Verse MeaningActsEasy to understand
Acts 14:12: Meaning Explained
And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
Acts 14:12
“They called Barnabas "Zeus" and Paul "Hermes," since Paul was the primary speaker.”
What Does This Verse Mean?
People thought Barnabas and Paul were Greek gods because Paul was the main speaker. The crowd called them by the names of their favorite gods.
What’s Happening Here
Paul and Barnabas healed a crippled man in Lystra. The amazed people decided they must be gods visiting their city. They started preparing to worship them.
Key Words
ZeusThe king god in Greek mythology
HermesThe messenger god in Greek mythology
PaulA Christian teacher who spreads Jesus's message
Why It Matters
This shows how people can misunderstand God's message. Paul and Barnabas had to stop the worship and tell people about the real God instead.
Did You Know?
The ancient Greeks worshipped gods they thought lived on Mount Olympus in the sky.
Word Study
G2564
they calledἐκάλουν
G5037
Andτε
G921
BarnabasΒαρναβᾶν
G2203
JupiterΔία
G1161
andδὲ
G3972
PaulΠαῦλον
G2060
MercuriusἙρμῆν
G1894
becauseἐπειδὴ
G846
heαὐτὸς
G2258
wasἦν
G2233
the chiefἡγούμενος
G3056
speakerλόγου
Cross References
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Read Acts 14:12 in the Bible reader, or explore the full chapter summary.