Knox Bible

1

While they were at Iconium, they went into the Jewish synagogue together, and preached in such a way that a great number both of Jews and of Greeks found faith,

2

although the Jews who would not believe stirred up trouble among the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.

3

For a long time, then, they remained there, speaking boldly in the Lord’s name, while he attested the preaching of his grace by allowing signs and wonders to be performed by their means;

4

the common folk of the city were divided in opinion, some taking part with the Jews, and some with the apostles.

5

Then, when both Gentiles and Jews, in concert with their rulers, made a movement to assault and stone them,

6

they thought it best to take refuge in the Lycaonian cities, Lystra and Derbe, and the country round them; and they preached the gospel there.

7

There was a lame man sitting at Lystra, crippled from birth, so that he had never walked,

8

who listened to Paul’s preaching; and Paul, looking closely at him, and seeing that there was saving faith in him,

9

said aloud, Stand upright on thy feet; whereupon he sprang up, and began to walk.

10

The multitudes, seeing what Paul had done, cried out in the Lycaonian dialect, It is the gods, who have come down to us in human shape.

11

They called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercury, because he was the chief speaker;

12

and the priest of Jupiter, Defender of the City, brought out bulls and wreaths to the gates, eager, like the multitude, to do sacrifice.

13

The apostles tore their garments when they heard of it; and both Barnabas and Paul ran out among the multitude, crying aloud:

14

Sirs, why are you doing all this? We too are mortal men like yourselves; the whole burden of our preaching is that you must turn away from follies like this to the worship of the living God, who made sky and earth and sea and all that is in them.

15

In the ages that are past, he has allowed Gentile folk everywhere to follow their own devices;

16

yet even so he has not left us without some proof of what he is; it is his bounty that grants us rain from heaven, and the seasons which give birth to our crops, so that we have nourishment and comfort to our heart’s desire.

17

With words like this they persuaded the people, not easily, to refrain from offering sacrifice to them.

18

But some of the Jews from Antioch and Iconium had followed them; these won over the multitude to their side, and they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, leaving him there for dead.

19

But the disciples formed a ring about him, and soon he rose up and went back into the city; next day he left, with Barnabas, for Derbe.

20

In that city too they preached, and made many disciples; then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,

21

where they fortified the spirits of the disciples, encouraging them to be true to the faith, and telling them that we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven without many trials.

22

Then, with fasting and prayer, they appointed presbyters for them in each of the churches, and commended them to the care of the Lord in whom they had learned to believe.

23

So they passed through Pisidia, and reached Pamphylia.

24

They preached the word of the Lord in Perge, and went down to Attalia,

25

taking ship there for Antioch, where they had been committed to God’s grace for the work they had now achieved.

26

On their arrival, they called the Church together, and told the story of all God had done to aid them, and how, through faith, he had left a door open for the Gentiles.

27

And they stayed there a considerable time with the disciples.