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Acts 14:12
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10 said with a loud voice, a“Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.  
11 Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, a“The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”  
12 And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.  
13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, aintending to sacrifice with the multitudes.  
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, athey tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out  
15 and saying, “Men, awhy are you doing these things? bWe also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from cthese useless things dto the living God, ewho made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,  
Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
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Acts 14:12

They called (ekaloun). Inchoative imperfect began to call.

Barnabas, Jupiter (ton Barnaban Dia). Because Barnabas was the older and the more imposing in appearance. Paul admits that he was not impressive in looks (II Corinthians 10:10).

And Paul, Mercury (ton de Paulon ermhn). Mercury (ermhv) was the messenger of the gods, and the spokesman of Zeus. ermhv was of beautiful appearance and eloquent in speech, the inventor of speech in legend. Our word hermeneutics or science of interpretation comes from this word (Hebrews 7:2; John 1:38).

Because he was the chief speaker (epeidh autov hn o hgoumenov tou logou). Paul was clearly "the leader of the talk." So it seemed a clear case to the natives. If preachers always knew what people really think of them! Whether Paul was alluding to his experience in Lystra or not in Galatians 4:14, certainly they did receive him as an angel of God, as if "Mercury" in reality.




Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 14:12:

Luke 24:27
Acts 13:16
Acts 14:8
2 Corinthians 10:10
2 Corinthians 10:10
2 Corinthians 11:25
Galatians 4:14
2 Timothy 3:11

 

<< Acts 14:11   Acts 14:13 >>

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