Overview
Lystra was a Roman city in Galatia (modern-day Turkey) visited by Paul and Barnabas during Paul's first missionary journey. When Paul healed a man lame from birth, the astonished crowd attempted to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods, calling them Hermes and Zeus. This incident reveals how pagan worldviews distort understanding of God's power and the importance of redirecting all glory to Christ alone.
Key Scriptures
"And there sat a man impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked" (Acts 14:8, KJV). "And when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God" (Acts 14:14-15, KJV).
Application
When God works powerfully through us, we must humbly redirect all praise to Him rather than accepting human honor that belongs only to Christ.