Acts 14:13
And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The priest didn't just bring animals; he brought them and garlands, a detail that highlights the religious formality and visual spectacle of the planned worship. This wasn't a casual offering, but a full-blown ritual intended to honor Paul and Barnabas as divine beings.
Following Paul’s miraculous healing of a man lame from birth, the people of Lystra, in their astonishment and ignorance, mistakenly believed Paul and Barnabas to be divine messengers. They immediately prepared a lavish sacrificial ceremony, led by the local priest of Zeus, to honor the apostles as gods. This action, occurring right at the entrance to the city, highlights their deeply ingrained idolatrous beliefs and their eagerness to misinterpret God's power.
Why did the priest of Zeus go to such lengths to offer sacrifice? It wasn't just about honoring Paul and Barnabas; it was about protecting his own divine territory.
The scene in Lystra highlights how deeply ingrained idolatry was. The priest of Zeus, whose temple stood prominently at the city's entrance, immediately saw the miraculous healing of the lame man as a sign of his god's presence and power.
The people of Lystra were convinced they were honoring gods. But their worship was based on a profound misunderstanding, revealing a dangerous pattern of human error.
The crowd's immediate conclusion was that the apostles were gods in disguise. This wasn't a random guess; it stemmed from a deeply ingrained belief system and a misinterpretation of the miracle.
c. 46 BC
Lystra is made a Roman colony
Lystra became a Roman colony named 'Colonia Julia Victrix Lystrensis'. This status brought Roman administration and increased cultural Romanization, influencing local customs and religious practices.
Early 1st century AD
Roman Emperor worship gains prominence
The cult of emperor worship, where Roman rulers were deified and worshipped, was becoming increasingly significant within the Roman Empire. This contributed to a religious atmosphere where deification of powerful figures was conceivable.
c. AD 40-50— this verse
Paul and Barnabas first missionary journey
Paul and Barnabas traveled throughout the region of Galatia and Pisidia, including Lystra. They preached the Gospel and performed miracles, including healing a man lame from birth in Lystra.
c. AD 50
Stoning of Paul in Lystra
Shortly after the incident at the gates, hostile crowds incited by visitors from Antioch and Iconium stoned Paul, dragging him out of the city and leaving him for dead. This highlights the volatile reception the apostles faced.
Just as the Israelites quickly turned to making a golden calf and worshipping it when Moses was delayed on the mountain, the crowd in Lystra immediately turned to idolatry, mistaking Paul and Barnabas for gods.
Deuteronomy 13:1-5This passage warns against even beloved individuals or prophets who perform signs and wonders if they lead people to worship other gods, echoing the danger the Lystrans faced in worshipping Paul and Barnabas.
1 Kings 18:21-29Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, exposing the futility of their gods and sacrifices, similar to how Paul and Barnabas later tried to redirect the Lystrans from their pagan practices to the living God.
John 10:33The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy for claiming to be God, a stark contrast to the Lystran crowd who willingly and eagerly attributed divinity to human messengers.
Romans 1:20-23Paul describes how people, despite knowing God, refused to honor him and instead exchanged the truth of God for a lie, becoming fools and worshipping created things, which is precisely what the Lystrans were doing.
ellicottActs 14:13: "Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people."
(13) The priest of Jupiter, which was before their city. —The latter clause probably describes the position of the Temple of Zeus, standing at the entrance of the city, as the shrine of its protecting deity. The identical phrase used by St. Luke is found in Greek inscriptions at Ephesus. Brought oxen and garlands unto the gates.—The garl…
barnesActs 14:13: "Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people."
Then the priest of Jupiter - He whose office it was to conduct the worship of Jupiter by offering sacrifices, etc. Which was before their city - The word "which" here refers not to the priest, but to Jupiter. The temple or image of Jupiter was in front of their city, or near the gates. Ancient cities were supposed to be under the protect…
The priest didn't just bring animals; he brought them and garlands, a detail that highlights the religious formality and visual spectacle of the planned worship. This wasn't a casual offering, but a full-blown ritual intended to honor Paul and Barnabas as divine beings.
Following Paul’s miraculous healing of a man lame from birth, the people of Lystra, in their astonishment and ignorance, mistakenly believed Paul and Barnabas to be divine messengers. They immediately prepared a lavish sacrificial ceremony, led by the local priest of Zeus, to honor the apostles as gods. This action, occurring right at the entrance to the city, highlights their deeply ingrained idolatrous beliefs and their eagerness to misinterpret God's power.
Following Paul’s miraculous healing of a man lame from birth, the people of Lystra, in their astonishment and ignorance, mistakenly believed Paul and Barnabas to be divine messengers. They immediately prepared a lavish sacrificial ceremony, led by the local priest of Zeus, to honor the apostles as gods. This action, occurring right at the entrance to the city, highlights their deeply ingrained idolatrous beliefs and their eagerness to misinterpret God's power.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Acts 14:13 is available in the Sola app.
"And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds." — The priest didn't just bring animals; he brought them and garlands, a detail that highlights the religious formality and visual spectacle of the planned worship. This wasn't a casual offering, but…
