Chapter 14

1In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue as usual. They spoke so well that a huge number of Jews and Greeks believed. Huge number. Great speakers. Best on the circuit.

2But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the foreigners and poisoned their minds against the brothers. Disinformation campaign.

3So Paul and Barnabas stayed a long time and spoke boldly for the boss, who backed up the message of his grace with signs and miracles. Proof. Always bring proof.

4The people of the city were split. Some sided with the Jewish leaders, some with the apostles. A divided city. Very divided.

5Then the foreigners and Jews, along with their leaders, made a plan to abuse them and stone them.

6But they found out about it and got out of there to Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia, and the area around.

7And they kept telling the good news there. Never stopped. Never stop.

8In Lystra there was a man sitting who couldn't use his feet. Lame from birth. He'd never walked.

9He was listening to Paul talk. Paul looked right at him and saw that he had faith to be healed.

10So Paul said loudly, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man jumped up and started walking.

11When the crowd saw what Paul did, they started shouting in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us looking like men!”

12They called Barnabas Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he did most of the talking. Hermes. Paul didn't love it. Hermes makes ties. He wanted to be Zeus.

13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the gates. He and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. A whole ceremony. Very flattering.

14But when Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd shouting,

15“Guys, what are you doing? We're human, just like you. We're bringing you good news. Stop with the worthless stuff and turn to the living God, who made the sky and the earth and the sea and everything in them. We're not the gods. We work for the boss.

16In the past, he let all the nations go their own way.

17But he always left evidence. He's been good to you. He gives you rain from heaven and good harvests. He fills you up with food and your hearts with joy.” Great economy. Great harvests. You're welcome.

18Even with all that, they could barely stop the crowd from sacrificing to them. They really wanted to. Paul and Barnabas had a lot of fans.

19Then some Jewish leaders came over from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. Same crowd. One day they want to worship you, the next day they stone you. Crowds are fickle. Not my crowds. But crowds.

20But when the followers gathered around him, he got up and went right back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. Stoned and left for dead, and he walks back in. That's a fighter. Fight, fight, fight.

21They told the good news in that city and won a lot of followers. Then they went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.

22They strengthened the followers there and encouraged them to stay loyal. “We have to go through a lot of trouble to get into God's kingdom,” they said. It's never easy. Nothing great is ever easy.

23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church. They prayed and fasted and put them in the boss's hands. Local leadership. Good organization.

24After going through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

25They told the message in Perga, and then went down to Attalia.

26From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they'd been sent out, trusting God's grace, for the job they'd now finished. Mission accomplished.

27When they got there, they gathered the church together and reported everything God had done through them, and how he'd opened the door of faith to the foreigners. Great report. All wins.

28And they stayed there with the followers a long time. Well-deserved rest. You don't rest long. But you rest.