Acts Chapter 14
Showing all 28 verses for Acts Chapter 14.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. "
"In the city of Iconium, Paul and Barnabas walked into the Jewish meeting place together and spoke so persuasively that a large number of both Jews and Greeks became believers."
Jesus: "When you speak honestly and directly to people, expect that some will hear you across every line you thought divided you from them - don't pre-judge who's capable of change."
"But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. "
"But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the non-Jewish population and turned them hostile against the Christian believers."
Jesus: "Don't be surprised when good news makes some people angry rather than glad - their reaction says more about their fear of losing control than about the truth of what you're offering."
"Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. "
"So Paul and Barnabas stayed a long time, speaking boldly and relying on the Lord, who backed up their message of grace with miraculous signs done through their hands."
Jesus: "Don't let opposition be the thing that decides how long you stay committed to doing good - let your own sense of purpose decide that."
"But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. "
"The people of the city ended up split - some siding with the Jewish opponents, others with the apostles."
Jesus: "Don't measure whether you're doing right by whether everyone agrees with you - sometimes clarity itself creates division, and that isn't a sign you've failed."
"And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, "
"Both the non-Jews and the Jews, together with their leaders, plotted to attack Paul and Barnabas and stone them."
Jesus: "When you stand for something true, recognise that the cost can become very real, very fast - and still, don't answer plotted violence with violence of your own."
"They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: "
"They found out what was happening and escaped to Lystra and Derbe, towns in the region of Lycaonia, and the surrounding countryside."
Jesus: "Courage doesn't always mean staying to fight - sometimes the bravest, wisest thing is to protect your mission by moving on rather than letting one confrontation end everything."
"And there they preached the gospel. "
"And there, in those new towns, they carried on preaching the good news."
Jesus: "Let setbacks change your location, not your purpose."
"And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: "
"In Lystra there was a man who had never been able to walk - disabled in his feet from birth."
Jesus: "Notice the people everyone else has stopped expecting anything from - real change often starts with someone willing to actually look at them."
"The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, "
"This man was listening to Paul speak. Paul looked straight at him, saw that he had the faith to be healed,"
Jesus: "Pay real attention to people rather than rushing past them - genuine care starts with actually looking, not just glancing."
"Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. "
"Paul called out loudly, "Stand up on your feet!" And the man jumped up and started walking."
Jesus: "Real change can happen faster than you think possible - don't assume someone's situation is permanently fixed just because it's always been that way."
"And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. "
"When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their own Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us disguised as men!""
Jesus: "Don't let people's admiration for what you do become confused with worship of you - always point past yourself to what actually made the good thing possible."
"And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. "
"They started calling Barnabas "Zeus" and Paul "Hermes," since he did most of the talking."
Jesus: "People will assign you a role based on what they see you do - your job is to correct the misunderstanding, not enjoy the flattery."
"Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. "
"The priest of the Zeus temple just outside the city brought bulls and flower garlands to the gates, ready to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas along with the crowd."
Jesus: "When people start to put you on a pedestal, that's exactly the moment to step down, not up."
"Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, "
"When Barnabas and Paul heard about this, they tore their clothes in horror and ran into the crowd, shouting out,"
Jesus: "Don't just privately disagree with being given credit that isn't yours - actively, visibly refuse it, especially when staying silent would let a lie take hold."
"And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: "
""Friends, why are you doing this? We're just human beings like you, and we're here telling you to turn away from these worthless things towards the living God, who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them.""
Jesus: "The most honest thing you can say when people admire you too much is simply, 'I'm just like you' - and then point them towards something bigger than either of you."
"Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. "
""In the past, God let all the nations go their own way,""
Jesus: "Don't assume everyone who hasn't yet found their way was simply being stubborn - sometimes people are just further along a road that God is patient with."
"Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. "
""Yet he didn't leave himself without evidence - he did good things, giving you rain from the sky and good harvests, filling your hearts with food and happiness.""
Jesus: "Look at ordinary blessings - a good meal, timely rain, simple happiness - as real evidence of care, not just accidents of nature."
"And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. "
"Even saying all this, they only just managed to stop the crowd from sacrificing to them."
Jesus: "Don't expect one good explanation to instantly undo a wrong belief someone's excited about - be patient and persistent when correcting a misunderstanding."
"And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. "
"Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, won the crowd over, stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead."
Jesus: "Don't build your sense of worth on a crowd's mood - the same people who cheer you can turn on you, and neither reaction is really about who you are."
"Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. "
"But when the disciples gathered round him, he got back up and went back into the city. The next day he left for Derbe with Barnabas."
Jesus: "When people gather around you in your worst moment, let that support help you get back up - and don't let even your darkest experience be the last word on your purpose."
"And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, "
"After preaching the good news in that city and gaining many disciples, they went back through Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,"
Jesus: "Don't write off a place or a person just because things went badly there once - return with care where it matters, even when it costs you something."
"Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. "
"strengthening the disciples' resolve, encouraging them to stay faithful, and telling them, "We have to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.""
Jesus: "Don't measure whether you're on the right path by how easy it feels - real growth usually comes bundled with real difficulty, and that's not a failure, it's the process."
"And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. "
"They appointed elders for them in each church, and after praying and fasting, entrusted them to the Lord they had come to trust."
Jesus: "Don't just start something good and walk away - invest in leaving it in capable, trustworthy hands so it can keep growing without you."
"And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. "
"After travelling through Pisidia, they arrived in Pamphylia."
Jesus: "Not every part of your journey needs to be eventful - the quiet, unremarkable stretches matter too, they're simply how you get to what's next."
"And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia: "
"After preaching the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia."
Jesus: "Don't reserve your best effort only for the big occasions - be consistent even on what feels like the final, minor stretch of a task."
"And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. "
"From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had originally been commended to God's grace for the work they had now completed."
Jesus: "Finish what you were sent to do, then come back and report honestly to the people who supported you - completing the loop matters."
"And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. "
"When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported everything God had done through them, especially how he had opened the door of faith to non-Jews."
Jesus: "Report back honestly and specifically about what changed through you - don't just say things went well, name exactly what door opened, so others can see the significance too."
"And there they abode long time with the disciples. "
"And they stayed there with the disciples for a good while."
Jesus: "Let yourself rest properly after hard work among people who know and support you - recovery is part of the mission too, not a distraction from it."