Acts 14:18
What does Acts 14:18 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 14:18 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 14:18 means
Despite this careful, earnest appeal, the apostles can “scarce” restrain the crowds from offering sacrifice to them. Such is the tenacity of idolatry and the allure of visible instruments over the unseen God. Persuasion meets the inertia of long-held beliefs and communal fervor. The verse is sobering: even sound arguments and evident miracles cannot, by themselves, convert hearts. Only God can. Yet the apostles’ restraint reflects pastoral responsibility; they must not accept worship that belongs to God alone. Their effort, though barely successful, keeps the sacrifice from proceeding and preserves the integrity of their message and ministry.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And with these sayings scarce restrained they the multitudes from doing sacrifice unto them.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And with these sayings scarce restrained they the multitudes from doing sacrifice unto them.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And even with these words, it was hard for them to keep the people from making an offering to them.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and these things saying, scarcely did they restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Now there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium: and, persuading the multitude and stoning Paul, drew him out of the city, thinking him to be dead.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And saying these things, they with difficulty kept the crowds from sacrificing to them.
Context
This verse concludes the Lystra sermon’s immediate effect: the crowds remain on the verge of idolatrous sacrifice. The narrative tension is high. Into this unsettled scene come adversaries from previous cities (verse 19), who will sway the same crowd from adoration to violence. The juxtaposition prepares the reader for the shocking reversal that follows—Paul will be stoned and left for dead. Verse 18, therefore, functions as a pivot from near-worship to near-death, illustrating the instability of crowd-driven religion apart from true faith in the living God.
v.17And yet he left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.
v.18This passage
v.19But there came Jews thither from Antioch and Iconium: and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 6:15
Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain himself alone.
- Genesis 11:6
And Jehovah said, Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do: and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do.
- Jeremiah 44:16
As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of Jehovah, we will not hearken unto thee.
- Genesis 19:9
And they said, Stand back. And they said, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and drew near to break the door.
- Exodus 32:21
And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought a great sin upon them?
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