Multilingualism in Lystra – a sociolinguistic reading of Acts 14:8-20 – leveraging multilingualism for mission

Multilingualism has reached high levels in our increasingly interconnected, globalizing world. Multilingual complexities are not new in the world of missions. Barnabas and Paul’s initial visit to Lystra (Acts 14:8-20) was occasioned by significant linguistic complexity. A sociolinguistic reading of this narrative provides a nuanced understanding of what was occurring during this event and the impact of these misunderstandings. This study provides insights on navigating complex multilingual environments in current missions and is accompanied by innovative ministry strategies that communicate in the best language(s) without requiring missionaries or church planters to learn multiple languages.