Acts 11:19-26

New International Reader's Version

The Believers in Antioch

¹⁹ Some believers had been scattered by the suffering that unbelievers had caused them. They were scattered after Stephen was killed. Those believers traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch. But they spread the word only among Jews. ²⁰ Some believers from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch. There they began to speak to Greeks also. They told them the good news about the Lord Jesus. ²¹ The Lord’s power was with them. Large numbers of people believed and turned to the Lord.

²² The church in Jerusalem heard about this. So they sent Barnabas to Antioch. ²³ When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad. He told them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. ²⁴ Barnabas was a good man. He was full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. Large numbers of people came to know the Lord.

²⁵ Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. ²⁶ He found him there. Then he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church. They taught large numbers of people. At Antioch the believers were called Christians for the first time.