Paul and Barnabas were horrified. When they heard what was happening, they tore their clothes and ran in among the people, crying out (Acts 14:14). Barnes says tearing their clothes was "an expression of their abhorrence of what the people were doing, and of their deep grief." Their question was not calm. Gill says it was spoken "with a mixture of indignation, heat, and zeal," and Barnes calls it a "solemn remonstrance at the folly of their conduct." They wanted the crowd to stop at once and see the truth: "We also are men of like passions with you."

Paul and Barnabas answered their own question by pointing the crowd to "the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea" (Acts 14:15). They told how God "left not himself without witness," giving "rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons" (Acts 14:17). Even so, "with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them" (Acts 14:18). Soon after, Jews from Antioch and Iconium persuaded the people, and they stoned Paul (Acts 14:19).

Lystra was a city of Lycaonia (Acts 14:6), and the people cried out "in the speech of Lycaonia" (Acts 14:11). They called Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mercurius (the ESV has Zeus and Hermes). Barnes explains, "The office of Mercury was to deliver the messages of the gods; and as Paul only had been discoursing, he was supposed to be Mercury." The priest brought "oxen and garlands" (Acts 14:13); Barnes notes that victims of sacrifice were usually decorated with ribbons and flowers.

Gill says tearing clothes was what the Jews did "when they heard any blasphemy." "Of like passions" is homoiopatheis, of like nature. "Vanities" is mataion, vain or useless things. Barnes says idols were called vanities "as opposed to the living and true God."

The honor belonged to God, and His servants refused to take it. The same miracle that should have pointed the people to God was being turned to idol worship, and Paul and Barnabas would not allow it. Their message was not "honor us" but "turn from these vanities unto the living God" (Acts 14:15).

The sermon that follows shows God's patience with the nations. He "in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways," yet He "left not himself without witness, in that he did good" (Acts 14:16-17). The rain, the harvests, and the food that filled their hearts with gladness all came from the God they did not know. Peter had said the same at Cornelius' house: "Stand up; I myself also am a man" (Acts 10:26).