A.T. Robertson Commentary Acts 14:8

"And at Lystra there sat a certain man, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother`s womb, who never had walked." — Acts 14:8 (ASV)

At Lystra (εν Λυστροις). Neuter plural as in 16:2; 2 Timothy 3:11 while feminine singular in 14:6,21; 16:1. There was apparently no synagogue in Lystra and so not many Jews. Paul and Barnabas had to do open-air preaching and probably had difficulty in being understood by the natives though both Greek and Latin inscriptions were discovered here by Professor Sterrett in 1885. The incident narrated here (verses 8-18) shows how they got a real hearing among these rude heathen.

There sat (εκαθητο). Imperfect middle of καθημα. Was sitting. This case is very much like that in 3:1-11, healed by Peter. Possibly outside the gate (verse 13) or some public place.

Impotent in his feet (αδυνατος τοις ποσιν). Old verbal, but only here in the N.T. in this sense except figuratively in Ro 15:1. Elsewhere it means "impossible" (Matthew 19:26). Locative case. Common in medical writers in the sense of "impotent." So Tobit 2:10; 5:9.

Had walked (περιεπατησεν). So best MSS., first aorist active indicative "walked," not περιεπεπατηκε, "had walked" (past perfect active).