Acts 14 | Daily Bible Reading & Reflection

Acts 14 Devotional: Follow Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey through Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. Witness the power of the Gospel to heal, the reality of persecution, and the vital work of strengthening new believers in the faith.

Dear brothers and sisters, peace in Christ. Welcome to Acts Chapter 14. Today, we are on the road with Paul and Barnabas. We see the Gospel breaking into new territories, meeting both miraculous faith and violent opposition. As we read, let us be encouraged by the persistence of these early missionaries who refused to let hardship stop the mission of God.

Acts Chapter 14 Introduction:

Miracles, Malice, and the Mission of the Church

Acts 14 chronicles the high-stakes ministry of Paul and Barnabas as they travel through Asia Minor. In Iconium, they speak with such power that a great number believe, yet they are eventually forced to flee from a plot to stone them. In Lystra, a miraculous healing of a man lame from birth leads the local crowds to mistakenly worship the apostles as Greek gods—a crisis Paul quickly corrects by pointing them to the "living God." The chapter ends with a remarkable display of resilience: after Paul is actually stoned and left for dead, he gets back up and returns to the cities to "strengthen the disciples."

What can we learn from this today? In this chapter, we see the Empowering Work of the Holy Spirit. As your Statement of Faith affirms, the Spirit dwells in and empowers believers for godly service. Paul and Barnabas didn't rely on their own charisma; they relied on the Spirit who "confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders." We also see the biblical pattern for the Church: it is not just about making converts, but about nurturing believers. Paul and Barnabas returned to every city to appoint elders and commit the new believers to the Lord. It reminds us that "we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," but we never go through those hardships alone.

Bible Verse - Acts 14

In Iconium

14 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other 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 perform signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both 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 gospel.

In Lystra and Derbe

8 In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that 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 crowd 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 of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, 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 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything 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 provides 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 gospel 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 they 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 a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.

Prayer

Paul told the people in Lystra that God "has not left himself without testimony" through His kindness and provision. As we enter prayer, let us acknowledge the testimony of God's goodness in our own lives today.

Prayer Theme: "Strength for the Journey"

Dear Heavenly Father, We praise You as the living God, the Creator of the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. We believe that You are the sovereign Lord of all things, and we thank You for the testimony of Your grace throughout history. Thank You for the courage of the early apostles and for the Holy Spirit who continues to empower Your Church today.

Lord, I ask for the resilience of Paul and Barnabas in my own walk of faith. When I face opposition or "stones" of discouragement, give me the strength to get back up and continue the work You have called me to do. Help me to deflect any praise toward You, remembering that every good gift and every victory comes from Your hand alone. I pray that You would strengthen my heart and the hearts of my fellow believers, helping us to remain true to the faith even through hardships.

We pray for the universal Church, especially for missionaries and pastors serving in difficult or hostile regions. Protect them, provide for them, and confirm Your Word through them with power. We lift up the leaders and elders of our local congregations; grant them wisdom and grace as they nurture the flock. We pray for a world that often looks to "created things" for satisfaction; open their eyes to see the "living God" who gives rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. May Your Kingdom continue to expand until the message of Your salvation reaches every corner of the earth. Amen.

Daily Application Question

Paul and Barnabas returned to the very cities where they were persecuted in order to "strengthen the disciples." Is there someone in your life who is currently facing a "hardship" whom you can encourage or strengthen with a word of faith today?

Frequently Asked Questions about Acts 14

Why did the people of Lystra think Paul and Barnabas were gods? The locals were influenced by Greek mythology (specifically a legend about Zeus and Hermes visiting the area). When they saw the miraculous healing, they interpreted it through their own pagan lens until Paul corrected them.
What does it mean to "appoint elders" in every church? This shows the early establishment of church leadership . It was not enough to just preach; they established a structure of godly oversight to ensure the believers were taught, protected, and nurtured in the faith.
Why does Paul say we must go through "many hardships"? He wasn't being pessimistic, but realistic. In a world fallen into sin , the message of the Kingdom will naturally face friction. These hardships refine our faith and remind us of our total dependence on God's grace.

Thank you for joining us for Acts 14. May you go out today with the boldness of an apostle and the peace of a child of God. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow for the pivotal council in Acts Chapter 15.

Navigate the Journey

Previous: ← Acts Chapter 13 | Next: Acts Chapter 15 →

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