Acts 14:8At Lystra a certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked.
The setting
Lystra, Turkey (ancient Lycaonia), ~49 AD. A Roman colony where disabled people begged in the streets. This man sits daily in the same spot where Paul preaches.
The emotion here: clinical compassion as a physician recording medical details
The original word
chōlos (χωλός) — lame, maimed, specifically unable to walk properly
Why it matters
Lystra had no synagogue, so Paul preached outdoors in the agora marketplace
Read with care
What most readers miss in Acts 14:8
Luke emphasizes 'from his mother's womb' — this wasn't an accident, it was birth trauma
Common misconceptionPeople assume this is just about physical healing, but Luke is setting up how Paul's miracle caused the crowd to worship them as gods — the real story is about rejecting false worship.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Acts 14:8
Bible Genome reading
Acts 14:8 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Acts 14:8 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 grieving, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include disability, suffering. Notable phrases: impotent in his feet; cripple from birth; never had walked.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Acts 14:8 mean to you, today?
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