Acts 14:22

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. "We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
In those cities they helped the followers grow stronger in their faith and encouraged them to continue trusting God. They told them, "We must suffer many things on our way into God's kingdom."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and strengthed the disciples soules exhortinge them to continue in the faith affyrminge yt we must thorowe moche tribulacion entre into the kyngdome of God.

Hebrew Names Version
confirming the souls of the talmidim, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of God.

International Standard Version
strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith, saying, "We must endure many hardships to get into the kingdom of God."Matthew 10:38; 16:24; Luke 22:28-29; Acts 11:23; 13:43; Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:11-12; 3:12;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God."

New Century Version
making the followers of Jesus stronger and helping them stay in the faith. They said, "We must suffer many things to enter God's kingdom."

Update Bible Version
confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.

Webster's Bible Translation
Confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

English Standard Version
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

World English Bible
confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of God.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith; and that we must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God.

Weymouth's New Testament
Everywhere they strengthened the disciples by encouraging them to hold fast to the faith, and warned them saying, "It is through many afflictions that we must make our way into the Kingdom of God."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and monestinge, that thei schulden dwelle in feith, and seiden, That bi many tribulaciouns it bihoueth vs to entre in to the kingdom of heuenes.

English Revised Version
confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.

Contemporary English Version
They encouraged the followers and begged them to remain faithful. They told them, "We have to suffer a lot before we can get into God's kingdom."

Amplified Bible
strengthening and establishing the hearts of the disciples; encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, saying, "It is through many tribulations and hardships that we must enter the kingdom of God."

American Standard Version
confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.

Bible in Basic English
Making strong the souls of the disciples, saying to them that they were to keep the faith, and that we have to go through troubles of all sorts to come into the kingdom of God.

Complete Jewish Bible
strengthening the talmidim, encouraging them to remain true to the faith, and reminding them that it is through many hardships that we must enter the Kingdom of God.

Darby Translation
establishing the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to abide in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.

Etheridge Translation
confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to persevere in the faith. And they said to them, that through much tribulation it behoveth to enter the kingdom of Aloha.

Murdock Translation
confirming the souls of the disciples, and entreating them to persevere in the faith; and they told them, that it was necessary, through much affliction, to enter into the kingdom of God.

King James Version (1611)
Confirming the soules of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, aud that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdome of God.

New Living Translation
where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.

New Life Bible
In each city they helped the Christians to be strong and true to the faith. They told them, "We must suffer many hard things to get into the holy nation of God."

New Revised Standard
There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, "It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Confirming the disciples hearts, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, affirming that we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God.

George Lamsa Translation
Strengthening the souls of the converts, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and telling them that only through much tribulation can we enter into the kingdom of God.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
confirming the souls of the disciples, beseeching them to abide in the faith, and declaring that, through many tribulations, must we enter into the kingdom of God.

Douay-Rheims Bible
(14-21) Confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith: and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.

Revised Standard Version
strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And strengthed the disciples soules agayne, and exhorted them to continue in the fayth, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kyngdome of God.

Good News Translation
They strengthened the believers and encouraged them to remain true to the faith. "We must pass through many troubles to enter the Kingdom of God," they taught.

Christian Standard Bible®
strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”

King James Version
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Lexham English Bible
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith and saying, "Through many persecutions it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God."

Literal Translation
confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of God.

Young's Literal Translation
confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting to remain in the faith, and that through many tribulations it behoveth us to enter into the reign of God,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
strengthinge the soules of ye disciples, and exortinge the to cotynue in the faith: and that we thorow moch tribulacion must entre in to the kyngdome of God.

Mace New Testament (1729)
encouraging the disciples, exhorting them to persevere in the faith, representing that it is thro' much tribulation that we must enter into the kingdom of God.

New English Translation
They 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."

New King James Version
strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."

Simplified Cowboy Version
On their way through, they stopped and checked with all the cowboys who had started riding for God. They encouraged them to be strong and faithful. They reminded them it ain't easy to cowboy for God's outfit and there would be hard times gathering remnants out of the brush.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."

Legacy Standard Bible
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many afflictions we must enter the kingdom of God."

Contextual Overview

¹⁹Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead. ²⁰But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. And the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. ²¹They preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, ²²strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. "We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.²³Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed. ²⁴After passing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. ²⁵And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. ²⁶From Attalia they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had just completed. ²⁷When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸And they spent a long time there with the disciples.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Confirming: Acts 15:32, Acts 15:41, Acts 18:23, Isaiah 35:3, 1 Corinthians 1:8, 1 Thessalonians 3:2-4, 1 Thessalonians 3:13, 1 Peter 5:10

exhorting: Acts 11:23, Acts 13:43, John 8:31, John 8:32, John 15:4-6, John 15:9, John 15:10, Colossians 1:23, Jude 1:3, Jude 1:20, Jude 1:21

we: Matthew 10:21, Matthew 10:22, Matthew 10:38, Matthew 16:24, Luke 22:28, Luke 22:29, Luke 24:26, John 12:25, John 12:26, John 16:1, John 16:2, John 16:33, Romans 8:17, 1 Thessalonians 3:4, 2 Timothy 1:8, 2 Timothy 2:11, 2 Timothy 2:12, 2 Timothy 3:12, 1 Peter 4:12-16, Revelation 2:10, Revelation 7:14

enter: Matthew 19:24, Mark 9:47, Mark 10:24, Mark 10:25, John 3:5, 2 Peter 1:11

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:10 - was a Genesis 32:7 - greatly Genesis 49:23 - General Leviticus 2:11 - honey Numbers 21:4 - the soul 1 Samuel 26:24 - let him deliver Job 23:12 - Neither Psalms 34:19 - Many Psalms 66:12 - through Psalms 84:6 - Who Ecclesiastes 2:23 - his heart Ecclesiastes 7:14 - but Song of Solomon 1:6 - because Isaiah 30:20 - the bread Isaiah 54:11 - thou afflicted Daniel 11:1 - to confirm Matthew 6:34 - Sufficient Matthew 7:14 - narrow Matthew 7:21 - shall Matthew 7:25 - the rain Matthew 8:11 - in Matthew 18:3 - enter Matthew 18:9 - to enter Matthew 19:23 - enter Mark 8:34 - take Luke 6:20 - for Luke 6:48 - the flood Luke 14:27 - cannot Luke 16:25 - likewise Acts 2:42 - they Acts 16:40 - they comforted Acts 20:2 - given Acts 20:23 - the Holy Ghost Romans 8:35 - shall tribulation Romans 11:22 - if thou 1 Corinthians 14:3 - exhortation 1 Corinthians 15:19 - of all Ephesians 3:13 - ye Ephesians 4:12 - perfecting Philippians 1:25 - for Philippians 4:1 - so 1 Thessalonians 3:3 - we are 1 Thessalonians 5:21 - hold 2 Thessalonians 1:5 - for Hebrews 12:7 - endure 1 Peter 1:6 - manifold 1 Peter 2:21 - even 1 Peter 4:18 - if 1 Peter 5:9 - the same Revelation 1:9 - companion Revelation 2:9 - tribulation

Cross-References

Genesis 14:5
In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh-kiriathaim,

Genesis 14:6
and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El-paran, which is near the desert.

Genesis 14:19
and he blessed Abram and said: "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

Genesis 14:20
and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.

Genesis 14:23
that I will not accept even a thread, or a strap of a sandal, or anything that belongs to you, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.'

Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.

Genesis 21:33
And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.

Exodus 6:8
And I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD!'"

Deuteronomy 32:40
For I lift up My hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever,

Judges 11:35
As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Confirming the souls of the disciples,.... Not wicked men in their wickedness, nor self-righteous persons in an opinion of their own righteousness, as sufficient for justification, both being contrary to the nature and tendency of the ministry of the word; the Gospel being a doctrine according to godliness, and a revelation of the righteousness of Christ; but the disciples and followers of Jesus, whom they had already made in those places, these they confirmed in the doctrines of the Gospel, and fortified them against the contradictions and blasphemies of the Jews, and the reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions they met with, by which they might be staggered: they did not confirm the bodies of these disciples, and the health of them, which is the business of the physician to confirm; nor their estates and civil property, to secure and defend which belongs to the civil magistrate; but their souls, their more noble and valuable part, their hearts, which are apt to be unstable; the frames of their hearts, which are precarious, and so as not to be too much depressed when disagreeable, or be too much elated when agreeable, placing too much trust and confidence in them; and also the graces of the Spirit in their hearts, as to act and exercise, as faith, hope, and love; and likewise their judgments and understandings in the truths of the Gospel, in what relates to the love of God; the covenant of grace, the person of Christ, and their interest in them:

and exhorting them to continue in the faith: in the exercise of the grace of faith, and in the doctrine of faith, and in the profession of both, whatever they might meet with on the account thereof, and which they were to expect:

and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God either into a Gospel church state, which is sometimes so called, there being much trouble often attending an entrance into it, both from within, from the corruption and unbelief of the heart, and from without, from the temptations of Satan, and from the revilings and insults of men, and even from friends and relations; or into the heavenly glory, the way to that lying through many tribulations; and which, though a rough, is a right way: so it "must" be, there is a necessity of it, partly on account of the decrees of God, who has appointed afflictions for his people, and them to afflictions; and partly on account of the predictions of Christ, who foretold his disciples, that in the world they should have tribulation; as also, that there might be a conformity to him, that as he the head must, and did suffer many things, and enter into his glory, so must they his members: as well as likewise for the trial and exercise of the several graces of the Spirit, and to make the saints meet for heaven, and to make that the sweeter to them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Confirming - “strengthening” ἐπιστηρίζοντες epistērizontes. The expression “to confirm” as in some churches a technical signification, denoting “to admit to the full privileges of a Christian by the imposition of hands” (Johnson). It is scarcely necessary to say that the word here refers to no such rite. It has no relation to an imposition of hands, or to the thing which is usually supposed to be denoted by the rite of “confirmation.” It means simply that they established, strengthened, made firm, or encouraged by the presentation of truth and by the motives of the gospel. Whether the rite of confirmation, as practiced by some churches, be founded on the authority of the New Testament or not, it is certain that it can receive no support from this passage. The truth was, that these were young converts; that they were surrounded by enemies, and exposed to temptations and to dangers; that they had as yet but a slight acquaintance with the truths of the gospel, and that it was therefore important that they should be further instructed in the truth, and established in the faith of the gospel. This was what Paul and Barnabas returned to accomplish. There is not the slightest evidence that they had not been admitted to the full privileges of the church before; or that any ceremony was now performed in confirming or strengthening them.

The souls - The minds, the hearts, or the disciples themselves.

Disciples - They were as yet scholars, or learners, and the apostles returned to instruct them further in the doctrines of Christ.

And exhorting them ... - Acts 13:43.

In the faith - In the belief of the gospel.

And that we must - καὶ ὅτι δεῖ kai hoti dei. That it is fit or proper that we should. Not that it is fixed by any fatal necessity, but that we are not to expect that it will be otherwise. We are to calculate on it when we become Christians. Why it is proper, or fit, the apostle did not state. But we may remark that it is proper:

(1) Because such is the opposition of the world to pure religion that it cannot be avoided. Of this they had had striking demonstration in Lystra and Iconium.

(2) It is necessary to reclaim us from wandering, and to keep us in the path of duty, Psalms 119:67, Psalms 119:71.

(3) It is necessary to wean us from the world; to keep before our minds the great truth that we have here “no continuing city and no abiding place.” Trial here makes us pant for a world of rest. The opposition of sinners makes us desire that world where “the wicked shall cease from troubling,” and where there shall be eternal friendship and peace.

(4) When we are persecuted and afflicted, we may remember that it has been the lot of Christians from the beginning. We tread a path that has been watered by the tears of the saints, and rendered sacred by the shedding of the best blood on the earth. The Saviour trod that path; and it is enough that the “disciple be as his master, and the servant as his lord,” Matthew 10:24-25.

Through much tribulation - Through many afflictions.

Enter into the kingdom of God - Be saved. Enter into heaven. See the notes on Matthew 3:2.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 14:22. Confirming the souls of the disciples — The word disciple signifies literally a scholar. The Church of Christ was a school, in which Christ himself was chief Master; and his apostles subordinate teachers. All the converts were disciples or scholars, who came to this school to be instructed in the knowledge of themselves and of their GOD: of their duty to Him, to the Church, to society, and to themselves. After having been initiated in the principles of the heavenly doctrine, they needed line upon line, and precept upon precept, in order that they might be confirmed and established in the truth. Though it was a great and important thing to have their heads, their understanding, properly informed, yet, if the heart was not disciplined, information in the understanding would be of little avail; therefore they confirmed the SOULS of the disciples. As there must be some particular standard of truth, to which they might continually resort, that their faith might stand in the power of God, it was necessary that they should have such a system of doctrine as they knew came from God. These doctrines were those which contained all the essential principles of Christianity, and this was called THE FAITH; and, as they must have sound principles, in order that they might have righteous practices, so it was necessary that they should continue in that faith, that it might produce that obedience, without which even faith itself, however excellent, must be useless and dead.

Again, as the spirit of the world would be ever opposed to the spirit of Christ, so they must make up their minds to expect persecution and tribulation in various forms, and therefore had need of confirmed souls and strong faith, that, when trials came, they might meet them with becoming fortitude, and stand unmoved in the cloudy and dark day. And as the mind must faint under trouble that sees no prospect of its termination, and no conviction of its use, it was necessary that they should keep in view the kingdom of God, of which they were subjects, and to which, through their adoption into the heavenly family, they had a Divine right. Hence, from the apostles teaching, they not only learned that they should meet with tribulation, much tribulation, but, for their encouragement, they were also informed that these were the very means which God would use to bring them into his own kingdom; so that, if they had tribulation in the way, they had a heaven of eternal glory as the end to which they were continually to direct their views.