What Does Acts 14:21-22 Mean?
Acts 14:21-22 describes how Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch after preaching the gospel and making many disciples in Derbe. They strengthened the new believers, encouraged them to stay faithful, and taught that following Jesus means going through hard times, saying, 'through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.' This moment shows that faith isn’t about avoiding trouble, but growing through it.
Acts 14:21-22
When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
Key Facts
Book
Author
Luke
Genre
Narrative
Date
Approximately AD 60-62
Key Themes
Key Takeaways
- Faith grows stronger through trials, not in spite of them.
- True discipleship prepares believers for hardship, not comfort.
- Suffering is part of entering God’s kingdom, not a sign of failure.
The Return to Strengthen the Church
After planting churches and facing violent opposition, including Paul being stoned and left for dead in Lystra (Acts 14:19), Paul and Barnabas make a surprising move - they return to the very cities where they were persecuted.
Their journey takes them back through Derbe, then to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, the same places where Jews had stirred up crowds against them and where Paul was nearly killed. This return trip wasn’t for safety or rest - it was intentional discipleship. They wanted to strengthen the new believers’ hearts, help them stay rooted in their faith, and prepare them for the hardships that often come with following Jesus.
This act of coming back shows that real spiritual growth doesn’t happen in comfort, but through perseverance, community, and honest teaching - like the truth that 'through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.'
Perseverance and the Already-Not-Yet Kingdom
Paul and Barnabas tell new disciples that 'through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God,' and instead of merely warning them, they explain what it means to live as God’s people in a broken world.
This idea would have challenged both Jewish expectations of a triumphant Messiah and Greco-Roman ideals of honor and self-sufficiency, where strength meant rising above suffering, not enduring it for a higher purpose.
Following Jesus doesn’t mean escaping trouble - it means growing through it, with hope anchored beyond this world.
The phrase 'we must enter' points to necessity - not random hardship, but purposeful trials that shape faith. The 'kingdom of God' is not only a future destination. It is a present reality breaking into the world through the church, though it still awaits full fulfillment. This 'already-not-yet' tension means believers live between two ages: experiencing God’s power now while still facing brokenness. Just as Paul was stoned yet rose and kept going, so real faith persists. And this aligns with what Paul later writes in 2 Corinthians 4:6 - 'For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ' - showing that divine strength shines brightest in human weakness.
Preparing New Believers for the Hard Road
This passage shows that true discipleship means preparing new believers not for an easy life, but for a faithful one, even when it’s hard.
Real faith isn’t about avoiding trouble - it’s about being prepared for it and growing through it.
Paul and Barnabas didn’t hide the struggles they’d faced. Instead, they taught that 'through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God,' making it clear that trials are part of the journey, not a sign of failure. This honest, caring approach helped new Christians stay strong, knowing they weren’t promised a life without pain, but a hope that lasts beyond it.
Suffering as a Path to Glory: A Biblical Pattern from Christ to the Church
Paul and Barnabas not only taught about suffering; they lived it, following the pattern Jesus laid out: suffering before glory, cross before crown.
This is exactly what Paul later explains in Romans 5:3-5: 'Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.' Likewise, Paul reminds Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12, 'Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.' These verses confirm that trials are not signs of God’s absence, but part of His shaping process.
The road of tribulation Paul speaks of isn’t a detour - it’s the very path Jesus walked, and the one he calls his followers to walk, too.
Just as Jesus called His followers to take up their cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24), Paul and Barnabas show us that real faith grows through hardship, not in spite of it - pointing back to Christ’s own sacrifice and forward to the hope of His coming kingdom.
Application
How This Changes Everything: Real Life Impact
I remember a time when I thought following Jesus meant everything would finally fall into place - less stress, more peace, maybe even fewer problems. But then came a season of layoffs, strained relationships, and sleepless nights. I felt like I was failing at faith because life wasn’t getting easier. That’s when Acts 14:22 hit me: 'through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.' It wasn’t a sign I was off track - it was proof I was on it. Like Paul, who returned to the very cities where he was stoned, I realized my struggles weren’t God’s punishment, but part of His process. This truth didn’t remove the pain, but it gave me purpose in it. Now, when hardship comes, I don’t ask, 'Why me?' as much as, 'What is God growing in me?'
Personal Reflection
- When have I mistaken difficulty as a sign of God’s disapproval, rather than a part of His discipleship plan?
- Who in my life needs encouragement to keep going in their faith, even when it’s hard - and how can I strengthen them like Paul and Barnabas did?
- What current trial might God be using to build endurance, character, and hope in me, just as Romans 5:3-5 describes?
A Challenge For You
This week, reach out to someone who’s going through a tough time - not to fix their problem, but to remind them that God is at work in their struggle. And when you face a difficulty, pause and ask: 'How might this be part of my journey into God’s kingdom, not a detour from it?'
A Prayer of Response
God, thank you that you don’t promise a life without trouble, but that you’re with me in every trial. Help me see hard times not as proof I’ve failed, but as paths you’re using to grow my faith. Give me courage to keep walking with you, even when it’s tough. And help me encourage others, just like Paul and Barnabas did, so we can all keep moving toward your kingdom together.
Related Scriptures & Concepts
Immediate Context
Acts 14:19-20
Describes Paul being stoned and left for dead, showing the cost of ministry and why returning to strengthen disciples was urgent.
Acts 14:23
Highlights the appointment of elders, continuing the theme of establishing and stabilizing new churches after persecution.
Connections Across Scripture
1 Peter 4:12-13
Encourages believers not to be surprised by trials, but to rejoice - echoing Paul’s teaching on entering the kingdom through suffering.
Colossians 1:24
Paul rejoices in sufferings for the church, reflecting the same mindset of redemptive hardship seen in Acts 14.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Calls believers to endure hardship as discipline, fixing eyes on Jesus - the pioneer and perfecter of faith.