And there sat a certain man at Lystra,
impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb,
who never had walked:
The same heard Paul speak:
who stedfastly beholding him,
and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
Said with a loud voice,
Stand upright on thy feet.
And he leaped and walked.
And when the people saw what Paul had done,
they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia,
The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
And they called Barnabas, Jupiter;
and Paul, Mercurius,
because he was the chief speaker.
which was before their city,
brought oxen and garlands unto the gates,
and would have done sacrifice with the people.
Which when the apostles,
Barnabas and Paul, heard of,
they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people,
crying out,
And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things?
We also are men of like passions with you,
and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God,
which made heaven,
and earth,
and the sea,
and all things that are therein:
Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
Nevertheless he left not himself without witness,
in that he did good,
and gave us rain from heaven,
and fruitful seasons,
filling our hearts with food and gladness.
And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people,
that they had not done sacrifice unto them.
Acts 14:8-18
"The apostles endeavored to impart to these idolaters a knowledge of God the Creator and of His Son, the Saviour of the human race. They first directed attention to the wonderful works of God--the sun, the moon, and the stars, the beautiful order of the recurring seasons,..." Acts of the Apostles p.180 E.G.W.
