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JULY 7
made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with
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their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they
became aware of it and fled to Lystra and 14:15–17 Because the crowd at Lystra was
Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the sur- pagan and had no knowledge of the Old
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rounding region. And they were preaching Testament, Paul adjusted his message to fit
the gospel there. the audience. Instead of proclaiming the God
8 And in Lystra a certain man without strength of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he appealed to
in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his moth- the universal and rational knowledge of the
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er’s womb, who had never walked. This man One who created the world (17:22–26;Jon.1:9).
heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him
intently and seeing that he had faith to be 14:17 did not leave Himself without wit-
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healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up ness. God’s providence and His creative power
straight on your feet!” And he leaped and testify to man’s reason of His existence (Rom.
walked. Now when the people saw what Paul 1:18–20),as does man’s own conscience,which
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had done, they raised their voices, saying in contains His moral law (Rom.2:13–15).
the Lycaonian language, “The gods have
come down to us in the likeness of men!”
12 And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, of the city, supposing him to be dead. How-
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Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. ever, when the disciples gathered around him,
13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in he rose up and went into the city. And the next
front of their city, brought oxen and garlands day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the 21 And when they had preached the gospel to
multitudes. that city and made many disciples, they
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, ex-
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among the multitude, crying out and saying, horting them to continue in the faith, and say-
“Men, why are you doing these things? We also ing, “We must through many tribulations enter
are men with the same nature as you, and the kingdom of God.” So when they had ap-
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preach to you that you should turn from these pointed elders in every church, and prayed
useless things to the living God, who made the with fasting, they commended them to the
heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are Lord in whom they had believed. And after
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in them, who in bygone generations allowed all they had passed through Pisidia, they came to
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nations to walk in their own ways. Neverthe- Pamphylia. Now when they had preached the
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less He did not leave Himself without witness, in word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, where
fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and they had been commended to the grace of
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gladness.” And with these sayings they could God for the work which they had completed.
scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing 27 Now when they had come and gathered the
to them. church together, they reported all that God had
19 Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium done with them, and that He had opened the
came there; and having persuaded the multi- door of faith to the Gentiles. So they stayed
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tudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out there a long time with the disciples.
DAY 7: How does Acts 14 demonstrate the varied reactions for preaching the gospel of Christ?
The city of Iconium was a cultural melting pot of native Phrygians, Greeks, Jews, and Roman
colonists. A great multitude came to faith as Paul and Barnabas spoke “boldly in the Lord, who was
bearing witness to the word of His grace,granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands”(v.
3). Acts of such divine power confirmed that Paul and Barnabas spoke for God. Nevertheless, the
gospel message divided the city and a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews,
with their rulers, to abuse and stone them (v. 5).This proves that their Jewish opponents were the
instigators, since stoning was a Jewish form of execution, usually for blasphemy.
Fleeing Iconium,they went to Lystra and Derbe,cities of Lycaonia (v.6).Lycaonia was a district
in the Roman province of Galatia.Lystra was about 18 miles from Iconium and was the home of Lois,
Eunice,and Timothy (16:1; 2 Tim.1:5).The strange reaction by the people of Lystra to the healing of
the cripple, who had never walked (v. 8), had its roots in local folklore. According to tradition, the
gods Zeus and Hermes visited Lystra incognito, asking for food and lodging. All turned them away
except for a peasant named Philemon and his wife, Baucis.The gods took vengeance by drowning

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