Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 14:3

"Long time therefore they tarried [there] speaking boldly in the Lord, who bare witness unto the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands." — Acts 14:3 (ASV)

Luke tells us that the apostles ministered for a “considerable time” in the city and preached boldly “for the Lord,” with God confirming “the message of his grace” by “miraculous signs and wonders.” The mention of “the Lord” undoubtedly refers to Jesus the Lord, thus showing the Christocentric nature of the missioners’ preaching. And the couplet “miraculous signs and wonders” (cf. 15:12) places the ministry of Paul and Barnabas directly in line with that of Jesus (cf. 2:22) and the early church (cf. 2:43; 4:30; 5:12; 6:8; 7:36) in fulfillment of prophecy (cf. 2:19). Later when writing his Galatian converts (assuming a “South Galatian” origin for the letter), Paul appeals to these mighty works performed by the Spirit as evidence that the Gospel as he preached it and as they received it was fully approved by God (cf. Galatians 3:4–5).