The Church in Antioch
19 Those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message to no one except Jews.
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But there were some of them, Cypriot and Cyrenian men, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Hellenists, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.
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The Lord's hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.
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Then the report about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel as far as Antioch.
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When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with a firm resolve of the heart-
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for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith-and large numbers of people were added to the Lord.
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Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul,
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and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers, and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Famine Relief
27 In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
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Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine throughout the Roman world. This took place during the time of Claudius. 41-54; there was a famine a.d. 47-48.
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So each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea.
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This they did, sending it to the elders by means of Barnabas and Saul.