This plan commended itself to the whole body, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch.

Then those who had been scattered by the trouble that arose over Stephen, traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch; but they preached the word to none except Jews. Some of them, however, were Cyprians and Cyrenaeans, who, on reaching Antioch, began to tell the Greeks also the Good News concerning the Lord Jesus. read more. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. When news of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch. When he arrived, and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord, with full purpose of heart; for he was a good man, and full of faith and the Holy Spirit. And a great multitude was added to the Lord. Then Barnabas visited Tarsus, to try to find Saul, and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch, where for a whole year they were guests of the church, and taught many people. And it was in Antioch that the disciples first received the name of "Christians." At that time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, who was Agabus, rose up, and being instructed by the Spirit, predicted that a great famine was about to come upon the whole inhabited earth. (It came in the reign of Claudius.) So the disciples decided to send relief, every man according to his means, to the brothers in Judea. This they did, forwarding their contributions to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Now there were in the church in Antioch prophets and teachers; Barnabas and Symeon, surnamed "the Black," Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, the foster-brother of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul.

Thence they sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been commended to the grace of God, for the work which they had now completed.

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, to select some of their number, and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. The men chosen were Judas called Bar-Sabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren. They took with them the following letter. "The apostles and older brothers send greeting to the Gentile Brotherhood throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia; read more. "as we have heard that some of your number who went out from us have troubled you with words and upset your souls, without having received any such instruction from us; "we have unanimously decided to select certain men, and to send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul; "men who have risked their very lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. "So we have sent Judas and Silas to tell you the same things by word of mouth. "For it has seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; "that you abstain from food that has been sacrificed to idols, and from tasting blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication. Keep yourselves clear from these things and it will be well with you. Farewell." So they, when they had been dispatched, went down to Antioch, and after gathering the whole multitude together, they handed them the letter, and when they had read it they rejoiced at the comfort it brought. And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many a good counsel. After spending some time there the brothers let them go with a greeting of peace to those who had sent them. Silas, however, stayed with them. Paul and Barnabas also stayed in Antioch teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord, in company with others.

Then, setting sail from Ephesus, he landed at Caesarea; he went up to Jerusalem and saluted the church, and came down to Antioch.

But when Cephas came to Antioch I resisted him to his face, because he stood self-condemned.