeus is sky, Zeus is everything” (Aeschylus), which expresses “the philosophical speculation which culminated in the pantheism of the Stoics.”27

Biblical revelation offers a clear distinction between the living God and heaven, earth, the sea, and all creatures therein as God’s creation. It is certainly correct to assert that “the first step required in non-Jewish hearers of the Gospel is that they should recognize that there is but one God, and take him and his requirements seriously.”28 Since Paul and Barnabas have been preaching for some time in Lystra, they would have made this point earlier; thus, they either reiterate their earlier emphasis, or they express convictions that are immediately relevant for the specific situation of the attempted procession and sacrifice.

14:16 In past generations he let all the nations go their own ways (ὃς ἐν ταῖς παρῳχημέναις γενεαῖς εἴασεν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη πορεύεσθαι ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν). (3) Paul’s third assertion emphasizes God’s forbearance of the nations’ behavior. In past generations God allowed the nations to “go their own ways,” i.e., to worship their own gods, organize processions to temples, and sacrifice animals. The Jews believed that God the Creator had revealed himself to them; the history of Israel is proof that God did not allow Abraham’s descendants to “go their own ways” and worship whomever they wanted to worship. The first part of the Decalogue formulates this conviction (Exod 20:2–6). Since the Gentiles were ignorant of the one true God and thus worshiped gods that were not alive and behaved in ways that contradicted the will of God the Creator, God has overlooked their errors. He did not intervene in their affairs. But God will now no longer tolerate their useless worship of idols.

14:17 “Yet he has not left himself without witness, for he has conferred benefits—he gave you rains from heaven and fruitbearing seasons, he filled you with food and your hearts with gladness” (καίτοι οὐκ ἀμάρτυρον αὐτὸν ἀφῆκεν ἀγαθουργῶν, οὐρανόθεν ὑμῖν ὑετοὺς διδοὺς καὶ καιροὺς καρποφόρους, ἐμπιπλῶν τροφῆς καὶ εὐφροσύνης τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν). (4) Paul’s final assertion emphasizes God’s goodness in providing rain, fruit, and food. God the Creator was never without a witness. He plainly revealed himself in creation as he “conferred benefits” on mankind; he gave the nations rains that watered the fields, and through the rains came “fruitful seasons” (i.e., harvest times that provided “food”), which filled their hearts with “gladness.”

The reference to regular harvest seasons echoes God’s promise to Noah after the flood that “as long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Gen 8:22).29 In the context of Lycaonian and Greek traditions, Paul argues that it is the living God, the Creator of the universe, who grants fertility, not the local fertility gods who came to be associated with Zeus, worshiped as weather god and given epithets that communicated the conviction that he provided the harvest and fruit on which human beings depend.30 These blessings should have prompted the nations to inquire concerning their source.

Paul’s fuller argumentation in Rom 1:19–21 indicates his conviction that the nations failed to worship the one true and living God not because of the inadequacy of God’s self-revelation in creation (natural revelation), but because of their own inadequacy in failing to “read” correctly creation in terms of the one Creator. He argues in Rom 1:18–3:20 that this failure to recognize and worship God the Creator brings the Gentiles under God’s judgment. In view of the useless, powerless, fruitless gods that the citizens of Lystra worshiped, “the mere existence of a living God, who over a long period of time has demonstrated his goodness and care through manifold provisions, is good news for the Gentiles.”31 The ultimate, and new, good news is the message of God’s grace revealed through Jesus the Savior, who grants forgiveness of sins and eternal life—a message that Paul had been preaching in Lystra.

14:18 Even with these words they dissuaded the crowds from offering sacrifices to them only with difficulty (καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντες μόλις κατέπαυσαν τοὺς ὄχλους τοῦ μὴ θύειν αὐτοῖς). Luke ends this particular incident in the two apostles’ missionary ministry in Lystra with a brief description of the reaction of the crowd. Despite the energetic protest of Paul and Barnabas against the planned procession and sacrifice in their honor, and despite Paul’s speech in which he explained the foolishness of such honors in view of the reality of the one true and living God, the Lystrans continue to insist on offering sacrifices. It is “only with difficulty” that they manage to dissuade the crowds from carrying out their plans. Luke’s report is realistic. Paul’s words do not convince these people to turn away from their traditional gods, they do not cause them to accept the reality of the one true and living God, and they just barely succeed in preventing the idolatrous sacrifice in front of the temple of Zeus.

14:19 Then Jews came from Antioch and Iconium who won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking that he was dead (ἐπῆλθαν δὲ ἀπὸ Ἀντιοχείας καὶ Ἰκονίου Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ πείσαντες τοὺς ὄχλους καὶ λιθάσαντες τὸν Παῦλον ἔσυρον ἔξω τῆς πόλεως νομίζοντες αὐτὸν τεθνηκέναι). The last incident of the Lystra episode (vv. 19–20) relates the persecution of Paul and Barnabas by Jews and the citizens of Lystra. Luke does not indicate how much time elapsed between the enthusiastic response to the healing of the lame man among the population and their attack on Paul. The initiative to harass the missionaries comes not from the citizens of Lystra but from Jews who lived in Pisidian Antioch and in Iconium. They have traveled to Lystra and convince the crowds that the activities of Paul and Barnabas should not be tolerated in the city.

Perhaps these visiting Jews convince the people of Lystra that Paul is turning the world upside down, that they act contrary to the decrees of the emperor in proclaiming another king, namely, Jesus (see the accusation of Jews in Thessalonica; 17:6–7); or perhaps they argue that Paul is proclaiming ways of worshiping gods that are contrary to the law (as did the Jews in Corinth; 18:13). Luke leaves open the possibility that the Jews from Pisidian Antioch and Iconium have come to Lystra for personal reasons, perhaps to visit relatives or to attend to business interests. The fact that they manage to get a hearing in Lystra points to the existence of a Jewish community in the city; Gentiles living in a city without a Jewish community would hardly be impressed by complaints against Jewish preachers made by Jews from other cities.

The citizens of Lystra stone Paul, perhaps the same citizens who earlier identified him with the god Hermes. They have evidently accepted Paul’s insistence that he and Barnabas are mere mortals and not gods. Thus, being mere human beings, they can be attacked and killed. The depiction of the scene suggests mob violence. Paul relates in 2 Cor 11:25 that he was stoned once, evidently referring to the incident in Lystra. Paul, perhaps severely wounded and probably unconscious, is dragged outside the city, where his body is left for dead. This is the raw side of popular piety; evidently convinced by the visiting Jews that Paul and Barnabas are politically dangerous agitators, their enthusiasm about the healing miracle has morphed into the excitement for a stoning.

14:20 But the disciples formed a circle around him, and he got up and went into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe (κυκλωσάντων δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτὸν ἀναστὰς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν. καὶ τῇ ἐπαύριον ἐξῆλθεν σὺν τῷ Βαρναβᾷ εἰς Δέρβην). Luke’s report of the aftermath of Paul’s stoning briefly notes his recovery and the apostles’ departure from Lystra. The “disciples” are citizens of Lystra who have become followers of Jesus as a result of the missionary activity of Paul and Barnabas in the city. Since Luke has consistently focused on the healing of the lame man and on the pagan “translation” of this event into local religious traditions, he has not yet reported conversions among the population.

Luke’s brief statement can be interpreted as a healing miracle. As the believers of Lystra stand in a circle around Paul, who is lying on the ground, bleeding and perhaps unconscious, they undoubtedly pray for him. God answers their prayers in terms of granting Paul a miraculous recovery. Or, the believers stand around Paul, wait for him to slowly recover his senses, and then help him to get up, supporting the injured apostle as he walks back into the city. Since the situation in Lystra has become perilous, Paul and Barnabas leave on the following day, traveling to Derbe. This city had been the center of a vassal kingdom ruled by Antipater son of Perilaus, taken over by the Galatian king Amyntas in 31 BC and incorporated into the province of Galatia in 25 BC. Derbe seems to have had a special relationship with the emperor Claudius, as it was renamed Claudioderbe.

14:21a-c They proclaimed the gospel in that city and won many disciples (εὐαγγελισάμενοί τε τὴν πόλιν ἐκείνην καὶ μαθητεύσαντες ἱκανούς). In a new episode, Luke briefly narrates the missionary work of Paul and Barnabas in Derbe and in Perge and their return to Antioch in Syria (14:21–28). The first incident reports the apostles’ missionary work in Derbe with a mere eight Greek words (v. 21a-c). Derbe was 93 miles (150 km.) east of Lystra. Traveling on the main Roman road (the Via Sebaste), they would pass through Dalisandos, Kodylessos, Posala, Ilistra, and Laranda, cities in which they may also have preached the gospel (see on 14:7).

Luke mentions the fundamental activity of missionary work. Paul and Barnabas “proclaim the gospel” (εὐαγγελισάμενοι) in the city (v. 21a-b). He also relates the fundamental goal of missionary work: to “win disciples” (μαθητεύσαντες; v. 21c).32 This term connotes teaching, which implies the two missionaries spend an extended period of time there that lasts longer than the brief reference suggests. A considerable number of people become believers.

14:21d–22 They returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. They strengthened the disciples and encouraged them to persevere in the faith, because, they said, “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς τὴν Λύστραν καὶ εἰς Ἰκόνιον καὶ εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν ἐπιστηρίζοντες τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν μαθητῶν, παρακαλοῦντες ἐμμένειν τῇ πίστει καὶ ὅτι διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ). The second incident narrates the consolidation of the churches established in Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch (vv. 21d–28). Luke briefly notes the journey from Derbe in a westerly direction to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (v. 21d-f), a distance of about 200 miles (330 km.), or thirteen days of walking. Luke’s report of Paul and Barnabas’s visitation of the churches in these three cities (vv. 22–23) stresses four elements.

(1) The two missionaries “strengthen” (ἐπιστηρίζοντες) the disciples (v. 22a); i.e., they help the Jewish and Gentile believers to become stronger in their commitment to Jesus, Israel’s Messiah and Savior. The present participle used here suggests a sustained effort, certainly carried out through teaching the congregation and counseling individuals.

(2) They “encourage” (παρακαλοῦντες) the believers to persevere in the faith (v. 22b-c), urging them to remain loyal to Jesus and to persist in the confidence they have placed in the grace of God revealed in the crucified and risen Jesus. The present participle again indicates sustained teaching by the two apostles. Luke records the theological explanation for the encouragement to persevere. Paul and Barnabas affirm that “we” (i.e., all believers in Jesus) must endure “many hardships” (πολλοὶ θλίψεις) before they enter “the kingdom of God.”

The expression “kingdom of God” (ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ) is used in the Synoptic Gospels to summarize Jesus’ message of God’s salvific revelation that is intimately connected with his own ministry. It is sometimes used in Acts to summarize the truth about God and Jesus that the apostles proclaim (cf. 1:3). Here the expression refers to the final vindication after death in the consummation of salvation.33 The “hardships” are the afflictions that Old Testament and Jewish texts announce for the messianic age,34 paralleled in Jesus’ announcements about signs of the end of the present age35 that began with Jesus’ first coming and will end with his return. Such afflictions are part of God’s plan (“we must [δεῖ] endure”).36

14:23 In each congregation they appointed elders for them, and with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe (χειροτονήσαντες δὲ αὐτοῖς κατ’ ἐκκλησίαν πρεσβυτέρους, προσευξάμενοι μετὰ νηστειῶν παρέθεντο αὐτοὺς τῷ κυρίῳ εἰς ὃν πεπιστεύκεισαν). (3) The third element of the two apostles’ visitation in the churches of Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch is the appointment of elders. The verb that Luke uses (χειροτονέω) denotes the election or appointment of people for specific tasks. The term translated as “elders” (πρεσβυτέροι) often describes an older person, but here it describes an “official,” i.e., a leader in the local congregation. Since the appointment of officials is made by an authority, it follows that Luke implies here the apostolic authority of Paul and Barnabas.

They appoint elders “in each congregation”; i.e., each church had its own basic organizational structure of leaders. The personal pronoun translated as “for them” (αὐτοῖς) is a dative of advantage. The purpose of appointing elders is not the opportunity for better control of the churches by Paul and Barnabas (or by Syrian Antioch, or by Jerusalem), but the well-being of each local congregation. Understood in the immediate context, the task includes helping the other believers in the hardships they will encounter.

(4) They “commit” the believers to the care and protection of the Lord Jesus in whom the Jewish and Gentile Christians in Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch have placed their trust. This is accompanied by prayer and fasting.

14:24–25 Then they traveled through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. They preached the word in Perge and then went to Attalia (καὶ διελθόντες τὴν Πισιδίαν ἦλθον εἰς τὴν Παμφυλίαν καὶ λαλήσαντες ἐν Πέργῃ τὸν λόγον κατέβησαν εἰς Ἀττάλειαν). The third incident of 14:21–28 narrates the missionary work of Paul and Barnabas in Perge (vv. 24–25). The missionaries travel from Pisidian Antioch through the region of Pisidia in a southerly direction to the region of Pamphylia (see on 13:13–14). This journey was 175 miles (280 km.) long—about eleven days of travel. Perge was the capital of the newly constituted province of Pamphylia; with a theater seating 14,000 spectators, it was the largest city since Syrian Antioch in which Paul proclaimed the gospel. Perge’s sophisticated culture is demonstrated by inscriptions that document the presence of physicians, philosophers, philologists, athletes, actors, poets, singers, mimes, musicians, and dancers.

Paul’s preaching in Perge is related in six Greek words (v. 25a), summarized in this manner: “they preached the word” (λαλήσαντες … τὸν λόγον). They proclaim the good news of God’s gracious offer of forgiveness of sins and eternal life through faith in the crucified and risen Jesus, available for both Jews and Gentiles—the same message they had proclaimed in Salamis and in Paphos, in Pisidian Antioch and in Iconium, in Lystra and in Derbe.

The incident ends with a brief travel notice (v. 25b). Paul and Barnabas go “down” to Attalia, a port city only 9 miles (15 km.) from Perge. Since they want to return to Syria as quickly as possible, they look for and find a ship in Attalia, a proper seaport.

14:26 From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed (κἀκεῖθεν ἀπέπλευσαν εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν, ὅθεν ἦσαν παραδεδομένοι τῇ χάριτι τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς τὸ ἔργον ὃ ἐπλήρωσαν). The fourth and final incident of the episode on the missionary work in Derbe and Perge consists of three comments (vv. 26–28). First, Luke notes the return journey from Attalia to Antioch in Syria (v. 26). After weeks of travel by foot, the missionaries travel by ship from Attalia to Antioch (v. 26a-b), a journey of about 300 miles (480 km.). Luke comments that Antioch was the place where Paul and Barnabas had been commissioned by the church to embark on the new missionary initiative that had taken them to Salamis, Paphos, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, Perge, and other cities along the way.

This reminder (cf. 13:1–3) marks the end of the section that has narrated the mission of Paul and Barnabas on Cyprus and in southern Galatia. The comment reminds Luke’s readers of at least three truths. (1) The two missionaries have faithfully carried out their mission, so they return to the church that had sent them on the way. (2) The proclamation of the gospel is “work” (ἔργον), i.e., deeds and actions such as walking, sailing, contacting strangers, speaking with Jews and with Gentiles, entering synagogues, explaining Scripture, proclaiming Jesus as Savior, teaching new believers, and deciding how to react to opposition and persecution. (3) The conversions of Jews and Gentiles and the establishment of new congregations was the result of the “grace of God” (χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ; 13:2, 4 referred to the initiative of the Holy Spirit) into whose care they had been committed, who had caused people to believe in the message about Jesus the Savior, and who had protected them in difficult and dangerous situations.

14:27 When they arrived, they called the congregation together and reported everything that God had done through them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles (παραγενόμενοι δὲ καὶ συναγαγόντες τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἀνήγγελλον ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς μετ’ αὐτῶν καὶ ὅτι ἤνοιξεν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν θύραν πίστεως). Luke’s second comment concerns the report that Paul and Barnabas deliver to the church in Antioch. The fact that they call the congregation together suggests that the believers in Antioch are able to assemble in one place; this may mean that the church is sufficiently small that they can gather in a large house, but it may also mean that they can hold larger gatherings in a public place.

The verb translated as “reported” (ἀνήγγελλον) can be defined as “to carry back information” (BDAG). This is precisely what Paul and Barnabas do; they report the events that happened during the last weeks and months when they proclaimed the gospel in the cities of Cyprus, in south Galatia, and in Pamphylia. Luke emphasizes three elements of their report, in which they provide a theological explanation of the events that had transpired.

(1) They report “everything” that had happened, which would have included many more events than Luke has included in 13:4–14:26. They mention details about missionary work in cities not recorded by Luke, such as Derbe and Perge. Perhaps they give the number of Jews and Gentiles who were converted, the names and the stories of specific individuals,37 the names of the elders appointed in Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch (and perhaps in Perge), and the names of those who organized the opposition in the cities of southern Galatia.

(2) They emphasize that everything they had accomplished was God’s doing. God had worked “through them,” but he was the one who did the work. In 10:38 Peter had explained the activity of Jesus who “traveled from place to place doing good and healing all who were in the power of the devil” with a nearly identical phrase: “God was with him.” The miracles that happened in Paphos and in Lystra (and perhaps in other cities) certainly were caused by the power of God. Paul and Barnabas emphasize that everything they did—their travels as much as their quick getaways, their preaching as well as their teaching—was God’s work.

(3) They emphasize that Gentiles had come to faith in the one true God and in Jesus the Savior in significant numbers, a development for which God “opened a door.” Paul repeatedly refers to “a door” (i.e., a favorable opportunity for missionary work) through which the message of Jesus entered the hearts and minds of people. While Paul usually refers to a door that has been given to him,38 here God has opened a “door of faith” for the Gentiles (τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, dative of advantage). In this context the genitive translated “of faith” (πίστεως) is best understood as an objective genitive: God has given the Gentiles the opportunity to believe in the one true God and in Jesus as the Savior, thus providing a way into the messianic people of God through repentance (13:24), into eternal life (13:46), into salvation (13:47), into the kingdom of God (14:22).

This last statement on the conversion of Gentiles reminds the readers of the conclusion that the Jerusalem church had reached after hearing Peter’s report about the conversion of Cornelius and his family and friends: “So God has granted even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life” (11:18). Thus, Luke does not assert here that the mission of Paul and Barnabas in the cities of Cyprus, Galatia, and Pamphylia has inaugurated the time of mission to the Gentiles; that had happened several years earlier, when Peter preached the gospel in Caesarea, which led to the conversion of Cornelius (10:45; 11:1, 18). The breakthrough that Paul and Barnabas report when they speak of “a door” that God has opened is the mass conversion of Gentiles.

14:28 And they stayed there with the disciples for some time (διέτριβον δὲ χρόνον οὐκ ὀλίγον σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς). Luke’s final comment relates to the sojourn of Paul and Barnabas in Antioch. The imperfect of the verb (διέτριβον) indicates that their stay in the Syrian capital is indefinite, lasting “for some time” (χρόνον οὐκ ὀλίγον, lit., “no little time”). They stay “with the disciples”; i.e., the two missionaries join and participate in the life of the church in Antioch.

Theology in Application

In agreement with the main idea formulated above, the three episodes of the mission in Iconium, in Lystra, and in Derbe and Perge emphasize a number of points.

A Context of Opposition and Persecution

Missionary work takes place in a context of opposition and persecution. Luke reports opposition for Iconium, where citizens want to stone Paul and Barnabas (14:5), and for Lystra, where citizens do manage to stone Paul (14:19). God’s opening of a door should not be confused with the elimination of all perils, dangers, and ordeals. Since believers are followers of Jesus, who suffered and died, this should not come as a surprise. While missionary strategies that seek to minimize personal risk for the missionary are certainly valid—Paul and Barnabas did not stay in Lystra after Paul had been stoned but left, although they returned a few weeks later—risks will remain, if it is indeed the gospel that is being preached rather than the lowest common denominator of some religious or ethical consensus that nobody finds objectionable.

Signs and Wonders

Missionary work is accompanied by signs and wonders. Luke records the occurrence of signs and wonders for the ministry of Paul and Barnabas in Iconium (14:3), and the focus of the Lystra episode is the healing of a lame man (14:8–14). The occurrence of miracles cannot be “factored in” when missionaries plan strategies or write “to-do lists” for successful church-planting ministries. The supernatural power of God cannot be reduced to a mere “factor” that we can plan, use, or execute in order to achieve preformulated goals. Miracles, should God grant them, do not make church planting automatically successful. The end result of the healing of the lame man was the Lystrans’ stoning of Paul. Miracles are easily misunderstood if their cause and meaning are not seen in the context of the proclamation of the word of God.

Religious Ideas That Confuse God and the World

Missionary work challenges religious ideas that confuse God and the world. The belief of the people in Lystra that Paul and Barnabas are the gods Zeus and Hermes visiting their town is the first encounter of Christians with “pure” pagans in Acts. Luke’s account, which follows the healing of the lame man, illustrates the difficulties of such an encounter, the potential for misunderstanding, and the importance of penetrating theological analysis and decisive action.

The difficulty is caused by several factors. Pagans believe in many gods. They also confuse God and the world in that tangible objects (such as idol images) are venerated as possessing divine power, human beings can acquire divine status (such as heroes and the emperor worshiped in many Greek towns), and divine entities can come down in the guise of human beings (such as Zeus and Hermes). Such misunderstandings result from the fact that the citizens of Lystra, who presumably have heard Paul preach, do not grasp his conviction that there is only one true God, that God’s envoys (Paul and Barnabas) are not divine themselves, and that Paul is calling their entire system of worship into question.

The importance of penetrating theological analysis is evident in the fact that Paul, when he realizes what the citizens of Lystra are planning, immediately relates their actions with the truth about the one true God; in so doing, he communicates the gospel in a manner that is intelligible for Lystrans. The integrity of missionary work and the integrity of the gospel are maintained by penetrating theological analysis. Missionaries do not simply tell stories; rather, they communicate theology in the proper sense of the word. That is, they proclaim God’s word, which is the truth about the reality of God and of his salvation in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, Israel’s Messiah and the Savior of the world.

The importance of decisive action is seen in the vehement protest of Paul and Barnabas against the planned sacrifice and in the speech in which they explain to the people of Lystra why such a sacrifice would be a sacrilege. Paul and Barnabas refuse to utilize the superstitious, uncritical piety of the Lycaonians for missionary purposes. For example, they could have argued that even though the sacrifice itself was problematic, the community that it created among the participants would help them to become more acceptable in the city, a strategically important development.

Proclaiming the Living God and His Grace

Missionary work proclaims the living God and his grace. The proclamation of the gospel includes “monotheistic propaedeutics”39 in terms of a biblical theology of the one true God, of the world as his creation, and of his revelation in creation. The monotheistic focus implies a criticism of human religion, performed not as a philosophical critique but as a theological analysis, based on the Scriptures. Paul proclaims the one true living God, who demands to be recognized. Paul draws inferences concerning the identity of the pagan deities that he calls “worthless things,” and he emphasizes the distinction between God and mere mortals such as himself and Barnabas—all in the desire to lead the people of Lystra to faith in the one true God and in Jesus the Savior.

While Paul shows understanding for the traditional ways of the Lystrans, he does not play down their guilt. Instead, he challenges them to turn away from their ancestral forms of worship and to turn to the living God. The Lystra episode underlines again that salvation depends on faith, and faith comes from hearing the word of God (14:9). At the same time, the missionary work in Lystra underlines the universality of authentic missionary work. Paul and Barnabas evangelize not only among the educated in the cities but also among people who live in a more rural setting. They contact not only Greeks but also “barbarians,” who speak another language; they travel not only to the centers of Greek culture, but also to the politically unimportant hinterland of Lycaonia.

Nurturing New Churches and Sending Churches

Missionary work nurtures both new churches and sending churches. When Paul and Barnabas have completed their mission in Derbe, they could have reached Tarsus traveling further east for only about 140 miles (220 km.) and then reaching Antioch in Syria after a further 140 miles. Instead, they backtrack their earlier route through the cities in which they encountered severe opposition that put their lives in dangers, walking 195 miles (330 km.) back in a westerly direction. Paul and Barnabas felt it was important to nurture the new believers in Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch, strengthening them through further teaching and structural consolidation. When they eventually do return to Antioch in Syria, they give a report to the church, which nurtures the involvement of the Antioch believers in missionary outreach and strengthens their trust in the Lord, who had opened doors to the Gentile world.