Acts 14:21When they had preached the Good News to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
The setting
Derbe, Turkey, ~49 AD. After successful evangelism, Paul and Barnabas make a dangerous decision to retrace their steps through cities where they faced persecution...
The emotion here: proud of Paul and Barnabas's courage and fruitfulness
The original word
mathēteuō (μαθητεύσαντες) — to make disciples, not just converts but committed followers
Why it matters
Derbe was a Roman colony on the frontier, offering citizenship protection to residents
Read with care
What most readers miss in Acts 14:21
They could have safely continued east to Paul's hometown Tarsus, but chose the dangerous route back
Common misconceptionMany think evangelism ends with conversion, but Paul shows the real work is discipleship - returning to strengthen new believers.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Acts 14:21
Bible Genome reading
Acts 14:21 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Acts 14:21 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 growing, with a comfort power of 45% and a tone that is celebratory. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include evangelism, discipleship. Notable phrases: preached the Good News; made many disciples.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same growing
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
— Proverbs 22:6
“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
— Romans 10:17
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
— John 3:30
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
— Galatians 6:2
“He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.”
— Genesis 15:6
Your reflection
What does Acts 14:21 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "growing"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.