ESV 19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. MSG 19 Those who had been scattered by the persecution triggered by Stephen's death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but they were still only speaking and dealing with their fellow Jews. ESV 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. MSG 20 Then some of the men from Cyprus and Cyrene who had come to Antioch started talking to Greeks, giving them the Message of the Master Jesus. ESV 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. MSG 21 God was pleased with what they were doing and put his stamp of approval on it - quite a number of the Greeks believed and turned to the Master. ESV 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. MSG 22 When the church in Jerusalem got wind of this, they sent Barnabas to Antioch to check on things. ESV 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, MSG 23 As soon as he arrived, he saw that God was behind and in it all. He threw himself in with them, got behind them, urging them to stay with it the rest of their lives. ESV 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. MSG 24 He was a good man that way, enthusiastic and confident in the Holy Spirit's ways. The community grew large and strong in the Master. ESV 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, MSG 25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. ESV 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. MSG 26 He found him and brought him back to Antioch. They were there a whole year, meeting with the church and teaching a lot of people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were for the first time called Christians. ESV 27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. MSG 27 It was about this same time that some prophets came to Antioch from Jerusalem. ESV 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). MSG 28 One of them named Agabus stood up one day and, prompted by the Spirit, warned that a severe famine was about to devastate the country. (The famine eventually came during the rule of Claudius.) ESV 29 So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. MSG 29 So the disciples decided that each of them would send whatever they could to their fellow Christians in Judea to help out. ESV 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. MSG 30 They sent Barnabas and Saul to deliver the collection to the leaders in Jerusalem.
MSG 19 Those who had been scattered by the persecution triggered by Stephen's death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but they were still only speaking and dealing with their fellow Jews. MSG 20 Then some of the men from Cyprus and Cyrene who had come to Antioch started talking to Greeks, giving them the Message of the Master Jesus. MSG 21 God was pleased with what they were doing and put his stamp of approval on it - quite a number of the Greeks believed and turned to the Master. MSG 22 When the church in Jerusalem got wind of this, they sent Barnabas to Antioch to check on things. MSG 23 As soon as he arrived, he saw that God was behind and in it all. He threw himself in with them, got behind them, urging them to stay with it the rest of their lives. MSG 24 He was a good man that way, enthusiastic and confident in the Holy Spirit's ways. The community grew large and strong in the Master. MSG 25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. MSG 26 He found him and brought him back to Antioch. They were there a whole year, meeting with the church and teaching a lot of people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were for the first time called Christians. MSG 27 It was about this same time that some prophets came to Antioch from Jerusalem. MSG 28 One of them named Agabus stood up one day and, prompted by the Spirit, warned that a severe famine was about to devastate the country. (The famine eventually came during the rule of Claudius.) MSG 29 So the disciples decided that each of them would send whatever they could to their fellow Christians in Judea to help out. MSG 30 They sent Barnabas and Saul to deliver the collection to the leaders in Jerusalem.