In
Iconium
At
Iconium Paul and Barnabas
Went
as usual into the Jewish Synagogue.
Thee
they spoke so effectively
That
a Great Number of Jews and Gentiles Believed.
2
But the Jews who Refused to Believe
Stirred
Up the Gentiles
And
Poisoned their minds against the Brothers.
3
So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there,
SPEAKING
BOLDLY FOR THE LORD,
WHO
CONFIRMED THE MESSAGE OF HIS GRACE
BY
ENABLING THEM
TO
DO MIRACULOUS SIGNS AND WONDERS
4
The people of the City were Divided;
Some
sided with the Jews,
Others
with the Apostles.
5
There was Plot afoot among the Gentiles and Jews,
Together
with their Leaders,
TO
MISTREAT THEM AND STONE THEM.
6
But they found out about it
And
Fled to the Lycaonian Cities of Lystra and Derbe
And
to the surrounding Country,
7
WHERE THEY CONTINUED TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS.
In
Lystra And Derbe
8
In Lystra there sat a man Crippled in his feet,
Who
was Lame from Birth
And
had never walked.
9
He listened to Paul as he was speaking.
PAUL
LOOKED DIRECTLY AT HIM,
SAW
TAHT HE HAD FAITH TO BE HEALED
10
AND CALLED OUT,
'STAND
UP ON YOUR FEET!'
AT
THAT, THE MAN JUMPED UP AND BEGAN TO WALK.
11
When the Crowds saw what Paul had done,
They
shouted in the Lycaonian language,
'THE
GODS HAVE COME DOWN TO US IN HUMAN FORM!'
12
Barnabas they called Zeus,
And
Paul they called Hermes
Because
he was the Chief Speaker.
13
The Priest f Zeus,
Whose
Temple was just outside the Citye,
Brought
bulls and wreaths to the City Gates
Because
he and the Crowd
WANTED
TO OFFER SACRIFICES TO THEM.
14
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this,
They
Tore their Clothes and Rushed out into the Crowd,
Shouting:
15
'MEN, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?
WE
TOO ARE ONLY MEN, HUMANS LIKE YOU.
WE
ARE BRINGING YOU GOOD NEWS,
TELLING
YOU TO TURN FROM THESE WORTHLESS THINGS
TO
THE LIVING GOD,
WHO
MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH AND SEA
AND
EVERYTING IN THEM.
16
IN THE PAST,
HE
LET ALL NATIONS GO THEIR OWN WAY
17
YET HE HAS NOT LEFT HIMSELF WITHOUT TESTIMONY:
HE
HAS SHOWN KINDNESS
BY
GIVING YOU RAIN FROM HEAVEN
AND
CROPS IN THEIR SEASONS;
HE
PROVIDED YOU WITH PLENTY OF FOOD
AND
FILLS YOUR HEARTS WITH JOY,'
18
Even with these words,
They
had difficulty keeping the Crowd
From
Sacrificing to them.
19
Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium
And
Won the Crowd over.
THEY
STONED PAUL
AND
DRAGGED HIM OUTSIDE THE CITY,
THINKING
HE WAS DEAD.
20
BUT AFTER THE DISCIPLES HAD GATHERED AROUND HIM,
HE
GOT UP AND WENT BACK INTO THE CITY.
The
next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
The
Return To Antioch In Syria
21
THEY PREACHED THE GOOD NEWS IN THAT CITY
AND
WON A LARGE NUMBER OF DISCIPLES.
Then
they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,
22
STRENGTHENING THE DISCIPLES
AND
ENCOURAGING THEM TO REMAIN TRUE TO THE FAITH.
'WE
MUST GO THROUGH MANY HARDSHIPS
TO
ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD,' they said
23
PAUL AND BARNABAS APPOINTED ELDERS FOR THEM
IN
EACH CHURCH,
AND
WITH PRAYER AND FASTING,
COMMITTED
THEM TO THE LORD
IN
WHOM THAY HAD PUT THEIR TRUST.
24
After going through Pisidia,
They
came into Pamphylia,
25
And when they had Preached the Word in Perga,
They
went down to Attalia.
26
From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch,
WHERE
THEY HAD BEEN COMMITTED
TO
THE GRACE OF GOD
FOR
THE WORK THEY HAD NOW COMPLETED.
27
On arriving there,
They
gathered the Church together
And
Reported all that God had done through them
AND
HOW HE HAD OPENED THE DOOR OF FAITH
TO
THE GENTILES.
28
And they stayed there a long time with the Disciples.
(Acts
15)
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