At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth, who had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him, saw that he had the faith to be healed, 10 and called out in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet.” He jumped up and began to walk about. 11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they cried out in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in human form.” 12 They called Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes,” because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, for he together with the people intended to offer sacrifice.
14 The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, 15 “Men, why are you doing this? We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God, ‘who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them.’ 16 In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways; 17 yet, in bestowing his goodness, he did not leave himself without witness, for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts.” 18 Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.
19 However, some Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and entered the city. On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
As Paul and Barnabas minister in Lystra and Derbe, they encounter both wonder and hostility—often from the same people. Acts 14:5-20 captures this dramatic shift. After a miraculous healing of a man crippled from birth (vv. 8–10), the crowds mistake the apostles for gods—calling Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes” because Paul was the chief speaker (v. 12). Yet by the end of the passage, these same crowds, stirred by outside agitators, stone Paul and leave him for dead (v. 19).
This passage reveals how miraculous signs do not guarantee enduring faith, especially when the truth of the Gospel challenges a deeply rooted pagan worldview. In the region of Lystra and Derbe, most people did not believe in one Creator God. Instead, they worshipped a variety of Greco-Roman gods, such as Zeus and Hermes, and followed legends that claimed these gods occasionally appeared in human form. When Paul healed a man who had been lame from birth—a condition symbolizing complete helplessness and the inability to walk the path of life (cf. Ps. 119:1; Prov. 4:26-27)—the crowd misinterpreted the miracle.
Paul, perceiving that the man had faith to be healed—that is, a specific openness to God's power that made healing possible—commands him to stand upright. This dramatic act reminded them of ancient stories and led them to believe that Paul and Barnabas were gods in disguise. But when the apostles rejected that honor and instead preached about the one true and living God—the Creator of heaven and earth—the people's expectations were upended. True faith—not spectacle—is the doorway to healing, but the hearts of the crowd were still captive to their old beliefs.
When the crowd reacts to the miracle by interpreting it through their pagan lens—believing Paul and Barnabas to be incarnations of the gods—the apostles respond with urgency and grief. They tear their garments (v. 14), a traditional Jewish expression of horror at blasphemy (cf. 2 Kgs. 18:37; Matt. 26:65). Immediately, they redirect the people away from idolatry and toward the one true and living God, the Creator of heaven and earth (v. 15; cf. Gen. 1:1; Isa. 45:18; Acts 17:24). Their words echo the teaching of Romans 1:18-25, which condemns the human tendency to exchange the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal beings.
In their message, Paul and Barnabas emphasize that even before the full revelation of the Gospel, God “did not leave himself without witness” (v. 17), pointing to providence and the visible signs of His goodness in creation—such as rain, fruitful seasons, and the joy found in daily life. This idea, later echoed in Romans 2:14-15, where Paul explains that even those who do not know God's Law can still act according to their conscience, which reflects God’s moral order. Through nature and the human heart, God quietly prepares people to recognize and receive the truth of the Gospel.
Yet despite the miracle and the apostles’ urgent appeal, the fickle crowd turns. Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrive and sway the people. Paul is stoned, dragged outside the city, and presumed dead. But he rises—perhaps miraculously—and reenters the city (v. 20), echoing Christ’s own resolve after rejection (cf. Luke 4:28-30) and foreshadowing Paul’s enduring trials as a missionary apostle (cf. 2 Cor. 11:24-28).
This passage draws an unmistakable parallel with Jesus’ own ministry. The crowds who once shouted, “Hosanna!” (Matt. 21:9) later cried, “Crucify Him!” (Matt. 27:22). Both Christ and His apostles experienced how public acclaim can swiftly become violent rejection when the truth confronts sin or contradicts false expectations. Miracles may astound, but they do not compel belief. Only a heart made receptive by grace (cf. John 6:44) can receive the Gospel fully.
Almighty God, You are the true and living God, the Creator of all that is. Grant us hearts that are not swayed by the crowd or confused by the wonders of this world. Help us to hear Your voice in truth, to recognize Your goodness in creation, and to stand firm in faith like Paul, even in times of rejection or trial. This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
O Lord, guard and
guide all who set their feet on the road of faith
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: The Pentateuch. Four Courts Press, 2017
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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