Acts 14:21

ωὐαγγελ.: continuous preaching, present participle, and the result, many disciples; not “having taught many,” A.V., but “had made many disciples,” R.V., cf. Matthew 28:19. No doubt they pursued the same course as at Lystra, and again we have direct proof that the teaching of the Gospel was not in vain: it is therefore quite unwarrantable to suppose that Paul's speech at Lystra indicates the powerlessness of the message of the Gospel in contact with deep-rooted heathenism (Bethge); in Acts 14:22-23 we have abundant proof that Paul had not limited his first preaching in Lystra to truths of natural religion, for now on his return the disciples are bidden ἐμμένειν τῇ πίστει, and they are commended to the Lord, εἰς ὃν πεπιστεύκεισαν, “on whom they had believed”. No persecution is mentioned at Lystra, with which cf. 2 Timothy 3:11. ὑπέστρεψαν : how they were able to do this after they had been recently expelled, cf. Ramsay, Church in the Roman Empire, p. 70 ff., and McGiffert, Apostolic Age, pp. 190, 191 no permanent disability could be inflicted on them by the magistrates, and the person expelled might return after a little, especially if new magistrates had been appointed in the interim. Moreover, on their return journey the Apostles may have refrained from open and public preaching, and devoted themselves rather to the organisation of the Christian communities. (There is therefore no ground for Hilgenfeld's and Wendt's reference of Acts 14:19 to a different source from the verse before us.) At the same time the courage of the Apostle is also noteworthy: “neque enim securum petit, ubi instar emeriti militis otio fruatur, sed etiam repetit loca, in quibus paullo ante male tractatus fuerat,” Calvin.