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Acceptance and Opposition

¹ In ^(C1)Iconium ^(C2)they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner ^(C3)that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of ^(C4)Greeks.² But ^(C1)the Jews who ^(F1)(C2)disbelieved stirred up the ^(F2)minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against ^(C3)the brethren.³ Therefore they spent a long time there ^(C1)speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that ^(F1)(C2)signs and wonders be done by their hands.^4 (C1)But the ^(F1)people of the city were divided; and some ^(F2)sided with ^(C2)the Jews, and some with ^(C3)the apostles.⁵ And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and ^(C1)the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to ^(C2)stone them,⁶ they became aware of it and fled to the cities of ^(C1)Lycaonia, ^(C2)Lystra and ^(C3)Derbe, and the surrounding region;⁷ and there they continued to ^(C1)preach the gospel.

⁸ At ^(C1)Lystra ^(C2)a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother's womb, who had never walked.⁹ This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, ^(C1)when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had ^(C2)faith to be ^(F1)made well,¹⁰ said with a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet." ^(C1)And he leaped up and began to walk.¹¹ When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the ^(C1)Lycaonian language, "^(C2)The gods have become like men and have come down to us."¹² And they began calling Barnabas, ^(F1)Zeus, and Paul, ^(F2)Hermes, because he was ^(F3)the chief speaker.¹³ The priest of Zeus, whose temple was ^(F1)just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and ^(C1)wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.¹⁴ But when ^(C1)the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they ^(C2)tore their ^(F1)robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out¹⁵ and saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We are also ^(C1)men of the same nature as you, and ^(C2)preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these ^(F1)(C3)vain things to a ^(C4)living God, ^(C5)WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM.¹⁶ "^(F1)In the generations gone by He ^(C1)permitted all the ^(F2)nations to ^(C2)go their own ways;¹⁷ and yet ^(C1)He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and ^(C2)gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, ^(F1)satisfying your hearts with food and gladness."¹⁸ Even saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

¹⁹ But ^(C1)Jews came from ^(C2)Antioch and ^(C3)Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they ^(C4)stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.²⁰ But while ^(C1)the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to ^(C2)Derbe.²¹ After they had ^(C1)preached the gospel to that city and had ^(C2)made many disciples, they returned to ^(C3)Lystra and to ^(C4)Iconium and to ^(C5)Antioch,²² strengthening the souls of ^(C1)the disciples, encouraging them to continue in ^(C2)the faith, and saying, "^(C3)Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."²³ When ^(C1)they had appointed ^(C2)elders for them in every church, having ^(C3)prayed with fasting, they ^(C4)commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

²⁴ They passed through ^(C1)Pisidia and came into ^(C2)Pamphylia.²⁵ When they had spoken the word in ^(C1)Perga, they went down to Attalia.²⁶ From there they sailed to ^(C1)Antioch, from ^(C2)which they had been ^(C3)commended to the grace of God for the work that they had ^(F1)accomplished.²⁷ When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to ^(C1)report all things that God had done with them and ^(F1)how He had opened a ^(C2)door of faith to the Gentiles.²⁸ And they spent ^(F1)a long time with ^(C1)the disciples.