So a strange awe seized the whole church and everybody who heard it.

Saul heartily approved of his being put to death. So on that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all of them, except the apostles, were scattered over Judea and Samaria.

But Saul continued to harass the church, and by going from house to house and dragging off men and women he continued to put them into prison.

So the church all over Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, and as it continued to be built up spiritually and to live in reverence for the Lord, it continued to increase in numbers through the encouragement that the Holy Spirit gave.

Now the news about them came to the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and so they sent Barnabas all the way to Antioch.

and after he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. Now for a whole year their meeting with the church lasted, and they taught large numbers of people. It was at Antioch too that the disciples first came to be known as "Christians."

About that time Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, in order to do them violence.

So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church.

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who is called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen who was an intimate friend of the governor, and Saul.

They helped them select elders in each church, and after praying and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

On arriving there they called the church together, and in detail reported to them all that God had done through them as instruments, and how He had opened to the heathen the door of faith.

So they were endorsed and sent on by the church, and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told of the conversion of the heathen and brought great rejoicing to all the brothers.

When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported what God had done through them as instruments.

Then the apostles and elders in cooperation with the whole church passed a resolution to select and send some men of their number with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. These were Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers.

When he reached Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church there; then he went down to Antioch.

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

Take care of yourselves and of the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, so as to continue to be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.

On the next day we went with Paul to see James, and all the elders of the church came too.

He journeyed on through Syria and Cilicia and continued to strengthen the churches.

So the churches through faith continued to grow in strength and to increase in numbers from day to day.