Acts 14:19-28

Though Stoned, Paul Continues Preaching!

The hostile Jews from Antioch in Pisidia and Iconium soon came to Lystra and persuaded the people to stone Paul. They dragged his seemingly lifeless body outside the city, thinking he was dead. The disciples gathered around him, perhaps in mourning. The apostle rose up, walked back into the city, spent the night and left the next morning with Barnabas! They travelled some 60 miles to the east to the city of Derbe, which was on the eastern most edge of Roman Galatia.

Their preaching in Derbe met with a good response and, after an unspecified length of time, they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. Paul and Barnabas returned along the same path because they wanted to urge the brethren to remain faithful in spite of the persecution which was sure to come. Men were chosen in each city to serve as elders in the church. It should be noted that they were in every church and there was always a plurality of them. Obviously, their appointment was intended to help strengthen the church since Paul and Barnabas also prayed and fasted with them while urging them to rely on the Lord in whom they had placed their trust.

Luke told Theophilus that they retraced their steps all the way back to Antioch, where they had first been separated to the work. When they returned there, they got the whole church to assemble and related to them all God had accomplished on their journey. Two things stand out. First, they wanted the whole church to know what had been done by those sent out from them. Second, they gave credit to God for all the harvest. Then, they stayed for a good while with the brethren in Antioch (Acts 14:19-28).