Acts 11:19–30

The Church in Antioch

^19mNow those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. ²⁰But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists³ also, ⁿpreaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹And ^othe hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed ^pturned to the Lord. ²²The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. ²³When he came and saw ^qthe grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord ^rwith steadfast purpose, ²⁴for he was a good man, ^sfull of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people ^twere added to the Lord. ²⁵So Barnabas went to ^uTarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called ^vChristians.

²⁷Now in these days ^wprophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸And one of them named ^xAgabus stood up and foretold ^yby the Spirit that there would be a great ^zfamine over all the world (this took place in the days of ^aClaudius). ²⁹So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, ^bto send relief to ^cthe brothers⁴ living in Judea. ^30dAnd they did so, sending it to ^ethe elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.