Acts 11:22-30

Expanded Bible

²² The church in Jerusalem heard about all of this, so they sent Barnabas [4:36; 9:26–27] to Antioch. 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 [^Lthe grace of God], he ·was glad [rejoiced]. He ·encouraged [exhorted; urged] all the believers in Antioch always to ·obey [or remain true to] the Lord with ·all their hearts [resolved/resolute hearts], and many people ·became followers of [^Lwere added to] the Lord.

²⁵ Then Barnabas went to the city of Tarsus [^CPaul’s hometown in Cilicia; 9:11] to look for Saul, ²⁶ and when he found Saul, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year Saul and Barnabas met with the church and taught many people there. In Antioch the ·followers [disciples] were called Christians for the first time [^Chighlighting that they were followers of Christ, and perhaps that they were no longer viewed as merely a sect within Judaism].

²⁷ ·About that time [^LIn those days] some prophets came [^Ldown] from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ One of them, named Agabus [21:10], stood up and spoke ·with the help of [by the power of; through] the Holy Spirit. He said, “A severe famine is coming to the whole ·world [or inhabited world; ^Cprobably meaning the Roman empire].” (This happened when Claudius [^CRoman emperor from ad 41–54] ruled.) ²⁹ The ·followers [disciples] all decided to ·help [send relief to; ^Lsend (something) as a ministry for] the ·believers [brothers] who lived in Judea, as much as each one could. ³⁰ They ·gathered the money [^Ldid this] and ·gave it to Barnabas and Saul, who brought it to the elders in Judea [^Lsent it to the elders through the hand of Barnabas and Saul].