Old Testament

New Testament

Acts 14:5-15 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

5. Jews and non-Jews alike planned to treat Paul and Barnabas badly. Their leaders agreed. They planned to kill them by throwing stones at them.

6. But Paul and Barnabas found out about the plan. They escaped to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding area.

7. There they continued to preach the good news.

8. In Lystra there sat a man who couldn't walk. He hadn't been able to use his feet since the day he was born.

9. He listened as Paul spoke. Paul looked right at him. He saw that the man had faith to be healed.

10. So he called out, "Stand up on your feet!" Then the man jumped up and began to walk.

11. The crowd saw what Paul had done. They shouted in the Lycaonian language. "The gods have come down to us in human form!" they exclaimed.

12. They called Barnabas Zeus. Paul was the main speaker. So they called him Hermes.

13. Just outside the city was the temple of the god Zeus. The priest of Zeus brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates. He and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas.

14. But the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about this. So they tore their clothes. They rushed out into the crowd. They shouted,

15. "Why are you men doing this? We are only human, just like you. We are bringing you good news. Turn away from these worthless things. Turn to the living God. He is the one who made the heavens and the earth and the sea. He made everything in them.

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