CINXE.COM
Acts 14:11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices in the Lycaonian language: "The gods have come down to us in human form!"
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Acts 14:11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices in the Lycaonian language: "The gods have come down to us in human form!"</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/acts/14-11.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/13/44_Act_14_11.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Acts 14:11 - The Visit to Lystra and Derbe" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices in the Lycaonian language: The gods have come down to us in human form!" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/vmenus/acts/14-11.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc/acts/14-11.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/acts/">Acts</a> > <a href="/acts/14.htm">Chapter 14</a> > Verse 11</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div><div id="ad1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/ad11.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/acts/14-10.htm" title="Acts 14:10">◄</a> Acts 14:11 <a href="/acts/14-12.htm" title="Acts 14:12">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Greek </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/acts/14.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter"> (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/acts/14.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/acts/14.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human form!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/acts/14.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/acts/14.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices in the Lycaonian language: “The gods have come down to us in human form!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/acts/14.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />And the crowds having seen what Paul had done, lifted up their voice in Lycaonian saying, "The gods have come down to us, having become like men."<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/acts/14.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />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.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/acts/14.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian <i>language,</i> “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/acts/14.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/acts/14.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/acts/14.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />And when the multitudes saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/acts/14.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/acts/14.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />And the crowds, when they saw what Paul had done, raised their voices, shouting in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/acts/14.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form! ”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/acts/14.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the form of men!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/acts/14.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />And when the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/acts/14.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they yelled out in the language of Lycaonia, "The gods have turned into humans and have come down to us!" <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/acts/14.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />And when the multitudes saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/acts/14.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />The crowds who saw what Paul had done shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come to us, and they look human."<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/acts/14.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they started shouting in their own Lycaonian language, "The gods have become like men and have come down to us!" <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/acts/14.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have become like men and have come down to us!" <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/acts/14.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices in the Lycaonian language: ?The gods have come down to us in human form!?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/acts/14.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />So when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!"<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/acts/14.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, "The gods have come down to us in human form."<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/acts/14.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/acts/14.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />So he sprang up and began to walk about. Then the crowds, seeing what Paul had done, rent the air with their shouts in the Lycaonian language, saying, "The gods have assumed human form and have come down to us."<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/acts/14.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/acts/14.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />and the multitudes having seen what Paul did, lifted up their voice in the speech of Lycaonia, saying, “The gods, having become like men, came down to us”;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/acts/14.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />And the crowds having seen what Paul had done, lifted up their voice in Lycaonian saying, "The gods have come down to us, having become like men."<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/acts/14.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> and the multitudes having seen what Paul did, did lift up their voice, in the speech of Lycaonia, saying, 'The gods, having become like men, did come down unto us;'<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/acts/14.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And the crowds having seen what Paul did, lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, Gods likened to men came down to us.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/acts/14.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />And when the multitudes had seen what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice in the Lycaonian tongue, saying: The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men; <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/acts/14.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br /><V 14:10>But when the crowds had seen what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice in the Lycaonian language, saying, “The gods, having taken the likenesses of men, have descended to us!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/acts/14.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they cried out in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in human form.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/acts/14.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/acts/14.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted their voices and said in the language of the country, The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/aramaic-plain-english/acts/14.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a></span><br />When the crowds of people had seen this thing that Paulus had done, they raised their voices in the language of the country, and they were saying, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.”<div class="vheading2"><b>NT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/anderson/acts/14.htm">Anderson New Testament</a></span><br />"When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, and said, in the Lycaonian language: The Gods have come down to us in the likeness of men.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/godbey/acts/14.htm">Godbey New Testament</a></span><br />And the multitudes seeing what Paul did, lifted up their voice, in Lycaonic, saying, The gods having assumed the likeness of men have come down to us:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/haweis/acts/14.htm">Haweis New Testament</a></span><br />But when the multitudes beheld what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, in the dialect of Lycaonia, saying, The gods in the form of mortals are come down to us.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/mace/acts/14.htm">Mace New Testament</a></span><br />When the people saw what Paul had done, they cry'd out in the Lycaonian tongue, the Gods have assum'd a human form, and are descended among us.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/acts/14.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />So he sprang up and began to walk about. Then the crowds, seeing what Paul had done, rent the air with their shouts in the Lycaonian language, saying, "The gods have assumed human form and have come down to us."<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worrell/acts/14.htm">Worrell New Testament</a></span><br />And the multitudes, seeing what Paul did, lifted up their voice in the language of Lycaonia, saying, "The gods, made like to men, came down to us!"<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worsley/acts/14.htm">Worsley New Testament</a></span><br />And the people, seeing what Paul had done, lifted up their voice, saying in the Lycaonian tongue, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/acts/14-11.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/in5WTRQ9BSQ?start=4656" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/acts/14.htm">The Visit to Lystra and Derbe</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">10</span>In a loud voice Paul called out, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man jumped up and began to walk. <span class="reftext">11</span><span class="highl"><a href="/greek/5037.htm" title="5037: te (Conj) -- And, both. A primary particle of connection or addition; both or also.">When</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: Hoi (Art-NMP) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.">the</a> <a href="/greek/3793.htm" title="3793: ochloi (N-NMP) -- From a derivative of echo; a throng; by implication, the rabble; by extension, a class of people; figuratively, a riot.">crowds</a> <a href="/greek/3708.htm" title="3708: idontes (V-APA-NMP) -- Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.">saw</a> <a href="/greek/3739.htm" title="3739: ho (RelPro-ANS) -- Who, which, what, that. ">what</a> <a href="/greek/3972.htm" title="3972: Paulos (N-NMS) -- Paul, Paulus. Of Latin origin; Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle.">Paul</a> <a href="/greek/4160.htm" title="4160: epoiēsen (V-AIA-3S) -- (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.">had done,</a> <a href="/greek/1869.htm" title="1869: epēran (V-AIA-3P) -- To raise, lift up. From epi and airo; to raise up.">they lifted up</a> <a href="/greek/846.htm" title="846: autōn (PPro-GM3P) -- He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.">their</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: tēn (Art-AFS) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the."></a> <a href="/greek/5456.htm" title="5456: phōnēn (N-AFS) -- Probably akin to phaino through the idea of disclosure; a tone; by implication, an address, saying or language.">voices</a> <a href="/greek/3072.htm" title="3072: Lykaonisti (Adv) -- In the Lycaonian language. Adverb from a derivative of Lukaonia; Lycaonistically, i.e. In the language of the Lycaonians.">in the Lycaonian language:</a> <a href="/greek/3004.htm" title="3004: legontes (V-PPA-NMP) -- (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command. "></a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: Hoi (Art-NMP) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.">“The</a> <a href="/greek/2316.htm" title="2316: theoi (N-NMP) -- A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.">gods</a> <a href="/greek/2597.htm" title="2597: katebēsan (V-AIA-3P) -- To go down, come down, either from the sky or from higher land, descend. From kata and the base of basis; to descend.">have come down</a> <a href="/greek/4314.htm" title="4314: pros (Prep) -- To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.">to</a> <a href="/greek/1473.htm" title="1473: hēmas (PPro-A1P) -- I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.">us</a> <a href="/greek/3666.htm" title="3666: homoiōthentes (V-APP-NMP) -- To make like, liken; I compare. From homoios; to assimilate, i.e. Compare; passively, to become similar.">in human form!”</a> <a href="/greek/444.htm" title="444: anthrōpois (N-DMP) -- A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being."></a> </span> <span class="reftext">12</span>Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/28-6.htm">Acts 28:6</a></span><br />The islanders were expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/8-10.htm">Acts 8:10</a></span><br />and all the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/10-33.htm">John 10:33</a></span><br />“We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, make Yourself out to be God.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/5-18.htm">John 5:18</a></span><br />Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/1-14.htm">John 1:14</a></span><br />The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/1-1.htm">John 1:1-3</a></span><br />In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. / He was with God in the beginning. / Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/philippians/2-6.htm">Philippians 2:6-7</a></span><br />Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, / but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/8-5.htm">1 Corinthians 8:5-6</a></span><br />For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords), / yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_thessalonians/2-4.htm">2 Thessalonians 2:4</a></span><br />He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/19-10.htm">Revelation 19:10</a></span><br />So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/22-8.htm">Revelation 22:8-9</a></span><br />And I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown me these things. / But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/exodus/20-3.htm">Exodus 20:3</a></span><br />You shall have no other gods before Me.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/exodus/32-1.htm">Exodus 32:1</a></span><br />Now when the people saw that Moses was delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/4-28.htm">Deuteronomy 4:28</a></span><br />And there you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/5-7.htm">Deuteronomy 5:7</a></span><br />You shall have no other gods before Me.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">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.</p><p class="hdg">The gods.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/acts/8-10.htm">Acts 8:10</a></b></br> To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/acts/12-22.htm">Acts 12:22</a></b></br> And the people gave a shout, <i>saying, It is</i> the voice of a god, and not of a man.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/acts/28-6.htm">Acts 28:6</a></b></br> Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/acts/11-6.htm">Air</a> <a href="/acts/11-26.htm">Crowd</a> <a href="/acts/13-45.htm">Crowds</a> <a href="/acts/7-41.htm">Gods</a> <a href="/acts/2-8.htm">Language</a> <a href="/acts/10-26.htm">Lifted</a> <a href="/luke/20-24.htm">Likeness</a> <a href="/acts/14-4.htm">Multitude</a> <a href="/acts/13-45.htm">Multitudes</a> <a href="/acts/14-9.htm">Paul</a> <a href="/john/21-11.htm">Rent</a> <a href="/acts/12-22.htm">Shouted</a> <a href="/luke/23-23.htm">Shouts</a> <a href="/acts/12-21.htm">Speech</a> <a href="/acts/14-10.htm">Sprang</a> <a href="/acts/14-10.htm">Voice</a> <a href="/acts/13-27.htm">Voices</a> <a href="/acts/14-10.htm">Walk</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/acts/22-23.htm">Air</a> <a href="/acts/14-13.htm">Crowd</a> <a href="/acts/14-18.htm">Crowds</a> <a href="/acts/15-20.htm">Gods</a> <a href="/acts/15-15.htm">Language</a> <a href="/acts/21-35.htm">Lifted</a> <a href="/romans/1-23.htm">Likeness</a> <a href="/acts/14-14.htm">Multitude</a> <a href="/acts/14-13.htm">Multitudes</a> <a href="/acts/14-12.htm">Paul</a> <a href="/acts/14-14.htm">Rent</a> <a href="/acts/16-28.htm">Shouted</a> <a href="/acts/22-23.htm">Shouts</a> <a href="/acts/20-7.htm">Speech</a> <a href="/acts/14-14.htm">Sprang</a> <a href="/acts/16-28.htm">Voice</a> <a href="/acts/22-22.htm">Voices</a> <a href="/acts/14-16.htm">Walk</a><div class="vheading2">Acts 14</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/acts/14-1.htm">Paul and Barnabas are persecuted from Iconium.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">8. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/acts/14-8.htm">At Lystra Paul heals a cripple, whereupon they are reputed as gods.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">19. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/acts/14-19.htm">Paul is stoned.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">21. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/acts/14-21.htm">They pass through various churches, confirming the disciples in faith and patience.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">26. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/acts/14-26.htm">Returning to Antioch, they report what God had done with them.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-728x90-ATF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-300x250-ATF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-728x90-BTF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-300x250-BTF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-728x90-BTF2 --> <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/acts/14.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/acts/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/acts/14.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>When the crowds saw what Paul had done</b><br>This phrase refers to the miraculous healing of a man who had been lame from birth. The crowd's reaction highlights the impact of witnessing a miracle, which often led to amazement and misunderstanding. Miracles in the early church served as signs to authenticate the message of the apostles, similar to the miracles performed by Jesus (<a href="/john/14-11.htm">John 14:11</a>). The crowd's response also reflects a common human tendency to focus on the miraculous rather than the message.<p><b>they lifted up their voices in the Lycaonian language</b><br>The use of the Lycaonian language indicates the local cultural context of Lystra, a city in the Roman province of Galatia. This detail underscores the diversity of languages and cultures in the ancient world, which the apostles encountered in their missionary journeys. The fact that the crowd spoke in their native tongue suggests that Paul and Barnabas may not have immediately understood their reaction, leading to a temporary misunderstanding.<p><b>“The gods have come down to us in human form!”</b><br>This exclamation reveals the pagan beliefs prevalent in Lystra, where the people were influenced by Greco-Roman mythology. The idea of gods taking human form was common in ancient myths, such as the stories of Zeus and Hermes. This belief contrasts with the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation, where God became man in the person of Jesus Christ (<a href="/john/1-14.htm">John 1:14</a>). The crowd's declaration also echoes the misunderstanding of Jesus' identity during His ministry, where people often failed to recognize His divine nature (<a href="/john/10-33.htm">John 10:33</a>).<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/p/paul.htm">Paul</a></b><br>An apostle of Jesus Christ, who was instrumental in spreading the Gospel to the Gentiles. In this passage, he performs a miracle that leads the crowd to believe he is a god.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/b/barnabas.htm">Barnabas</a></b><br>A fellow missionary and companion of Paul. He is also mistaken for a god by the people of Lystra.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_crowds.htm">The Crowds</a></b><br>The people of Lystra who witness the miracle performed by Paul and mistakenly identify him and Barnabas as gods.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/l/lystra.htm">Lystra</a></b><br>A city in the region of Lycaonia, where Paul and Barnabas are preaching. The cultural context here is important as the people are influenced by Greco-Roman mythology.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_miracle.htm">The Miracle</a></b><br>The specific act that Paul performs, which is not detailed in this verse but is the catalyst for the crowd's reaction.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/m/misplaced_worship.htm">Misplaced Worship</a></b><br>The crowd's reaction in Lystra highlights the human tendency to misplace worship and attribute divine qualities to humans or objects. This serves as a reminder to direct our worship solely to God.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/c/cultural_context_and_evangelism.htm">Cultural Context and Evangelism</a></b><br>Understanding the cultural and religious context of those we evangelize is crucial. Paul and Barnabas encounter a worldview steeped in mythology, which affects how the Gospel is received.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/d/discernment_in_miracles.htm">Discernment in Miracles</a></b><br>Miracles can draw attention to God, but they can also lead to misunderstandings. Believers must discern and clarify the source and purpose of miracles, pointing others to Christ.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/h/humility_in_ministry.htm">Humility in Ministry</a></b><br>Paul and Barnabas's response to being mistaken for gods (as seen in subsequent verses) demonstrates humility and a commitment to redirect glory to God, a model for all believers in ministry.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_acts_14.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Acts 14</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_do_acts_14_11-13_lack_external_proof.htm">Why does Acts 14:11–13 depict the Lystrans calling Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes,” yet no external records confirm such events? </a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/lessons_from_paul_and_barnabas.htm">What lessons can we learn from Paul and Barnabas?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/where_is_lystra_mentioned_in_the_bible.htm">Where is Lystra mentioned in the Bible?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/which_churches_were_in_galatia.htm">What were the churches located in Galatia?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/acts/14.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(11) <span class= "bld">Saying in the speech of Lycaonia.</span>--The fact is clearly recorded with a definite purpose, and no explanation seems so natural as that which assumes it to be given as accounting for the passive attitude of the Apostles till what was then said had borne its fruit in acts. It will be admitted by all who are not under the influence of a theory that this serves almost as a crucial instance, showing that the "gift of tongues," which St. Paul possessed so largely (<a href="/1_corinthians/14-18.htm" title="I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than you all:">1Corinthians 14:18</a>), did not consist in a supernatural knowledge of every provincial <span class= "ital">patois</span> with which he came in contact. (See Note on <a href="/acts/2-4.htm" title="And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.">Acts 2:4</a>.) It is clear that he might easily have learnt afterwards, from those who knew both languages, the meaning of what at the time was unintelligible. To suppose, as some have done, that the Apostles, understanding what was said, acquiesced in the preparations for sacrifice in order that they might afterwards make their protest as with a greater dramatic effect, is at variance with the natural impression made by the narrative, and, it need scarcely be said, with any worthy conception of St. Paul's character. The diglottic character of the people, here and in other Asiatic provinces of the empire, would make it perfectly natural that they should speak to one another in their own dialect, while Greek served for their intercourse with strangers. The "speech of Lycaonia" is said to have had affinities with Assyrian.<p><span class= "bld">The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.</span>--Literally, <span class= "ital">the gods, made like unto men, are come down to us.</span> The belief which the words expressed was characteristic of the rude simplicity of the Lycaonians. No such cry would have been possible in the great cities where the confluence of a debased polytheism and philosophical speculation had ended in utter scepticism. And the form which the belief took was in accordance with the old legends of the district. There, according to the <span class= "ital">Myth</span> which Ovid had recently revived and adorned (<span class= "ital">Metam.</span> viii. 625-724), Zeus and Hermes (Jupiter and Mercury) had come in human guise, and been received by Baucis and Philemon (St. Paul's Epistle to Philemon shows that the name lingered in that region), and left tokens of their favour. We find from the poem just referred to that the place where they had dwelt was looked on as a shrine to which devout worshippers made their pilgrimages, and where they left their votive offerings.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/acts/14.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 11.</span> <span class="accented">- Multitudes</span> for <span class="accented">people</span>, A.V.; <span class="accented">voice</span> for <span class="accented">voices</span>, A.V. <span class="cmt_word">In the speech of Lycaonia</span>. It is not known what the language of Lycaonia was, whether Cappadocian, or Celtic, or Lycian; but we learn incidentally from Stephanus Byzantinus, that there was a Lycaonian language, for he tells us that <span class="accented">Delbia</span> (<span class="accented">as</span> some write the name Derbe) was the Lycaonian for <span class="greek">ἄρκευθος</span>, a juniper tree or berry. No other Lycaonian word is known (see "Jablouskii Disquis. de Ling. Lycaon," in Stephan., 'Thesaur.'). The Lycaoniaus doubtless understood Greek as the language of intercommunication all over Roman Asia, but among themselves would speak their native dialect. The belief that <span class="cmt_word">the gods were come down in the likeness of men</span>, and that these gods were Jupiter and Hermes, or Mercury, was most natural to Lycaonians, who were conversant with, and doubtless believed, the Phrygian legend of Philemon and Baucis, who entertained hospitably Jupiter and Hermes, when no one else would take them in, and whose cottage was by the gods turned into a temple (when all the neighborhood was drowned by a flood), of which they were made priest and priestess during life, and simultaneously metamorphosed into an oak and lime tree when their life ended (Ovid, 'Metamorph.,'8:611, etc.). Ovid places the scene of the legend at Tyana, the site of which has been ascertained by Hamilton to be near Erekli, in Cappadocia, close to the borders of Lycaonia. The moral drawn in the legend itself seems to have been that which influenced the people of Lycaonia in their conduct towards the two strangers: "Cura pii dis sunt, et qui coluere coluntur," which may be Englished, "Them that honor me I will honor" (<a href="/1_samuel/2-30.htm">1 Samuel 2:30</a>). <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/acts/14-11.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div><span class="word">[When]</span><br /><span class="grk">τε</span> <span class="translit">(te)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunction<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_5037.htm">Strong's 5037: </a> </span><span class="str2">And, both. A primary particle of connection or addition; both or also.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the</span><br /><span class="grk">Οἵ</span> <span class="translit">(Hoi)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article - Nominative Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> </span><span class="str2">The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">crowds</span><br /><span class="grk">ὄχλοι</span> <span class="translit">(ochloi)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3793.htm">Strong's 3793: </a> </span><span class="str2">From a derivative of echo; a throng; by implication, the rabble; by extension, a class of people; figuratively, a riot.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">saw</span><br /><span class="grk">ἰδόντες</span> <span class="translit">(idontes)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3708.htm">Strong's 3708: </a> </span><span class="str2">Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">what</span><br /><span class="grk">ὃ</span> <span class="translit">(ho)</span><br /><span class="parse">Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3739.htm">Strong's 3739: </a> </span><span class="str2">Who, which, what, that. </span><br /><br /><span class="word">Paul</span><br /><span class="grk">Παῦλος</span> <span class="translit">(Paulos)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3972.htm">Strong's 3972: </a> </span><span class="str2">Paul, Paulus. Of Latin origin; Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">had done,</span><br /><span class="grk">ἐποίησεν</span> <span class="translit">(epoiēsen)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_4160.htm">Strong's 4160: </a> </span><span class="str2">(a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">they lifted up</span><br /><span class="grk">ἐπῆραν</span> <span class="translit">(epēran)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_1869.htm">Strong's 1869: </a> </span><span class="str2">To raise, lift up. From epi and airo; to raise up.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">their</span><br /><span class="grk">αὐτῶν</span> <span class="translit">(autōn)</span><br /><span class="parse">Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_846.htm">Strong's 846: </a> </span><span class="str2">He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">voices</span><br /><span class="grk">φωνὴν</span> <span class="translit">(phōnēn)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_5456.htm">Strong's 5456: </a> </span><span class="str2">Probably akin to phaino through the idea of disclosure; a tone; by implication, an address, saying or language.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">in the Lycaonian language:</span><br /><span class="grk">Λυκαονιστὶ</span> <span class="translit">(Lykaonisti)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adverb<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3072.htm">Strong's 3072: </a> </span><span class="str2">In the Lycaonian language. Adverb from a derivative of Lukaonia; Lycaonistically, i.e. In the language of the Lycaonians.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">“The</span><br /><span class="grk">Οἱ</span> <span class="translit">(Hoi)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article - Nominative Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> </span><span class="str2">The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">gods</span><br /><span class="grk">θεοὶ</span> <span class="translit">(theoi)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_2316.htm">Strong's 2316: </a> </span><span class="str2">A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">have come down</span><br /><span class="grk">κατέβησαν</span> <span class="translit">(katebēsan)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_2597.htm">Strong's 2597: </a> </span><span class="str2">To go down, come down, either from the sky or from higher land, descend. From kata and the base of basis; to descend.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to</span><br /><span class="grk">πρὸς</span> <span class="translit">(pros)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_4314.htm">Strong's 4314: </a> </span><span class="str2">To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">us</span><br /><span class="grk">ἡμᾶς</span> <span class="translit">(hēmas)</span><br /><span class="parse">Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_1473.htm">Strong's 1473: </a> </span><span class="str2">I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">in human form!”</span><br /><span class="grk">ὁμοιωθέντες</span> <span class="translit">(homoiōthentes)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3666.htm">Strong's 3666: </a> </span><span class="str2">To make like, liken; I compare. From homoios; to assimilate, i.e. Compare; passively, to become similar.</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/acts/14-11.htm">Acts 14:11 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/acts/14-11.htm">Acts 14:11 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/acts/14-11.htm">Acts 14:11 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/acts/14-11.htm">Acts 14:11 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/acts/14-11.htm">Acts 14:11 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/acts/14-11.htm">Acts 14:11 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/acts/14-11.htm">Acts 14:11 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/acts/14-11.htm">Acts 14:11 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/acts/14-11.htm">Acts 14:11 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/acts/14-11.htm">Acts 14:11 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/acts/14-11.htm">NT Apostles: Acts 14:11 When the multitude saw what Paul had (Acts of the Apostles Ac) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/acts/14-10.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Acts 14:10"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Acts 14:10" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/acts/14-12.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Acts 14:12"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Acts 14:12" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>