Free Bible lesson for kids · Paul’s Journeys
Paul in Lystra
In Lystra, Paul healed a man who had never walked. The crowd wanted to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods, but they tore their clothes and pointed the people to the living God.
- Bible passage
- Acts 14:8–22
- Big idea
- All glory belongs to God alone.
- Memory verse
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Acts 14:22 (KJV)- Ages
- Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- Included, free
- Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game
The story
In Lystra sat a man who had been lame from birth and had never walked (Acts 14:8). Paul saw that he had faith to be healed and cried, “Stand upright on thy feet.” And the man leaped and walked (Acts 14:9–10). The crowd shouted, “The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men” (Acts 14:11). A priest of their false god brought oxen to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:12–13).
Barnabas and Paul tore their clothes and ran among the people (Acts 14:14). They cried that they were only men and told them to turn to “the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea” (Acts 14:15). Later some men turned the crowd against Paul, and they stoned him, but he got up and went back into the city (Acts 14:19–20). Paul urged believers to keep on in the faith (Acts 14:22).
Read it in the Bible: Acts 14:8–22 (KJV)
8And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: 9The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. 11And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. 12And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. 13Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 14Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, 15And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: 16Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 17Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. 18And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. 19And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 20Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 21And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 22Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Questions to ask
Who did Paul heal in Lystra?
A man crippled from birth who had never walked.
What did the crowd want to do?
Offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas as gods.
Who did Paul say the people should turn to?
The living God, which made heaven and earth.
What this story teaches
- Only God deserves our worship, never people (Acts 14:14–15).
- The living God made heaven, earth, the sea and everything (Acts 14:15).
- God shows His goodness by giving rain, food and gladness (Acts 14:17).
- God healed the lame man, who had faith to be healed (Acts 14:9–10).
- Following Jesus can be hard, but we keep on in faith (Acts 14:22).
Jesus Became One of Us
The crowd wrongly thought gods had come down as men. But Jesus, who is God, truly came and was made in the likeness of men.
Philippians 2:6–7
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Give God the glory for good things. |
|---|---|
| 10 min | The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next. |
| 10 min | Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “All glory belongs to God alone.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say Acts 14:22 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone. |
| 10 min | Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions). |
| 5 min | Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week. |
- Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
- Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
- Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.
Game time
For kids · game · indoors · about 8 minutes
Not Me, It’s God!
You need: A paper crown, music
- Pass the crown around the circle while the music plays.
- When the music stops, whoever holds it puts it down, points up and shouts, “Not me! Give glory to God!”
- Then they name one thing God made.
The people wanted to worship Paul and Barnabas, but they said, “Turn from these vanities unto the living God.”
For youth group · activity · indoors · about 20 minutes
Unsung Heroes
You need: Cards, pens
- List the people who serve behind the scenes at church: custodians, nursery workers, the sound team.
- Write each a thank-you card that points the praise to God: “Thank you for serving Jesus by…”
- Deliver them on Sunday.
Paul and Barnabas gave all the glory to God. We serve so that God gets the praise.
Pray
Give God the glory for good things.