Acts Chapter 14
The Conclusion of the First Missionary Journey
A. In the City of Iconium
1. Acts 14:1 – Paul and Barnabas have evangelistic success in Iconium
“Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.”
Paul and Barnabas, having been expelled from Pisidian Antioch, did not allow rejection to silence their witness. Instead, upon entering Iconium, they continued their custom of beginning in the synagogue. This was a strategic approach, for the synagogue contained Jews familiar with the Scriptures as well as God-fearing Gentiles who were already drawn to the truths of the Old Testament. Despite prior hostility in Antioch, they did not abandon this pattern because it remained an effective starting point for evangelistic outreach.
Their preaching was persuasive and Spirit-filled, so much so that a great multitude of both Jews and Greeks believed. The message was the same for both groups: salvation is found in the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is received by faith alone. The unity of response from both Jews and Gentiles demonstrates the universal scope of the gospel, which breaks down barriers of race, culture, and background.
This success is encouraging, especially in light of the persecution they had just endured in Antioch. It shows that rejection in one place often leads to fruitful ministry in another. At times, God uses persecution to move His servants forward to new fields, ensuring that the message of Christ spreads further.
Paul and Barnabas also modeled what it meant to “so speak.” Their manner of preaching was not dry recitation but Spirit-empowered proclamation. Their words invited faith, conveyed truth with clarity, and presented Christ in such a way that hearts were compelled to believe. Evangelism is not merely delivering information, but speaking in such a way that people see Christ crucified and risen before their eyes (Galatians 3:1).
2. Acts 14:2-6 – Successful ministry creates opposition, forcing Paul and Barnabas out of Iconium
“But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region.”
Luke makes it clear that not all Jews in Iconium opposed the gospel, for many had believed. However, those who rejected the message became active opponents, stirring up Gentiles and poisoning their minds against the brethren. This is a sober reminder that unbelief is not neutral. It often manifests in hostility toward those who proclaim truth, influencing others to share in the same rejection.
Yet, despite opposition, Paul and Barnabas remained in Iconium for an extended period. They did not run at the first sign of trouble but stayed long enough to strengthen and ground the new believers. Their boldness in preaching, despite threats, shows true Spirit-filled courage. Their confidence was “in the Lord,” not in themselves.
The Lord confirmed their preaching by granting signs and wonders through their hands. These miracles were not performed at will but were granted by God to bear witness to the word of His grace. The message itself was central, and the miracles served as divine testimony that the gospel they proclaimed was indeed from God. This was consistent with the apostolic ministry throughout Acts, where signs pointed to the reality of the risen Christ and the truth of His grace.
The result was division within the city. Some aligned with the Jews who rejected the message, while others sided with the apostles. This division is common when the gospel is faithfully preached, for truth demands a response. As Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34).
When the opposition escalated into a violent plot to abuse and stone them, Paul and Barnabas fled to Lystra and Derbe. Their flight was not cowardice but wisdom. Their time for martyrdom had not yet come, and they discerned that God’s will was for them to continue spreading the gospel elsewhere. Their perseverance under persecution, followed by wise withdrawal, shows the balance between courage and prudence.
It is in this passage that Paul and Barnabas are first called apostles (Acts 14:4). The term here highlights their role as sent ones, appointed by God and recognized in their authority. Later, in Acts 14:14, the same title is used again. This recognition underscores the weight of their mission and the divine authority backing their message.
Finally, the mention of Lystra and Derbe belonging to Lycaonia is a detail of historical precision. Sir William Ramsay, a renowned scholar and archaeologist, confirmed that these cities were part of the province of Lycaonia during the exact timeframe described in Acts (A.D. 37–72). Such accuracy demonstrates the reliability of Luke’s historical record, affirming that Acts is not a collection of myths but a faithful account of real events.
B. In the Cities of Lystra and Derbe
1. Acts 14:7–10 – In Lystra, a lame man is healed
“And they were preaching the gospel there. And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, ‘Stand up straight on your feet!’ And he leaped and walked.”
Paul and Barnabas, having fled Iconium due to the violent attempt against them, continued their mission without hesitation. Their primary task was not the performance of miracles but the preaching of the gospel. Luke emphasizes this by opening with the words, “And they were preaching the gospel there.” The apostles’ focus was always on proclaiming Christ crucified and risen, the only message that saves. The miracles served only as confirmation of the message, never as the mission itself.
In Lystra, Luke records the healing of a man crippled from birth. The description is vivid: “a certain man without strength in his feet… who had never walked.” This was not a temporary illness but a lifelong condition, leaving no room for doubt or natural explanation. The man listened to Paul’s preaching and, in hearing about Jesus, faith was born in his heart. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). Unlike many who hear but do not internalize, this man made the critical transition from hearing to believing that the power of Christ was for him personally.
Paul, perceiving the man’s faith, looked intently upon him. This discernment was likely Spirit-given, for Paul recognized not only the presence of faith but also God’s will to heal in that very moment. With boldness he commanded, “Stand up straight on your feet!” The man responded immediately, leaping up and walking. His obedience to Paul’s command was evidence of the reality of his faith. What had been impossible all his life was now made possible by the power of Jesus Christ.
This miracle serves as a visible demonstration of salvation itself. Just as the crippled man could not walk until Christ healed him, so the sinner cannot rise from spiritual death until Christ grants life. The man did not contribute his strength, for he had none. He simply believed the message, obeyed the call, and experienced transformation.
2. Acts 14:11–13 – The excited crowd in Lystra declares Paul and Barnabas to be Greek gods
“Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!’ And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.”
The miracle in Lystra drew an intense reaction from the crowd, though not one rooted in true understanding of God. Instead of glorifying the God of Israel, the people interpreted the event through their pagan worldview. They shouted in their own dialect, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” To them, such power could only be explained by the presence of deities.
They identified Barnabas as Zeus, the chief of the Greek gods, perhaps because of his demeanor or appearance of authority. Paul, being the more vocal, was identified as Hermes, the messenger of the gods. This association was not random. In Greek mythology, there were stories of Zeus and Hermes visiting human beings in disguise. In fact, a local legend in Lycaonia told of such a visit, in which the gods destroyed those who failed to show hospitality, sparing only an elderly couple who welcomed them. This background explains why the Lystrians were quick to treat Paul and Barnabas as divine beings, fearing a repeat of the myth.
The excitement of the crowd quickly escalated. The priest of Zeus, whose temple stood at the entrance of the city, brought oxen adorned with garlands to offer sacrifice in honor of the supposed gods. What began as misguided praise now became full-blown idolatry. The people were ready to worship men rather than the living God.
This incident demonstrates an important truth: miracles alone do not save. While they attract attention, they cannot change hearts unless people respond to the truth of the gospel. The crowd saw the healing and acknowledged supernatural power, but without the foundation of God’s Word, they interpreted it wrongly and plunged deeper into error. This reminds us of Jesus’ words, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead” (Luke 16:31).
The use of the Lycaonian language also explains why Paul and Barnabas did not immediately realize what was happening. By the time they understood that sacrifices were being prepared, the situation had advanced dangerously. This forced the apostles to confront the idolatry head-on, lest the glory due to God be wrongly given to men.
3. Acts 14:14–18 – Paul appeals to the crowd, asking them to recognize the true God instead of worshipping Paul and Barnabas
“But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, ‘Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.’ And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.”
When Paul and Barnabas finally understood what the people of Lystra were doing, preparing sacrifices as though they were Zeus and Hermes, their reaction was immediate and severe. They tore their clothes, an ancient Jewish sign of grief, outrage, or horror at blasphemy. This was not merely a gesture of humility but a visible protest that ascribed all glory to God alone. The idea of being worshipped was intolerable to them, for they knew that to accept worship was to rob God of His honor.
Paul’s words are equally forceful: “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you.” He reminds them that he and Barnabas are not divine beings but ordinary men, subject to the same weaknesses and limitations. In this, Paul and Barnabas sharply contrast themselves with Herod Agrippa earlier in Acts, who accepted divine praise and was struck down by God (Acts 12:22–23). Faithful servants of God never receive worship but always deflect it to the One who alone is worthy.
Paul then directed their attention to the true and living God. He called their pagan idols “useless things,” highlighting the futility of false worship. Pagan gods cannot save, cannot create, and cannot sustain life. By contrast, the living God is the Creator of heaven, earth, the sea, and everything in them. This direct appeal to creation was significant, because Paul was speaking not to Jews familiar with the Scriptures, but to Gentiles steeped in mythology. To such an audience, he did not quote the Old Testament but appealed to natural revelation, the witness of God’s existence and goodness in creation itself.
Paul reminded them that although God had previously allowed the nations to go their own way, He had never left Himself without witness. His kindness was displayed in tangible blessings: the rains that watered their fields, the fruitful seasons that produced harvests, the food that filled their tables, and the gladness that filled their hearts. These were not gifts from Zeus, as the Lystrians assumed, but from the true God of heaven. This is what theologians call common grace—the undeserved goodness of God shown to all mankind, regardless of whether they acknowledge Him. As Jesus said, “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).
Paul’s approach here shows remarkable discernment. When preaching to Jews, he reasoned from the Scriptures, but when preaching to pagans unfamiliar with the Bible, he began with the evidence of creation and God’s providence. This same method appears later in Athens, where Paul declares, “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands” (Acts 17:24). His example reminds us that while the gospel is unchanging, our starting point in explaining it may differ depending on the background of our audience.
Despite Paul and Barnabas’ urgent appeal, the text concludes, “And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.” The pull of idolatry was so strong that even after hearing truth, the people nearly offered sacrifices. This shows the entrenched power of false religion. Miracles, preaching, and even direct correction do not always overcome deeply rooted misconceptions about God. Only the Spirit of God can open eyes to see the truth.
4. Acts 14:19–20a – Persecution follows Paul
“Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city.”
The same pattern that had followed Paul throughout his ministry appears again: success in gospel proclamation, followed by opposition. Luke records that Jews from Antioch and Iconium traveled all the way to Lystra to oppose Paul. These adversaries were not content with silencing him in their own cities. Their hostility was so intense that they pursued him over long distances, traveling more than one hundred miles, simply to continue persecuting him. Their zeal against the gospel mirrored Paul’s former zeal as a persecutor before his conversion (Acts 9:1–2).
Having arrived in Lystra, these Jews stirred up the multitudes and persuaded them to turn against Paul. This is especially striking, for only shortly before, the same crowd had sought to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods. The crowd’s admiration quickly shifted to murderous intent. This is a sobering reminder of how fickle public opinion can be. Jesus Himself experienced the same when the crowd that once shouted “Hosanna!” later cried “Crucify Him!” (Matthew 21:9; 27:22). Spiritual leaders who enjoy popularity must beware of hero-worship, for misplaced adoration can turn swiftly into betrayal.
The hostility escalated into violence, and Paul was stoned—a brutal form of execution that almost always proved fatal. Stones were hurled until the victim collapsed under the blows. Believing Paul to be dead, they dragged his body outside the city. Yet God preserved him. Luke records simply, “However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city.” This statement reflects a miraculous intervention. Some interpreters believe Paul was actually killed and raised again, though the text does not explicitly say so. At the very least, his survival was supernatural, for stoning was typically final.
Paul himself later recalled this incident in his letters. He wrote, “From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus” (Galatians 6:17). These scars may well have been from this stoning. He also wrote, “Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked” (2 Corinthians 11:25), referring directly to this moment in Lystra. Some have even suggested that the vision of heaven Paul described in 2 Corinthians 12 occurred at this time, though this remains conjecture. Regardless, it is reasonable to believe that while stones struck his body, Paul remembered Stephen—the first martyr—whom Paul had once helped to kill by guarding the coats of those who stoned him (Acts 7:58–8:1). Now Paul himself endured the very suffering he once inflicted.
Incredibly, after rising, Paul returned to the city. He did not flee in fear but re-entered the very place where his enemies thought they had silenced him. This demonstrates remarkable courage and determination. Paul was unwilling to let his enemies dictate the terms of his departure. His return to Lystra also bore lasting fruit. In Acts 16:1, we are introduced to a young disciple named Timothy, who lived in Lystra with his believing mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois. It is possible that Timothy witnessed Paul’s courage and was forever inspired to follow Christ with similar boldness.
5. Acts 14:20b–21a – Paul leaves Lystra for Derbe, where they find evangelistic success
“And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples.”
After his stoning in Lystra, Paul did not abandon his mission. The very next day, battered and scarred, he departed with Barnabas to Derbe, approximately sixty miles away. This reveals both the resilience of Paul and the sustaining grace of God. Physical suffering did not deter him from pressing forward with the task Christ had given him.
In Derbe, their ministry was fruitful. Luke notes, “they preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples.” This verse is significant because it shows that their goal was not merely to gain converts but to make disciples—those who would grow in Christ, continue steadfastly, and carry on the mission. Their work was not shallow but focused on building lasting faith.
The gospel advanced despite opposition. Persecution in one city only paved the way for success in another. As Paul would later write, “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:9). In the plan of God, opposition never hinders the ultimate progress of the gospel.
C. The Return Trip Home to Syrian Antioch
1. Acts 14:21b–22 – The message of Paul and Barnabas on the return trip
“They returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 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.’”
Having reached Derbe and preached the gospel with success, Paul and Barnabas began their return journey. Remarkably, instead of taking the easier route back to Antioch by way of the Cilician Gates, they retraced their steps through the very cities where they had faced violent persecution. They went back to Lystra, where Paul had been stoned, to Iconium, where they narrowly escaped a mob, and to Pisidian Antioch, where they were expelled from the synagogue. This was not recklessness but devotion. They knew that the fledgling believers in those places needed encouragement and instruction, even if it meant danger for themselves.
Their ministry on the return trip was centered on strengthening the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith. Evangelism had produced converts, but discipleship required grounding and growth. Paul and Barnabas did not settle for shallow work. They desired strong souls, resilient believers able to persevere under trials. The Christian life is not sustained by a single moment of belief but by endurance through years of testing and tribulation. For this reason, exhortation was necessary. These young Christians had to be encouraged to remain steadfast, lest they be shaken by opposition.
The central message Paul and Barnabas impressed upon them was simple yet profound: “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” This was not theoretical for Paul. He had endured rejection, beatings, and even stoning. When he told the disciples that tribulations were part of the Christian journey, he spoke from firsthand experience. The Greek word translated tribulations (thlipsis) refers to crushing pressure, the kind that presses heavily upon one’s soul. Yet Paul framed this not as an obstacle but as a necessary pathway to entering the fullness of God’s kingdom.
This teaching stands in contrast to much of contemporary thinking, which often assumes that hardship contradicts Christian living. Yet suffering is woven into God’s plan for His people. Jesus Himself declared, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Paul later wrote, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Tribulation is not a detour but a necessary part of the road, refining believers and deepening their faith.
Thus, Paul and Barnabas encouraged the disciples not to despair when trials came. Rather, tribulation was evidence that they were walking the narrow road that leads to glory. This perspective provided both strength and hope, enabling them to endure with joy.
2. Acts 14:23 – The work of Paul and Barnabas on the way home to Syrian Antioch
“So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
Paul and Barnabas were not content to leave behind scattered believers without leadership. They understood that churches needed structure and guidance. Therefore, in every city where disciples had been made, they appointed elders. These men were tasked with shepherding the flock, guarding the truth, and guiding the church in spiritual maturity. Even though these believers were young in the faith, the apostles trusted that the Holy Spirit, who indwelt them, would provide wisdom and strength for the task.
Some might regard this practice as premature, given that these converts had only recently come to Christ. Modern missionary methods often delay leadership until years of training have passed. But Paul and Barnabas recognized that the church is Christ’s body, sustained by the Spirit, not dependent upon lengthy human systems. Their confidence was not in the men themselves but in God who was at work in them. As Paul would later write, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
The process of appointing elders was accompanied by prayer and fasting, underscoring the seriousness of the task. Church leadership was not a matter of human election or personal ambition but of seeking God’s will. By fasting, Paul and Barnabas demonstrated dependence upon the Lord, seeking His direction above their own judgment.
After appointing elders, they commended the churches to the Lord in whom they had believed. This final act highlighted where their trust ultimately rested. Paul and Barnabas could not remain with these believers, but the Lord Himself would keep them. The church belongs not to its leaders but to Christ, who promised, “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The apostles entrusted these young congregations to His care, confident that He who had begun a good work in them would bring it to completion (Philippians 1:6).
3. Acts 14:24–26 – The itinerary of Paul and Barnabas on the way home
“And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.”
After strengthening the disciples and appointing elders in every church, Paul and Barnabas began their return journey. They retraced their steps through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia, preaching once again in Perga. Earlier, on their way into Galatia, they had passed through Perga with little recorded ministry (Acts 13:13–14). Now, on their return, they seized the opportunity to proclaim the gospel more thoroughly. This shows their persistence in evangelism and their refusal to allow any city to remain without a clear witness of Christ.
From Perga, they traveled down to Attalia, a prominent seaport, where they secured passage back to Syrian Antioch. Their journey ended where it had begun, in the church that had first “commended them to the grace of God.” The phrase “for the work which they had completed” is both beautiful and instructive. Their immediate assignment was finished, but the broader mission of Christ was ongoing. The great commission to make disciples of all nations would require further journeys, further endurance, and continued reliance upon the grace of God. This first mission was a foundation, a beginning that proved God’s power to establish churches among the Gentiles and to sustain His servants through trial.
The words also remind us of the principle of stewardship. Paul and Barnabas had been entrusted with a task by their home church, and they returned to give an account. They were faithful with what God had placed in their hands. Likewise, every believer will one day give account of the work entrusted to them by the Lord. Faithfulness is measured not in ease or comfort but in obedience to the mission, even when it requires suffering.
4. Acts 14:27–28 – Paul and Barnabas arrive back in Antioch
“Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.”
Upon arrival in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas gathered the church that had sent them and gave a full report. Their testimony focused not on what they themselves had accomplished, but “all that God had done with them.” The true success of their mission was not the endurance of hardships or even the planting of churches, but the demonstration that God had opened “the door of faith to the Gentiles.”
This phrase captures the heart of the first missionary journey. The gospel was not confined to Jews or proselytes but was for the nations. God Himself had opened the door, and no man could shut it. This echoed what Paul would later write to the Corinthians: “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:9). The opposition they faced did not negate the work; in fact, it magnified the triumph of God’s grace.
Luke’s wording indicates that this report was not a one-time event. The imperfect tense suggests they repeated the story to different gatherings throughout Antioch. Though the church may have met in multiple homes or groups, Luke speaks of it in the singular, emphasizing unity. There was only one church in Antioch, bound together by the Spirit, even if they assembled in different places.
The obstacles of the journey were many: the difficulty of travel across rough terrain, the confrontation with Elymas the sorcerer in Cyprus, the desertion of John Mark, the expulsion from Antioch of Pisidia, the attempted stoning in Iconium, the near-idolatry in Lystra, and the actual stoning that left Paul for dead. Yet none of these trials could close the door that God Himself had opened. Their endurance and courage demonstrated that the gospel cannot be hindered by opposition, for it is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16).
Their report also carried a challenge for every believer: What will it take for you to back down from doing God’s will? Opposition, hardship, or temptation will always come, but none of these stopped Christ from fulfilling His mission. Likewise, His followers are called to persevere. Paul would later express this determination in his letter to the Philippians:
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12–14)
Finally, Luke records that Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch “a long time with the disciples.” This season of rest and fellowship was both needed and fruitful. Having poured themselves out in travel, danger, and labor, they now refreshed themselves in the community of believers. Ministry is not only about going but also about returning, building up the local body, and sharing in mutual encouragement. Their time in Antioch prepared them for what would come next, for their missionary calling was far from over.
