Acts 14:2But the disbelieving Jews stirred up and embittered the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers.
The setting
Iconium (modern Konya, Turkey), ~49 AD. Paul and Barnabas have been preaching for weeks in the synagogue. Jewish leaders begin a whisper campaign...
The emotion here: grieved but unsurprised at human nature
The original word
parōxunan (παρώξυναν) — to sharpen against, literally 'to whet a knife'
Why it matters
Iconium was a major trading hub where Greeks, Romans, and Jews lived in close quarters
Read with care
What most readers miss in Acts 14:2
This wasn't spontaneous anger - it was calculated propaganda to turn neighbors against each other
Common misconceptionPeople think this was about theology, but it was about economics - Jewish leaders feared losing influence and donations to the new Christian movement.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Acts 14:2
Bible Genome reading
Acts 14:2 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Acts 14:2 comes from the book of Acts, written during the early_church period. These words are attributed to Luke. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include opposition, persecution. Notable phrases: disbelieving Jews; stirred up; embittered.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
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