Acts 14:20 Meaning and Explanation
“Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →As the disciples stand around him, Paul rises, walks back into the city, and leaves the next day with Barnabas for Derbe.
What Does Acts 14:20 Mean?
The mob disperses, certain it has killed him, but a circle of disciples gathers around the body — there are already believers in Lystra — and Paul gets up, walks back through the gates of the city that stoned him, and sets out the next morning for Derbe.
Luke tells it simply: a man whom God is not finished with stands up and goes on. Treasure the detail of the standing circle — a newborn church keeping watch over its broken apostle. Lystra was Timothy's home (Acts 16:1), and what its young believers witnessed that evening was itself a sermon: in the service of Christ, getting up again is a form of testimony.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 14:20
What does Acts 14:20 mean?
As the disciples stand around him, Paul rises, walks back into the city, and leaves the next day with Barnabas for Derbe.