The answer is: Jupiter

Acts 14:12

During Paul’s first missionary journey, he and Barnabas had a memorable adventure in a town called Lystra. This event shows how easy it was for misunderstanding and cultural differences to arise in the ancient world. After encountering a man who had been lame his entire life and miraculously healed by Paul, the townspeople shouted that the gods had come down to them in human form. The local crowd identified Barnabas with Jupiter, the chief Roman god, while they pegged Paul as Mercury—more than just a fun nickname, this highlights a fascinating connection to Roman culture.

Interestingly, the city of Lystra wasn’t too far from the more famous Troas where another notable event occurred—the call to Paul to go to Macedonia in a vision (Acts 16). This proximity means the early Christian message was spreading relatively fast, often encountering cultural and religious practices that required nuanced understanding and respect.

In the temple of Jupiter, located near this region, sacrifices and rituals were commonplace, so it’s telling that when the locals wanted to venerate Barnabas and Paul, it demonstrated their perspective rooted in traditional belief systems more than any inherent wrongdoing by the apostles. Instead of embracing the worship, Paul and Barnabas ultimately proclaimed what was not just ancient mythology but a divine truth they were bringing. It says something about the nature of belief that sometimes the freest response is to reject accolades in the name of a higher purpose.