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But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
Acts 14:20 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB But as the disciples stood around him, he rose up, and entered into the city. On the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe.
  • KJV 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.
  • BSB But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. And the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
  • NKJV However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
  • NASB But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

As the disciples gathered around him, Paul rose and reentered the city, leaving for Derbe the next day. God's preserving hand kept Paul fruitful even after a near-fatal attack.

Overview

Whether by remarkable recovery or extraordinary providence, Paul rose and courageously went back into the city that had just stoned him. His undeterred return to ministry models steadfast endurance for the gospel. Luke presents it as evidence that no opposition could halt the mission God had given him.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • 2 Cor 6:9as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed;
  • 2 Cor 1:9–10Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,
  • Acts 20:1After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia.
  • Acts 16:40They went out of the prison, and entered into Lydia’s house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, and departed.
  • Acts 14:6they became aware of it, and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding region.
  • Rev 11:7–12When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.
  • Acts 20:9–12A certain young man named Eutychus sat in the window, weighed down with deep sleep. As Paul spoke still longer, being weighed down by his sleep, he fell down from the third floor, and was taken up dead.
  • Acts 16:1He came to Derbe and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed; but his father was a Greek.
  • Acts 12:17But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James, and to the brothers.” Then he departed, and went to another place.
  • Acts 14:28They stayed there with the disciples for a long time.
  • Acts 14:22confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom.
  • Acts 11:26When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 14:20YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.

How Acts 14:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.