Acts 14:8-12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 14:8-18

In these verses we have, I. A miraculous cure wrought by Paul at Lystra upon a cripple that had been lame from his birth, such a one as was miraculously cured by Peter and John, Acts 3:2. That introduced the gospel among the Jews, this among the Gentiles; both that and this were designed to represent the impotency of all the children of men in spiritual things: they are lame from their birth, till the grace of God puts strength into them; for it was when we were yet without strength that... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 14:8-18

14:8-18 There was a man who sat in Lystra who had no power in his feet. He had been a cripple from his birth and he had never walked. He was in the habit of listening to Paul speaking. Paul fixed his gaze on him. He saw that he had faith that he could be cured and he said to him in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet." He leaped up and kept walking about. When the crowds saw what Paul had done they exclaimed in the Lycaonian dialect, "The gods have taken the form of men and have... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 14:8

And there sat a certain man at Lystra ,.... Where the apostle was preaching; and perhaps he sat there to beg, where there was a great concourse of people, and which might be in the open street: this man was impotent in his feet ; so weak, as not to be able to walk, and even to stand on them, and therefore is said to sit: being a cripple from his mother's womb ; he was born lame, as was the man cured by Peter, Acts 3:2 who never had walked ; these circumstances are mentioned, to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 14:9

The same heard Paul speak ,.... That is, preach the Gospel; he was one of his hearers, and faith came to hint by hearing; the Arabic version adds, "he cried unto him"; that is, to Paul, whom he heard: who steadfastly beholding him ; not the lame man beholding Paul, but Paul beholding the lame man, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions both express it, as also Beza's ancient copy and others; so Peter looked on the man he cured, Acts 3:4 . And perceiving that he had faith to be healed ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 14:10

Said with a loud voice ,.... Not only that the man, but that all might hear and attend to the miracle about to be wrought: stand upright on thy feet ; in five of Beza's manuscripts, and in other copies, and in the Complutensian edition, and in the Syriac version, this clause is introduced with these words, "I say unto thee, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ"; which is much such a form that Peter used, Acts 3:6 whereby the virtue of the miracle is ascribed to Christ, and not assumed... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 14:11

And when the people saw what Paul had done ,.... In curing the lame man in so marvellous a manner, and concluding it to be a divine work, and what a mere creature could never perform: they lift up their voices ; not in indignation and wrath, but as persons astonished: saying in the speech of Lycaonia ; by which it should seem that Lystra was a city of Lycaonia, since the Lycaonian language was spoken in it; the Arabic version reads, "in their own tongue"; and the Syriac version, "in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 14:12

And they called Barnabas Jupiter ,.... The supreme God; it may be because that Barnabas was the oldest man, of the tallest stature, and largest bulk, and made the best figure; whereas Paul was younger, of a low stature, and mean appearance: and Paul Mercurius , because he was the chief speaker; Mercury was the god of eloquence, and the messenger of the gods, and the interpreter of their will F18 Vid Macrob. Saturnal. l. 1. c. 17,19. ; Paul being chiefly concerned in preaching and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 14:8

Impotent in his feet - Αδυνατος τοις ποσιν , He had no muscular power, and probably his ancle bones were dislocated; or he had what is commonly termed club feet; this is the more likely, as he is said to have been lame from his mother's womb, and to have never walked. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 14:9

That he had faith to be healed - How did this faith come to this poor heathen? Why, by hearing the word of God preached: for it is said, the same heard Paul speak. And it appears that he credited the doctrine he heard, and believed that Jesus could, if he would, make him whole. Besides, he must have heard of the miracles which the apostles had wrought, see Acts 14:3 ; and this would raise his expectation of receiving a cure. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 14:10

Said with a loud voice - After this clause the following is found in CD, and several others, either in the text or margin: σοι λεγω εν τῳ ονοματι του Κυριου Ιησου ΧριϚου , I say unto thee, In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, "stand upright on thy feet." This reading is also in several versions; and though it may not stand on such evidence as to entitle it to a place in the text, yet it is not likely that St. Paul would not have used the sacred name on such an occasion; especially as... read more

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