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1In Iconium, they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed. 2But the disbelieving Jews stirred up and embittered the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers. 3Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4But the multitude of the city was divided. Part sided with the Jews and part with the apostles. 5When some of both the Gentiles and the Jews, with their rulers, made a violent attempt to mistreat and stone them, 6they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding region. 7There they preached the Good News.

8At Lystra a certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked. 9He was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him and seeing that he had faith to be made whole, 10said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” He leaped up and walked. 11When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12They called Barnabas “Jupiter”, and Paul “Mercury”, because he was the chief speaker. 13The priest of Jupiter, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and would have made a sacrifice along with the multitudes.

14But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes and sprang into the multitude, crying out, 15“Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of the same nature as you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them; 16who in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17Yet he didn’t leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”

18Even saying these things, they hardly stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice to them. 19But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.

20But as the disciples stood around him, he rose up, and entered into the city. On the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe.

21When they had preached the Good News to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom. 23When they had appointed elders for them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord on whom they had believed.

24They passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26From there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. 27When they had arrived and had gathered the assembly together, they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations. 28They stayed there with the disciples for a long time.

Zeus and Hermes at Lystra (Acts 14:11-13)

Zeus and Hermes at Lystra (Acts 14:11-13)

Passage Study | Acts 14:11 | Hershel Wayne House | Lystra, Asia Minor

G. Water Hansen, in his chapter in Galatia, speaks to the event of Paul and Barnabas when they visited the city of Lystra in Galatia. When visiting Lystra Paul performed a miracle, causing the people of that region to identify them as the gods Zeus and Hermes. Since Paul was the speaker and one who performed a miracle, he was viewed as Hemes. He says,

Zeus was the most widely worshipped god in Galatia; temples to Zeus were ubiquitous. Zeus was often linked with other gods. In the territory of Lystra there are carvings and inscriptions which show Zeus accompanied by Hermes. An inscription found near Lake Sugla is a dedication to Zeus of a sundial and a statue of Hermes. The names of the dedicators are Lycaonian. A stone altar near Lystra is dedicated to “the Hearer of Prayer [presumably Zeus] and Hermes.” A relief near Lystra depicts Hermes with the eagle of Zeus. In Lystra a stone carving shows Hermes with two other gods, G and Zeus (Hansen, in Gill and Gempf, 393).

Hansen, continues (p. 394) by comparing the event at Lystra with the legend of Ovid (43 B.C.-A.D. 17) in his Metamorphoses, in which the gods Zeus and Hermes visited the same area as men. They visited many homes but were turned away. Finally a elderly couple took them in and received great reward from the gods. If the people of Lystra acted on this legend in their treatment of Paul and Barnabas, after Paul healed the lame man, one can understand their reaction to their visit.

David W. J. Gill and Conrad Gempf, The Book of Acts in its First Century Setting, Vol. 2: Graeco-Roman Setting (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), 393-394.