Acts 14 · The Lantern

And it fortuned in Iconium that they went both to gether into the synagoge of ye Iewes and so spake that a gret multitude both of ye Iewes and also of the Grekes beleved.

But the unbelevinge Iewes steryd vp and vnquyeted the myndes of the Gentyls agaynste the brethre.

They caused an uprising against the faithful. The Jews joined forces with the Greeks so that what was said in the psalm might be fulfilled: "Why do the nations clamor and peoples devise plans in vain?" when, all the while, the faithful, throughout all their exhortations, kept calling them brothers when they said, "My brothers." And in the same manner, the psalm, speaking for Ch…

They stirred up the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers. What follows in Greek: "But God made peace," is missing in some Latin manuscripts. And there: "They were preaching," it follows in Greek: "And the whole multitude was moved by their teaching."

"The unbelieving Jews stirred up and embittered the hearts of the Gentiles against the brethren." They stirred up the Gentiles as well, not being content with rising up themselves. But the apostles did not leave the synagogue, since they were not being driven out, but were only being disputed with.

Longe tyme a bode they there and quyt them selves boldly with the helpe of the Lorde the which gave testimony vnto ye worde of his grace and caused signes and wondres to be done by their hondes.

The people of the cyte were devided: and parte helde with the Iewes and parte with the Apostles.

When ther was a saute made both of the gentyls and also of the Iewes with their rulers to put them to shame and to stone

the they were ware of it and fled vnto Listra and Derba cities of Licaonia and vnto the region that lyeth round aboute

and there preached the gospell.

And ther sate a certayne man at Listra weake in his fete beinge creple from his mothers wombe and never walkyd.

The same hearde Paul preache. Which behelde him and perceaved that he had fayth to be whole

and sayd with a loude voyce: stond vp right on thy fete. And he stert vp and walked.

Suppose now we revolve in our minds the superstitions of Numa Pompilius, and consider his priestly offices and badges and privileges, his sacrificial services, too, and the instruments and vessels of the sacrifices themselves, and the curious rites of his expiations and vows: is it not clear to us that the devil imitated the well-known moroseness of the Jewish law?

He said with a loud voice: Stand upright on your feet. In the Greek exemplar it is read: He said with a loud voice: I say to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, stand upright on your feet. We have added these from the translation, so that, bewildered by the variety of manuscripts, you might not be ignorant of what is true.

Why did Paul "say with a loud voice"? So that the people would believe. That the lame man jumped up is proof of a complete healing.

And when the people sawe what Paul had done they lifte vp their voyces sayinge in the speache of Lycaonia: Goddes are come doune to vs in the lyknes of men.

And they called Barnabas Iupiter and Paul Mercurius because he was the preacher.

Then Iupiters Preste which dwelt before their cite brought oxe and garlondes vnto the churche porche and wolde have done sacrifise with the people.

But when the Apostles Barnabas and Paul herde that they rent their clothes and ran in amonge the people cryinge

and sayinge: syrs why do ye this? We are mortall men lyke vnto you and preache vnto you that ye shuld turne from these vanyties vnto ye lyvinge God which made heaven and erth and the see and all that in them is:

Paul himself also-after that the Lord spoke to him out of heaven, and showed him that, in persecuting His disciples, he persecuted his own Lord, and sent Ananias to him that he might recover his sight, and be baptized-"preached," it is said, "Jesus in the synagogues at Damascus, with all freedom of speech, that this is the Son of God, the Christ." This is the mystery which he s…

To sacrifice son or daughter, beast or booty is something completely foreign to us; to offer one's very self to God and to be pleasing not by another's work but by one's own is something more perfect and more illustrious than all vows.

"Men! Why are you doing this? We too are men of like nature with you." We are men, they say, but we are above the idols, because they are dead. You see what a common occurrence it was among the Greeks to make gods out of men? Indeed, in their books, where their ancient history is recorded, you will find that Zeus, being a man, made himself a god, saying that he was a god.

the which in tymes past suffred all nacions to walke in their awne wayes.

Neverthelesse he lefte not him selfe with outen witnes in that he shewed his benefites in gevinge vs rayne from heaven and frutefull ceasons fyllinge oure hertes with fode and gladnes.

"Nevertheless, He left not Himself without witness, in that He did good, giving you rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness." See how covertly he puts the accusation "in that He did good," etc.

And yet He has not left them without a witness to Himself, that He was working for their good and taking thought for it beforehand, for He manifested to them some tokens of His goodness, some four hundred years or more before the coming of Christ, in the days of Alexander the Macedonian, long after the Trojan war, when the Greeks were still flourishing.

"Although He did not cease to bear witness about Himself." He says this because in every generation He performed such works as led people to the truth. Without forcing free will, the Lord allowed all people to walk according to their own judgment, but He Himself constantly performed such works from which they, as rational beings, could come to know the Creator.

And with these sayinges scase refrayned they the people that they had not done sacrifice vnto them.

Thither came certayne Iewes fro Antioche and Iconium and optayned the peoples consent and stoned Paul and drewe him oute of the cyte supposynge he had bene deed.

How be it as the disciples stode rounde about him he arose vp and cam into the cyte. And the nexte daye he departed with Barnabas to Derba.

After they had preached to that cite and had taught many they returned agayne to Lisira and to Iconium and Antioche

and strengthed the disciples soules exhortinge them to continue in the faith affyrminge yt we must thorowe moche tribulacion entre into the kyngdome of God.

For what they set before themselves, first and foremost, was to do the work of an evangelist, and to teach the Word of God, in which, confirming the brethren, that they might continue in the faith, they said this also, "that we must out of much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." For they sought not what was profitable for them, but that which was profitable for the man…

Let us not spare the destruction of our body, that our inner man may be renewed day by day. Let us not think anxiously about the pains and sicknesses which will befall us, but let us think that if things be not thus the wounds of the soul cannot be healed; let us be filled with joy in running our course, because it is known that we hasten after hope.

"Through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God." Look: without labor and sorrows no one is justified. Therefore the gates leading to the Kingdom of Heaven the Lord also called narrow and strait (cf. Matt. 7:13), that is, full of hardships.

And when they had ordened them elders by eleccion in every congregacio after they had yrayde and fasted they comended them to God on whom they beleved.

Then also another consolation. "And when they had appointed for them elders in every Church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed." Do you mark Paul's ardor?-Then other consolation: "Commended them," it says, "to the Lord."

"And passing through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia," etc. It is related that, preaching in like manner through various cities, they departed for Antioch. There, they told the assembled faithful what great things the Lord had granted the Gentiles; how, opening the door of faith, he had thought fit to show them the truth in its fullest extent.

"Having ordained elders for them, they prayed with fasting." They taught to fast even during times of trial; ordinations were also accompanied by fasting. But in Cyprus they did not appoint elders, nor in Samaria either, as it was near Jerusalem and the apostles, and in Antioch itself the word of God was being strengthened.

And they went thorow out Pisidia and came into Paphilia

and when they had preached the worde of God in Perga they descended in to Attalia

and thence departed by shippe to Antioche fro whence they were delivered vnto the grace of God to the worke which they had fulfilled.

When they were come and had gaddered the congregacion to gedder they rehersed all that God had done by them and how he had opened the dore of faith vnto the getyls.

And in Cephro indeed a considerable church sojourned with us, composed partly of the brethren who followed us from the city, and partly of those who joined us from Egypt. There, too, did God open to us a door for the word. And at first we were persecuted, we were stoned, but after a period some few of the heathen forsook their idols, and turned to God.

"And when they were come," etc. They came, teaching them that with good reason had they been ordained by the Spirit. They said not what they themselves, but "what God had done with them." It seems to me, that they mean their trials.

"Having arrived there" (in Antioch) "and having gathered the church, they reported all that God had done with them." The apostle did not say: "what they had done," but "what God had done with them." "God opened the door of faith to the Gentiles." He calls the opening of the door the teaching which the Gentiles received through the apostles.

And ther they abode longe tyme with the disciples.

Acts14