Acts 14

1 At Iconium [a city in Asia Minor], Paul and Barnabas went as usual [together, in harmony] into the Jewish synagogue [a gathering place for worship and teaching], where they spoke [preached, shared their message] so well [with conviction, persuasively] that a great number [a large multitude, many] of Jews [people of Jewish descent, Israelites] and Greeks [non-Jews, Gentiles] believed [trusted, had faith, were convinced]. word study 2 But the unbelieving [disobedient, refusing to believe] Jews [people from Judah, of Jewish descent] stirred up [roused, awakened] the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] and poisoned [harmed, made evil-affected] their minds [souls, the seat of emotions and desires] against the brothers [fellow Christians, male siblings]. word study 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent [a long time, a considerable period] considerable time there, speaking [with confidence] boldly for the Lord [God, the supreme authority], who affirmed [gave testimony to, confirmed] the message [word, proclamation] of His [divine, gracious] grace [unmerited favor, loving-kindness] by enabling [granting the power to, allowing] them to perform [do, accomplish] signs [miraculous events, wonders] and wonders [marvels, supernatural events] [through their hands, by their agency]. word study 4 The people [multitude, a large group] of the city [town with walls, a community] were divided [split, separated into opposing groups]. Some [part, a portion] sided [held with, agreed] with the Jews [people of Judah, those of Jewish descent], and others [part, another portion] with the apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ, delegates]. word study 5 But when the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] and Jews [people of Jewish descent], together with their rulers [leaders, magistrates], set out to mistreat [use violence, abuse] and stone [throw stones, kill by stoning] them, word study 6 they found out about it [became aware, had knowledge of] and fled [quickly went away, escaped] to the Lycaonian [of Lycaonia, a region in Asia Minor] cities [towns with walls, communities] of Lystra [a city in Asia Minor] and Derbe [a city in Asia Minor] and to the surrounding [nearby, adjacent] region [area, territory], word study 7 where they continued [persisted, went on] to preach [share, proclaim, speak good news] the gospel [good news, message of salvation, message about Jesus]. word study 8 In Lystra [a city in Asia Minor] there sat a man [a certain individual] crippled [unable] in his feet [literal and figurative], who was lame [crippled] from birth [from his mother’s womb] and had never walked [to walk or live in a certain way]. word study 9 This man [the crippled one, sitting there] was listening [giving ear, paying attention] to the words [teachings, message] of Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul], who looked intently [stedfastly beholding, gazing] at him and saw [perceiving, understanding] that he had [possessed, was endowed with] faith [trust, confidence in God] to be healed [made whole, saved from his affliction]. word study 10 In a loud [great, intense] voice Paul called out, “Stand up [arise, get up] on your feet [literally and figuratively, a symbol of strength and mobility]!” And the man jumped up [leaped, sprang] and began to walk [live, follow a certain path, to walk in a specific manner]. word study 11 When the crowds [multitude, a large group of people] saw what Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] had done, they lifted up their voices [in a loud noise, with great enthusiasm] in the Lycaonian [native language, of the region] language: “The gods [divine beings, having God’s nature] have come down [from heaven, to the earthly realm] to us in human [mortal, fleshly] form [likeness, appearance]!” word study 12 Barnabas [the son of prophecy] they called Zeus [the supreme Greek God, equivalent to Jupiter], and Paul [the Roman apostle] they called Hermes [the Greek messenger God, or Mercury], because he was the chief [primary] speaker [one who utters words, the leader in speaking]. word study 13 The priest [of the supreme God Zeus, a pagan religious leader] of Zeus, whose temple [a place of worship, dedicated to a false deity] was just outside the city, brought bulls [oxen, young cattle] and wreaths [garlands, circular decorations] to the city gates, hoping [desiring, intending] to offer a sacrifice [a ritual act of worship, a gift to a deity] along with the crowds [the multitudes, a large group of people]. word study 14 But when the apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ] Barnabas [son of prophecy] and Paul [originally named Saul] found out [heard and understood] about this, they tore [violently pulled apart] their clothes [outer garments] and rushed [sprang forth suddenly] into the crowd [large group of people], shouting [crying out loudly], word study 15 “Men [human beings, adult males], why are you doing this? We too are only men [of like passions, with similar feelings], human [with the same nature] like you. We are bringing you good news [preaching, announcing the gospel] that you should turn [revert, turn back] from these worthless things [vain, empty, futile] to the living God [the one true deity, who is truly alive], who made [created, brought into existence] heaven [the sky, the spiritual realm] and earth [the land, the material world] and sea [large bodies of water] and everything [all things] in them. word study 16 In past [bygone, former] generations [ages, times], He [God, the Almighty] let [allowed, permitted, suffered] all [every, entire] nations [Gentiles, non-Jewish people] go [walk, journey] their [individual] own way [path, road]. word study 17 Yet He has not left Himself [without any evidence, completely] without testimony to His goodness: He gives you [provides for, bestows upon] rain [showers from above] from heaven [the sky above] and fruitful [producing good things] seasons, filling [satisfying, making full] your hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] with food [nourishment] and gladness [joy and happiness].” word study 18 Even with these words [speaking these things, saying these things], Paul and Barnabas could [with great difficulty, barely] hardly stop the crowds [multitudes, large groups of people] from sacrificing [offering sacrifices, doing sacrifice] to them [to Paul and Barnabas, as if they were gods]. word study 19 Then [at that time, afterwards] some Jews [from the tribe of Judah, Jewish people] arrived [came, invaded] from Antioch [a city in Syria] and Iconium [a city in Asia Minor] and won over [persuaded, convinced] the crowds [a large group of people, a multitude]. They stoned [threw stones at, punished with rocks] Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] and dragged [pulled, drew] him outside [out of, away from] the city [a town with walls, a populated area], presuming [thinking, believing] he was dead [lifeless, deceased, without life]. word study 20 But after the disciples [followers, learners] had gathered [stood round about, surrounded] around him, he got up [arose, stood] and went back [entered] into the city [town, urban area]. And the next day [the day after, on the morrow] he left [departed, went out] with Barnabas [son of prophecy, companion] for Derbe [a city in Asia Minor, a place of refuge]. word study 21 They preached [shared the good news, proclaimed] the gospel [the good message about Jesus] to that city [the people who lived there] and made [discipled, taught] many disciples [followers of Jesus]. Then they returned [turned back, went back] to Lystra [a city in Asia Minor], Iconium [a city where Paul and Barnabas preached], and Antioch [a city in Syria, an important location], word study 22 strengthening [making firm, confirming] the souls [the breath of life, the seat of emotions] of the disciples [learners, followers of Jesus] and encouraging [pleading with, comforting] them to continue [abide, remain] in the faith [trust, confidence in God]. “We must [it is necessary, we have to] endure [go through, experience] many [much, numerous] hardships [tribulations, pressures] to enter [go into, become part of] the kingdom [royal power, dominion] of God [the one true deity, Creator],” they said. word study 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed [ordained, selected by vote] elders [respected leaders, spiritual guides] for them in each church [assembly, community of believers], praying [worshiping, communing with God] and fasting [abstaining from food, humbling themselves] as they entrusted [commended, set before] them to the Lord [the supreme Master, God], in whom [on whom, with faith in] they had believed [trusted, had faith]. word study 24 After passing [traversing, going through] through Pisidia [a region in Asia Minor], they came [to arrive, to go] to Pamphylia [a province with a mix of different tribes, toward the region of]. word study 25 And when they had spoken [preached, uttered] the word [Logos, divine message] in Perga, they went down [came down, descended] to Attalia [toward the sea, a coastal city]. word study 26 From Attalia [a city in southern Asia Minor] they sailed [set sail, began their journey by boat] to Antioch [a major city in Syria], where they had been commended [handed over, dedicated] to the grace [unmerited favor, divine influence] of God [the one true deity] for the work [service, ministry] they had just completed [fulfilled, accomplished]. word study 27 When they arrived [came to a place, gathered], they gathered [assembled, brought together] the church [assembly, community of believers] together and reported [declared, rehearsed] all that God [the one true deity] had done [accomplished, made] through them, and how He had opened [made accessible, revealed] the door [opportunity, entrance] of faith [trust, confidence in God] to the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations]. word study 28 And they spent [tarried] a long time [not a little, several months] there [in that place, at Antioch] with [together, in close association] the disciples [learners, followers of Christ]. word study