Back in the Battle

“Men! Why are you doing these things? We are men also, with the same nature as you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. In past generations He allowed all the nations to go their own way, although He did not leave Himself without a witness, since He did good: giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, and satisfying your hearts with food and happiness.” Even though they said these things, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.

Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they had won over the crowds and stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. After the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

After they had evangelized that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, strengthening the hearts of the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith, and by telling them, “It is necessary to pass through many troubles on our way into the kingdom of God.”
(Acts 14:15-22 Holman Christian Standard Bible ®©)

After they healed a man, Paul and Barnabas were mistaken for the “gods” Zeus and Hermes by citizens of Lystra. The next mistake the mob made was to listen to some people from Antioch and Iconium and to believe that Paul and Barnabas should be murdered with stones. They therefore tried to murder them with stones. They did such a good job at it they thought that they had succeeded.

Paul and Barnabas thought it was ordinary Kingdom work. They went back to check on the converts on their way back through the area.