15
When I began my speech, the Holy Spirit came on them just as he came on us at the beginning.
16
Then I remembered the words of the Lord. He said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
17
Since God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I stop the work of God?"
18
When the Jewish believers heard this, they stopped arguing. They praised God and said, "So God is allowing even those who are not Jewish to turn to him and live."
19
Many of the believers were scattered when they were persecuted after Stephen was killed. Some of them went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch telling the message to others, but only to Jews.
20
Some of these believers were people from Cyprus and Cyrene. When they came to Antioch, they spoke also to Greeks, telling them the Good News about the Lord Jesus.
21
The Lord was helping the believers, and a large group of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22
The church in Jerusalem heard about all of this, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
24
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and full of faith. When he reached Antioch and saw how God had blessed the people, he was glad. He encouraged all the believers in Antioch always to obey the Lord with all their hearts, and many people became followers of the Lord.
25
Then Barnabas went to the city of Tarsus to look for Saul,