Acts 14:3
Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
The events took place at Iconium, a resort for pleasure-seekers and aimless people populated by Romans, Greeks, and Jews. As at Antioch, Paul and Barnabas began there by working first in the synagogue for the Jews, with marked success among both Jews and Greeks. Many daily embraced the gospel and doctrine of Christ.
Despite envy, hatred, prejudice, and unreasonable opposition from unbelieving Jews who turned the Gentiles against the believers, they remained there a long time and kept speaking boldly in the Lord. Their bold speaking was faithful, persistent preaching of the doctrine of Christ. Unbelieving Jews tried to stop their labors by false and exaggerated charges to the authorities that they were attaching great numbers to themselves for secret and dangerous designs and that the whole city was in danger of insurrection.
Though repeatedly brought before the authorities on these charges, they defended themselves and stated their doctrine so ably, clearly, sensibly, calmly, and comprehensively that even prejudiced magistrates dared not condemn them. The magistrates had to acknowledge that their teaching made men virtuous, law-abiding citizens, while unprejudiced Jews and Greeks held that the morals and good order of the city would be improved by letting them remain and work. Attempts to stop the work instead gave the doctrine great publicity before a much larger number of unprejudiced hearers than before, and the city was divided with some siding with the apostles.
The Lord testified to the word of His grace by granting signs and wonders to be done daily by their hands through His power. These miracles carried convincing power to every mind open to evidence and conviction, so converts to the gospel multiplied, many embraced the teaching of Christ, and it reached more hearers. The verse illustrates missionary labor for the saving of souls by visiting every place where entrance can be gained, enlarging the circle of influence and extending the truth over a large territory, then visiting again the churches planted and returning to Antioch from which they had been set apart by prayer and counsel. This way of working without set boundaries, with the church ever advancing, ever educating workers for further conquests for Christ and ever moving on, is to be carried on now by laborers together with God in these last days.
As at Iconium, those who observe and teach the binding claims of God's law still frequently meet bitter opposition in a degree. They meet it from ministers and people who persistently refuse the light of God and who by misrepresentation and falsehood close every door of access to the people and try to keep the message from reaching others.