Their immediate tearing of clothes and rushing out shows they were utterly horrified, not just surprised, by the crowd's intent to worship them. This visceral reaction, described with words meaning to "spring forth," highlights their desperate urgency to stop people from offering divine honors to mere mortals.
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just after Paul heals a man who had been lame from birth, the people of Lystra, awestruck, declare Barnabas to be Zeus and Paul to be Hermes. When the apostles catch wind of the crowd preparing a sacrifice for them, they tear their clothes in horror and desperation, rushing out to stop the misguided worship.
Imagine hearing that people are about to offer you sacrifices. What would your immediate reaction be? For Paul and Barnabas, it was intense.
When Paul and Barnabas heard that the crowd in Lystra was preparing to worship them as gods, their first instinct wasn't to pause or consider. The text says they 'tore their garments.' This wasn't just a dramatic gesture; it was a profound expression of horror and grief.
In ancient Jewish culture, rending one's clothes was the ultimate sign of shock and distress, especially in response to blasphemy or a terrible offense against God. It signaled a deep internal turmoil and a desperate need to physically manifest their revulsion. This action showed they were absolutely not divine and were horrified by the people's misdirected worship.
Worship meant for God was being offered to mere mortals. How quickly did Paul and Barnabas move to correct this dangerous error?
The text doesn't just say they reacted; it says they 'rushed out' and 'sprang forth' into the crowd. This wasn't a calm correction; it was an urgent, forceful intervention. They didn't just want to stop the sacrifice; they wanted to get among the people, to confront the misunderstanding head-on.
Their action highlights the immense value they placed on God's honor. They saw the danger of idolatry – not just as a cultural faux pas, but as a direct affront to the living God and a deception that harmed the people. Their immediate, energetic response shows their burning passion to redirect worship to its rightful recipient.
Understand the original words
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apostolos · Greek Noun
A term derived from the Greek apostellō, meaning 'one sent' with a mandate or commission. It designates a special messenger authorized by Christ to proclaim the Gospel and establish the church.
diarrhēgnumi · Greek Verb
An act of ritual destruction symbolizing intense grief, repentance, or, in this case, abhorrence of blasphemy. Tearing garments was a culturally significant way of expressing deep emotional or religious distress.
homoiopathēs · Greek Adjective
Refers to the condition or constitution of being human, including physical limitations and mortality. It emphasizes the common humanity shared by the apostles and the crowds, rejecting any claim to divinity.
euangelizomai · Greek Verb
Often translated as 'gospel' (euangelion), it signifies the proclamation of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the announcement of salvation and the kingdom of God to humanity.
mataios · Greek Adjective
Refers to things that are empty, lacking substance, or futile. In a biblical sense, it often describes idols or pagan practices that cannot save or satisfy because they lack reality and power.
zōn theos · Greek Noun phrase
A title for Yahweh, the Creator and sustainer of life. He is 'living' because He is the source of all existence, actively involved in history, and fundamentally different from dead, inanimate idols.
The intense reaction of Barnabas and Paul—tearing their clothes and rushing into the crowd—shows their absolute horror at being mistaken for gods. This event, which occurred during their first missionary journey, highlights the stark contrast between the true God they proclaimed and the pagan idolatry prevalent in cities like Lystra, where people readily deified human beings.
c. 48 AD
First Missionary Journey Begins
Barnabas and Paul embark on their first major missionary journey, commissioned by the church in Antioch, spreading the Gospel throughout Asia Minor.
c. 49 AD
Council of Jerusalem
A significant council in Jerusalem addresses whether Gentile converts must follow Mosaic law, affirming that salvation is by grace through faith, not works of the law.
c. 49-50 AD
Paul and Barnabas Separate
Disagreement over taking John Mark on their next journey leads to a separation, with Paul continuing with Silas and Barnabas taking Mark.
c. 50 AD
Paul's Second Missionary Journey
Paul begins his second journey, revisiting churches and traveling further into regions like Macedonia and Corinth, establishing new communities.
c. 53-57 AD
Paul's Ministry in Ephesus
Paul spends a significant amount of time in Ephesus during his third missionary journey, ministering and dealing with opposition.
c. 58 AD
Paul's Arrest in Jerusalem
Paul is arrested in Jerusalem, marking a turning point that leads to his imprisonment and eventual journey to Rome.
c. 60-62 AD
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
Paul is under house arrest in Rome, where he writes several epistles, including Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon.
This passage shows the high priest tearing his robes when he heard Jesus' claims, demonstrating an extreme reaction to what he considered blasphemy. Barnabas and Paul's similar action in Acts 14 signifies their horror at the blasphemy of being worshipped as gods.
1 Kings 18:37Elijah tears his clothes in anguish and prayer before confronting the prophets of Baal. While Elijah's context is a spiritual battle, Barnabas and Paul's tearing of clothes echoes this intensity as they confront a similar danger: the people's misguided worship.
Romans 1:22-23Paul describes people exchanging the truth about God for a lie, worshipping created things rather than the Creator. This directly relates to the people of Lystra's idolatry, which Barnabas and Paul were desperately trying to correct.
Acts 17:22-23In Athens, Paul also confronts idolatry and offers a message about the 'unknown God.' This highlights a recurring theme where Paul passionately corrects misguided worship, turning people from false deities to the true God.
ellicottActs 14:14: "Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,"
(14) Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of. —They were, we may believe, in the house, within the court-yard, and therefore did not see the sacrificial procession; but they heard the noise of the multitude, perhaps also of some sacrificial hymn, and asked what it meant. They rent their clothes.—The act is obviously recorded as that of men who are st…
barnesActs 14:14: "Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,"
Which, when the apostles - Barnabas is called an apostle because he was sent forth by the church on a particular message ( Acts 13:3 ; compare Acts 14:26 ), not because he had been chosen to the special work of the apostleship - to Dear witness to the life and resurrection of Christ. See the notes on Acts 1:22 . They rent their clothes - As an expression of their…
Their immediate tearing of clothes and rushing out shows they were utterly horrified, not just surprised, by the crowd's intent to worship them. This visceral reaction, described with words meaning to "spring forth," highlights their desperate urgency to stop people from offering divine honors to mere mortals.
Just after Paul heals a man who had been lame from birth, the people of Lystra, awestruck, declare Barnabas to be Zeus and Paul to be Hermes. When the apostles catch wind of the crowd preparing a sacrifice for them, they tear their clothes in horror and desperation, rushing out to stop the misguided worship.
Just after Paul heals a man who had been lame from birth, the people of Lystra, awestruck, declare Barnabas to be Zeus and Paul to be Hermes. When the apostles catch wind of the crowd preparing a sacrifice for them, they tear their clothes in horror and desperation, rushing out to stop the misguided worship.
"But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you s…" — Their immediate tearing of clothes and rushing out shows they were utterly horrified, not just surprised, by the crowd's intent to worship them. This visceral reaction, described with words meaning t…
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Last reviewed October 2026
