Acts 14:13-27

¹³and the priest of Zeus-beyond-the-Walls, accompanied by the crowd, brought bullocks and garlands to the gates, with the intention of offering sacrifices.

¹⁴But, when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd. “Friends, why are you doing this?” they shouted.

¹⁵“We are only people like yourselves, and we have come with the good news that you should turn away from these follies to a living God, who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them.

¹⁶In bygone times he permitted all the nations to go their own ways.

¹⁷Yet he has not failed to give you, in the good he does, some revelation of himself — sending you from heaven rain and fruitful seasons, and gladdening your hearts with plenty and good cheer.”

¹⁸Even with this appeal they could hardly restrain the people from offering sacrifice to them.

¹⁹Presently, however, there came some Jews from Antioch, and Iconium who, after they had won over the people, stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the town, thinking him to be dead.

²⁰But, when the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town; the next day he went with Barnabas to Derbe.

²¹After telling the good news throughout that town, and making a number of converts, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,

²²reassuring the minds of the disciples, urging them to remain true to the faith, and showing that it is only through many troubles that we can enter the kingdom of God.

²³They also appointed elders for them in every church, and, after prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had learned to believe.

²⁴Paul and Barnabas then went through Pisidia, and came into Pamphylia,

²⁵and, after telling the message at Perga, went down to Attaleia.

²⁶From there they sailed to Antioch — the place where they had been committed to the gracious care of God for the work which they had now finished.

²⁷After their arrival, they gathered the church together, and gave an account of all that God had helped them to do, and especially how he had opened to the Gentiles the door of faith;