Acts 14 Study Notes

14:17 God’s constant witness occurs in the working of nature, including the rain cycle, weather, and the production of food.

14:19 Having refused the people’s worship, the apostles soon tasted their wrath instead. Agitators traveled from Antioch (about one hundred miles away) and Iconium to catalyze the about-face at Lystra. So seriously did unbelieving Jews take the threat from Christian growth that they followed Paul from town to town, seeking to thwart his missions work (see note at 17:13). In this case, they stoned Paul to death. Or so they believed.

14:20 Did Paul literally rise from the dead? Probably not, since Luke does not explicitly say so. The mob apparently jumped to conclusions once Paul fell under the hail of stones (v. 19). Paul recovered and reentered Lystra, presumably without being spotted. He left the next day but returned to Lystra soon afterward (v. 21). This was likely made possible by the Jews from Antioch and Iconium returning home.

14:21-22 After evangelizing Derbe (v. 20), Paul and Barnabas began their return journey to their home base of Antioch of Syria, stopping by each of the towns they had visited along the way (Lystra . . . Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia). Their purpose was to strengthen the hearts of the disciples and be sure that they understood that many hardships come to those who seek the kingdom of God. Paul himself bore witness to this truth (2Co 11:23-27). Most of the churches Paul and Barnabas founded on this first missionary journey were in the Roman province of Galatia. These were probably the churches to which Paul addressed his letter to the Galatians.

14:23 Elders in these early Pauline churches were apparently appointed by Paul and Barnabas to establish the first stages of church leadership (see note at 11:30). These practiced official oversight and responsibility within the church (see note at 20:17).

14:24-28 They visited the churches where they had ministered plus some additional towns (Attalia, Perga). They had performed their assigned tasks by the grace of God. This ends the first missionary journey.