Bible Questions Answered: Apostle Paul Stonned To Death

Bible Questions Answered:
Did the Apostle Paul die twice?

Bible Answers:
Everyone is familiar with the death and calling back from the dead,of the life of Lazarus (John 11:1-46). (A man who died twice.)

But the question is, did the Apostle Paul, meet with death, and yet come back to life?

It would seem so.

Acts 14:1-20 NLT

Paul and Barnabas in Iconium

1 The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers.
2 Some of the Jews, however, spurned God's message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas.
3 But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders.
4 But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.
5 Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them.
6 When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area.
7 And there they preached the Good News.

Paul and Barnabas in Lystra and Derbe

8 While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting
9 and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed.
10 So Paul called to him in a loud voice, "Stand up!" And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.
11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, "These men are gods in human form!"
12 They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker.
13 Now the temple of Zeus was located just outside the town. So the priest of the temple and the crowd brought bulls and wreaths of flowers to the town gates, and they prepared to offer sacrifices to the apostles.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting,
15 "Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.
16 In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways,
17 but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts."
18 But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them.
19 Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead.
20 But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.


All the people thought that Paul was dead, after all he had just been stoned by them all.
Criminals were killed in this fashion.

Some 14 yeas later the Apostle relates to the Corinthian believers this story....

II Corinthians 12:1-10 NLT

Paul's Vision and His Thorn in the Flesh

1 This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord.
2 I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don't know—only God knows.
3 Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know
4 that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.
5 That experience is worth boasting about, but I'm not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses.
6 If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won't do it, because I don't want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message,
7 even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.
9 Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Did the Apostle Paul die at Lystra?
Was that when he was caught up to heaven?
Did God encourage him, and send him back, to finish his mission?

We'll have to ask him some day!

One thing we do know for sure, for all who love and do the work of the Lord...

Isaiah 43:1,3 NLT
1 But now, O Jacob (God's People), listen to the LORD who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says,
"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are Mine.
2 When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
3 For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.