King James Bible
"And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead."
Jewish opponents traveled over 100 miles from cities where Paul had previously preached, demonstrating the intensity of their opposition to his message. Their pursuit across multiple cities shows how Paul's gospel proclamation created a network of resistance that followed his missionary journeys. The same crowd that had just tried to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods (v. 11-13) now turns violently against them. This rapid shift illustrates the fickleness of public opinion and how effectively hostile rhetoric can manipulate crowds. Stoning was the Jewish penalty for blasphemy, revealing what Paul's opponents believed about his teaching. Dragging the body outside the city follows Jewish law about removing corpses to prevent defilement, indicating they carried out what they considered a lawful execution. The attackers believed they had succeeded in killing Paul, yet the phrasing hints at his survival. This near-death experience becomes a defining moment Paul later references (2 Cor. 11:25), showing how suffering authenticated his apostolic ministry.