Acts 14:1-7·~1 min

Paul and Barnabas at Iconium

At Iconium Paul and Barnabas enter the synagogue and speak so that many Jews and Greeks believe, but unbelieving Jews stir up the Gentiles against them. Even so, they stay for a considerable time, speaking boldly for the Lord as he confirms the message of grace with signs and wonders, while the city itself becomes divided.

A¹t Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue, where they spoke so well that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. ²But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. ³So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who affirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. ⁴The people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews, and others with the apostles.

When Gentiles, Jews, and rulers together attempt to mistreat and stone them, Paul and Barnabas learn of it and flee to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region. There they continue preaching the gospel.

⁵But when the Gentiles and Jews, together with their rulers, set out to mistreat and stone them, ⁶they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding region, ⁷where they continued to preach the gospel.

Section summaryIn Iconium Paul and Barnabas enter the synagogue and speak in a way that brings many Jews and Greeks to faith. Yet unbelieving Jews poison Gentile minds against them, the city divides, and when a plan forms to mistreat and stone them, they flee to Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding region, where they keep preaching.

Role in the chapterThis opening movement continues the synagogue pattern from the last chapter. Belief and opposition appear side by side again, and the mission advances not because resistance disappears but because the preachers move on under it.