Greek Attempted Apotheosis of Jewish Christians, Paul and Barnabas

 

Book of Acts 14:

 

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⁶They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:

⁷And there they preached the gospel.

⁸And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:

⁹The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

¹⁰Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

¹¹And 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.

¹²And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

¹³Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.

¹⁴Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,

¹⁵And 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:

¹⁶Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.

¹⁷Nevertheless 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.

¹⁸And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

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