Continuing on from chapter 13, Paul and Barnabas are in the process of traveling around different areas teaching God's Word and they had arrived in Iconium.
Acts 14:1-7:
14:1And it came-to-pass in Iconium according to the same-thing (for) them to go into the synagogue of the Judeans and to utter-forth thus so-as-for a big multitude both of Judeans and Greeks to believe. .2But the Judeans having been un-persuaded raised and treated-badly the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers. .3Therefore indeed they spent sufficient time boldly-speaking on the Lord, the (One) bearing the word of His grace witness, giving signs and wonders to come-to-pass by means of their hands. .4But the multitude of the city was divided, even indeed the (people who) were together with the Judeans and the (people) together with the apostles; .5but as an impetuous (attack) came-to-pass of both the Gentiles and Judeans together with their rulers to be-hurtful-towards and to throw-stones-at them, .6having known-together, they fled-down into the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the country-around (there), .7and-there they were good-messaging.
When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Iconium, they did the same thing as they usually did on entering a particular place - they went together into the synagogue of the Judeans. Then they spoke to all who were present there in such a manner that the consequence and result was that a numerous amount of the fullness of the people, both of the Judeans and the Greeks (Greek-speaking people of the Gentile background) believed God's Word pertaining to the resurrected Christ Jesus. These people believed (had faith-in, trusted) what Paul and Barnabas taught them.
But some of the Judeans were actively unwilling to be persuaded (convinced) and they raised (aroused, excited) and affected badly (inflicted with badness) the souls (referring to the character and disposition during the living of everyday life in the physical category) of the Gentiles, who had not believed God's Word, against the brothers.
Who are the brothers? Paul and Barnabas and every other person who believed God’s Word from both the Judean background and from the Greek/Gentile background. They had all received God's gift of holy spirit by means of the Lord Jesus Christ which made them children of God. They all now had the spirit of Christ in them. They were all children of God and brothers of each-other from God's point of view - even though from the physical point of view they may have had different mothers and fathers and different backgrounds!
Therefore what did Paul and Barnabas do? Indeed they spent a sufficient amount of time (enough chronological time) speaking freely and openly based upon the Lord (God) Who was attesting to His own Word concerning His grace (His bestowing of unmerited favor). God bore this witness by giving signs (signals, standards of designation and authentication) and wonders (supernatural occurrences) to happen by means of (through) the hands of Paul and Barnabas as they continued among these people. Isn't it great to see how God was working with Paul and Barnabas, and vice versa, to make known God's Word to give light and salvation to the people in Iconium!
But the fullness of the people within the city was split into two groups: 1) the people who were together with the un-persuaded Judeans who were actively opposing Paul and Barnabas (and therefore also opposing God and the Lord Jesus Christ), and 2) the people who were together with the apostles, i.e. with Paul and Barnabas who were both apostles because they had been sent-forth on this specific assignment by God, as we read in Acts 13:2-4.
As an impetuous attack (an assault, the rushing onset of motion) from both the unbelieving Gentiles and the unbelieving Judeans in conjunction with their rulers happened for the purpose of acting with hurt (wanton-violence, insolence and insult resulting in injury) towards Paul and Barnabas, and to cast stones at them – Paul and Barnabas, having fully perceived (realized, were conscious, cognizant, aware of) what was going on, they fled down for refuge into the cities of Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia, and the surrounding areas.
What did they do when they arrived in these other places? Did they talk about how unjustly they were treated, or did they bad-mouth the un-persuaded people living in Iconium? No! When they went into these different cities and areas they were good-messaging (preaching the message that is good, gospelizing, evangelizing). They spoke God's Word regarding God and the Lord Jesus Christ, thereby also giving those people the opportunity to believe what God has given to be believed and so they could become God's children.
[Reference: Acts 13:50 and 51; II Timothy 3:11.]
Verses 8-10:
.8And some adult-male sat-down in Lystra not-able with (his) feet lame from his mother's womb who never walked, .9this-person heard Paul uttering-forth who, having gazed-intently-on him and having known that he has belief to be saved, .10said with a great sound, "You must stand-up upright on your feet" – and he leaped and walked.
There was a grown-man who used to be sitting-down in Lystra who had not walked at any time because his feet were disabled from birth. He heard Paul speaking God's Word. At some point during Paul’s teaching, he fixed his eyes intently upon this lame man and after he knew (perceived, saw) that the man at that time had belief to be saved (he had faith, trust with a view to be made safe), then Paul said with a great sound (loud voice): “You must stand-up upright (straight, erect) on your feet.”
Why did Paul say this to a man whom it was plain to see physically was lame and therefore he could not stand-up straight on his feet from the natural, physical, 5-senses point of view? Because Paul received information from God and/or the Lord Jesus Christ via his holy spirit-life. This information most certainly was contributing and benefiting towards Paul, and then in light of Paul's willingness to believe and obey the revelation (what was revealed to him), it was also beneficial for this man. [For more details regarding the manifestation of holy spirit, you may read chapters 12-14 of my study on I Corinthians.]
The result was that the man not only stood-up upright but he went further than that - he leaped (sprang, jumped, as dancing about the place) and he was walking around!
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