“And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, 'The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!' Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 'Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.' Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them” (Acts 14: 11-18).
保羅行神蹟，他使一個生來瘸腿從來沒有走過的人跳起來並且行走，因此眾人就認為巴拿巴是希臘的眾神之王宙斯，而保羅是宙斯的兒子希耳米。
首先，我們看到保羅所行的神蹟真是太不可思議了，並且眾人都看見這事，以至於眾人都把他當作神。
但上帝的僕人所做的回應是，他們很激動的撕開衣服，說：我們跟你們一樣是人，不是神。並且，保羅很明確地說：我們傳福音給你們的目的不是要你們來拜我們，而是希望你們離棄那些虛妄的信仰，讓你們去拜真正的創造天地萬物的創造者。
這位創造者上帝，容忍萬國有不同的作為，雖然萬國各行其道，並不相信真正的上帝，但是上帝還是賞賜給全世界的人他們生命所需要的，並藉著自然顯露祂自己。
正如馬太福音以及羅馬書所指出的：「他叫日頭照好人，也照歹人；降雨給義人，也給不義的人」（5:45）；「自從造天地以來，上帝的永能和神性是明明可知的，雖是眼不能見，但藉著所造之物就可以曉得，叫人無可推諉」（1:20）。
這邊我特別要指出：我們應當離棄「虛妄」（vain things），不應將人當神拜，人就是人，不會因為行了什麼特殊的事而變成神。我們也不應將任何東西當神拜，比如木頭、金銀雕刻的偶像，它們不過就是沒有氣息的人手所造之物並且可以隨意被毀壞的東西。
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