Verse MeaningActsComplex verse
Acts 14:11: Meaning Explained
And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods...
Acts 14:11
“When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!"”
What Does This Verse Mean?
The people were so amazed by the healing that they thought Paul and Barnabas were gods who had come down from heaven in human bodies.
What’s Happening Here
The people didn't understand. They thought Paul and Barnabas were gods. They wanted to worship them.
Key Words
Lycaonian languageThe local language of the region
GodsDivine beings; they thought Paul and Barnabas were superhuman
Come down to usDescended from heaven
Why It Matters
People often misunderstand spiritual power. They see miracles and think the person doing them is a god. But Paul would correct this idea.
Did You Know?
In Greek culture, it was believed that gods sometimes came to earth in human form. That's what these people thought was happening.
Word Study
G1161
Andδὲ
G3793
when the peopleὄχλοι
G1492
sawἰδόντες
G3739
whatὃ
G4160
had doneἐποίησεν
G3972
PaulΠαῦλος
G1869
they lifted upἐπῆραν
G5456
voicesφωνὴν
G3072
in the speech of LycaoniaΛυκαονιστὶ
G3004
sayingλέγοντες
G2316
The godsθεοὶ
G3666
in the likenessὁμοιωθέντες
G444
of menἀνθρώποις
G2597
are come downκατέβησαν
G4314
toπρὸς
G2248
usἡμᾶς
Cross References
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Read Acts 14:11 in the Bible reader, or explore the full chapter summary.