Luke the beloved physician shared how, “there came there certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead”, and in chapter fourteen and verse twenty of the book of Acts Luke shared how Paul, “rose up, and came into the city”, where we read:
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.
The verse begins, “Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city:” Luke began with the word,, “howbeit” which means “moreover”, “as the disciples” or “while and during the time the students, pupils and attendants of Jesus” “stood round about him” which means “were standing around the body of Paul”, “he rose up” or “Paul raised and stood up”, “and came into the city” which means “and entered into the dwelling place, abode and habitation of Lystra”. Luke shared how “Paul” suddenly “stood up” in the midst of the “disciples of Jesus” who were standing around his body, and they returned to the city of “Lystra”.
The verse goes on to say, “and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.” Luke continued with the words, “and the next day” or “and upon the following sunrise to sunset”, “he departed with Barnabas” which means “Paul left and went forth alongside of Barnabas whose name means son of rest and was the surname of Joses or Joseph, a Levite, a native of Cyprus who was a distinguished Christian teacher and companion and colleague of Paul” “to Derbe” or “to a city of Lycaonia which was located on the confines of Isauria whose name means tanner or coverer of skins”. Luke shared how “Paul” left “Lystra” with “Barnabas” on the following day and traveled to “Derbe” which was another city located in “Lycaonia”.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we discover how “Paul” spent the night in “Lystra” after he was stoned to presumed death, raised up and went back into the city. However, he left there the following day with “Barnabas” to go to the city of “Derbe”. We can only imagine the pain and suffering “Paul” was experiencing at that time, but he knew there would be a price to pay for sharing Jesus Christ with people. (See Acts 9:16) God desires to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they receive Him as their “Savior and Lord”, He will use them to tell others about Him. Sometimes, like Paul, people suffer great persecution for sharing the “gospel”, but God is watching, and He will reward anyone who suffers for His name. Let all who read these words be forgiven by Jesus and granted everlasting life by believing and trusting in Him, and may they seek the Lord for opportunities to share Him with others regardless of what they may suffer for doing so.
Next time Luke shares how Paul and Barnabas, “returned again to Lystra”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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