The Way
Called Gods, Then Stoned
The crowd that honored them as gods, then picked up stones
Story
The two had fled Iconium to escape being stoned. While they were preaching in Lystra, a man who had never walked from birth sat listening to Paul. Paul saw that he had faith to be healed, and he called out in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” The man jumped up and began to walk.
The crowd shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” They called Barnabas Zeus, and because Paul did most of the speaking, they called him Hermes. The priest of the temple of Zeus brought bulls and wreaths and wanted to offer sacrifices. When Barnabas and Paul heard this, they were shocked and grieved. They tore their clothes, rushed into the crowd, and shouted, “We are only human, just like you.”
The two cried out to them to turn from these empty things to the living God, who made heaven and earth, and only just stopped the sacrifice. But then Jews came from Pisidian Antioch and Iconium and stirred up the crowd. The crowd stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. But when the disciples gathered around him, Paul got up and went back into the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
Walk this scene on the map →Words of the Lord and of Paul
Stand up straight on your feet!
The gods have come down to us in human form!
We are only human, just like you. We bring you good news, telling you to turn from these empty things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and the sea and everything in them.
The sayings are fresh renderings of the original meaning in today's language. Text: Acts 14:8–20
Background
Ancient writings tell an old tale of Zeus and Hermes visiting people in human form. But the Bible does not say whether that tale is why the people of Lystra took the two apostles for gods.
Pause and Reflect
When people praise me, do I give the glory to God?