Acts 14

1. In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual to the Jewish synagogue. They spoke so well that a great many Jews and Greeks believed.

When the simple Gospel of the death and resurrection of Jesus is shared the Holy Spirit opens people’s hearts. When we mix together our own ideas and think that the simple Gospel is not enough there is no response.

2. But some of the Jews who did not believe excited the non-Jewish people and turned them against the believers.

We expect the devil to fight back. We bow our heads and ask God to bind any spirit that is not of Christ, so that people can hear the message.

3. But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Iconium a long time and spoke bravely for the Lord. The Lord showed that their message about His grace was true by giving them the power to work miracles and signs.

These are the cities of Galatia. Later Paul reminded them why these things happened.
I ask you again, did God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. Galatians 3:5

4 – 5

But some of the people in the city agreed with the Jews. Others believed the apostles. So the city was divided. Some non-Jewish people, some Jews, and some of their rulers wanted to harm Paul and Barnabas by killing them with stones.

We can see here the evil spirits of confusion and anger, and murder. If you think it is too much to speak about the evil spirits here ask yourself if there might be more going on than you can see. It is good to know the exact spirit that you are praying against.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

6 – 10

When Paul and Barnabas learned about this, they went to Lystra and Derbe, cities in Lycaonia, and to the areas around those cities. They announced the Gospel there, too.
In Lystra there sat a man who had been born crippled; he had never walked. This man was listening to Paul speak. Paul looked straight at him and saw that the man believed God could heal him. So he cried out, “Stand up on your feet!” The man jumped up and began walking around.

As we see in this chapter these people were like isolated tribes in the jungle. They knew nothing about God and were controlled by demons. God speaks to them by showing His power of healing to open their eyes to the real God.

Countries who live in the modern world are surprised by these things because they do not see these kinds of miracles. If God was always doing these things in these modern countries they would not believe because their minds are twisted to explain away the things of God. In isolated countries the people are like babies and when they see God’s power they know that it is real.

11 – 14

When the crowds saw what Paul did, they shouted in their own Lycaonian language. They said, “The gods have become like men! They have come down to us!” And the people began to call Barnabas “Zeus.” They called Paul “Hermes,” because he was the main speaker. The temple of Zeus was near the city. The priest of this temple brought some bulls and flowers to the city gates. The priest and the people wanted to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas.

These people had a story that Zeus and Hermes come down to earth to visit them many years before this. Their minds were so confused by the devil that they thought Paul and Barnabas were Zeus and Hermes returning.

14. But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, understood what they were about to do, they tore their clothes in anger. Then they ran in among the people and shouted,

An apostle is someone who is sent, like a missionary. We see that Barnabas here is called an apostle, but he was not one of the twelve.

15 – 18

“Men, why are you doing these things? We are only men, human beings like you! We are bringing you the Gospel. We are telling you to turn away from these worthless things and turn to the true living God. He is the One who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them.

In the past, God let all the nations go their own way. Yet He did things to prove He is real: He shows kindness to you. He gives you rain from heaven and crops at the right times. He gives you food and fills your hearts with joy.” Even with these words, they were barely able to keep the crowd from offering sacrifices to them.

Be careful not to accept honor from men like this. It may seem that they highly respect you, but they are watching to see if you can be tempted with pride.

Paul cannot speak to these people about the Old Testament because they know nothing of God. He starts by showing them that there is a God who has power and has shown His love by the good things He does for them.

When we are talking to unbelievers, it is good to find some common ground. We can ask if they agree that there must be a God somewhere in the universe. We can ask them if they agree that there are such things as good and evil. We have to start somewhere, but if they will not agree that there is such a thing as truth then there is nothing to talk about. In some cases, all we can do is pray for them and keep the door open.

19. Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium. They persuaded the people to turn against Paul. And so they threw stones at Paul and dragged him out of town. They thought that they had killed him.

Most Bible teachers agree that while Paul was unconscious he was shown a vision and made weak in his flesh so that he would not become proud. 2 Corinthians 11:25, 2 Corinthians 12:1–5

20 – 22

But the followers gathered around him, and he got up and went back into the town. The next day, he and Barnabas left and went to the city of Derbe.

Paul and Barnabas told the Good News in Derbe and many became followers. Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. In those cities they made the followers of Jesus stronger. They helped them to stay in the faith. They said, “We must suffer many things to enter God’s kingdom.”

Some Bibles teacher say this was when Timothy became a Christian. Acts 16:1

23. They chose elders for each church, by praying and giving up eating. These elders were men who had trusted the Lord. So Paul and Barnabas put them in the Lord’s care.

It is amazing to think that people who had just come from a life of living like isolated tribes in the jungle could have a church and some man were strong enough in the faith to be leaders.

Today we would not let this happen to allow new believers to wait until some man with college degrees could be sent to them. Remember that when we are born again, our minds are also open to understand the things of God and if we are really seeking him, God will show us things that do not require a college degree.

I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of Your laws. Psalm 119:99

24 – 28

Then they went through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. They preached the message in Perga, and then they went down to Attalia. And from there they sailed away to Antioch. This is where the believers had put them into God’s care and had sent them out to do this work. And now they had finished the work.

When they arrived in Antioch, they gathered the church together. Paul and Barnabas told them all about what God had done with them. They told how God had made it possible for the non-Jews to believe! And they stayed there a long time with the followers.

We know that after Paul left the Judaizers came to this area to tell them that they could not be saved unless they followed the Laws of Moses. These men now followed Paull everywhere. This is why Paul wrote the Book of Galatians.

The church members of Antioch saw themselves as partners who helped provide the money and prayer life that went with the missionaries. It is dangerous to go on a mission without partners on their knees back home.