The New Church in Antioch

¹⁹ Now the people who were scattered by the persecution that started because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. ²⁰ But among them were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began proclaiming the Lord Jesus even to the Hellenistic Jews.^{[a] 21} The hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

²² When the church in Jerusalem heard this news, they sent Barnabas all the way to Antioch. ²³ When he arrived, he rejoiced to see what the grace of God had done,^[b] and with hearty determination he kept encouraging all of them to remain faithful to the Lord, ²⁴ because he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And so a large number of people was brought to the Lord.

²⁵ Then Barnabas left for Tarsus to look for Saul. ²⁶ When he found him, he brought him to Antioch, and for a whole year they were guests of the church and taught many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.