11 Bible Verses about Antioch in Syria

This plan commended itself to the whole body, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nikanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nikolaos a proselyte from Antioch;

Now those who had been scattered by the trouble which arose over Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they preached the word to none except Jews.

Some of them, however, were Cypriotes and Cyrenians, who on reaching Antioch told the Greeks also the gospel of the Lord Jesus;

and on finding him he brought him to Antioch, where for a whole year they were guests of the church and taught considerable numbers. It was at Antioch too that the disciples were originally called "Christians."

The news of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they despatched Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God he rejoiced, and encouraged them all to hold by the Lord with heartfelt purpose (for he was a good man, full of the holy Spirit and faith). Considerable numbers of people were brought in for the Lord.

So Barnabas went off to Tarsus to look for Saul, and on finding him he brought him to Antioch, where for a whole year they were guests of the church and taught considerable numbers. It was at Antioch too that the disciples were originally called "Christians." During these days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch,read more.
one of whom, named Agabus, showed by the Spirit that a severe famine was about to visit the whole world (the famine which occurred in the reign of Claudius). So the disciples put aside money, as each of them was able to afford it, for a contribution to be sent to the brothers in Judaea. This they carried out, sending their contribution to the presbyters by Barnabas and Saul.

Now in the local church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Symeon (called Niger) and Lucius the Cyrenian, besides Manaen (a foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. As they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the holy Spirit said, "Come! set me apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and let them go.read more.
Sent out thus by the holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

Paul and Barnabas, however, stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord along with a number of others. Some days later, Paul said to Barnabas, "Come and let us go back to visit the brothers in every town where we have proclaimed the word of the Lord. Let us see how they are doing." But while Barnabas wanted to take John (who was called Mark) along with them,read more.
Paul held they should not take a man with them who had deserted them in Pamphylia, instead of accompanying them on active service. So in irritation they parted company, Barnabas taking Mark with him and sailing for Cyprus, while Paul selected Silas and went off, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. He made his way through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

thence they sailed for Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On their arrival they gathered the church together and reported how God had been with them, what he had done, and how he had opened a door into faith for the Gentiles. They spent a considerable time with the disciples there.

But certain individuals came down from Jerusalem and taught the brothers that "unless you get circumcised after the custom of Moses you cannot be saved." As a sharp dispute and controversy sprang up between them and Paul and Barnabas, it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas, along with some others of their number, should go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and presbyters at Jerusalem about this question. The church sped them on their journey, and they passed through both Phoenicia and Syria informing the brothers, to the great joy of all, that the Gentiles were turning to God.read more.
On arriving at Jerusalem they were received by the church, the apostles and the presbyters, and they reported how God had been with them and what he had done.

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face. The man stood self-condemned. Before certain emissaries of James arrived, he ate along with the Gentile Christians; but when they arrived, he began to draw back and hold aloof, because he was afraid of the circumcision party. The rest of the Jewish Christians also played false along with him, so much so that even Barnabas was carried away by their false play.read more.
But I saw they were swerving from the true line of the gospel; so I said to Cephas in presence of them all, "If you live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, though you are a Jew yourself, why do you oblige the Gentiles to become Jews?" ??15 We may be Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners,' but since we know a man is justified simply by faith in Jesus Christ and not by doing what the Law commands, we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus so as to get justified by faith in Christ and not by doing what the Law commands ??for by doing what the Law commands no person shall be justified. If it is discovered that in our quest for justification in Christ we are 'sinners' as well as the Gentiles, does that make Christ an agent of sin? Never! I really convict myself of transgression when I rebuild what I destroyed. For through the Law I died to the Law that I might live for God; I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, Christ lives in me; the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me. I do not annul God's grace; but if righteousness comes by way of the Law, then indeed Christ's death was useless.