20 Some of these believers were men from Cyprus and Cyrene. When these men came to Antioch, they began speaking to people who were not Jews. They told them the Good News about the Lord Jesus.
21 The Lord was helping these men, and a large number of people believed and decided to follow the Lord.
22 When the church in Jerusalem heard about this, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23-24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. When he went to Antioch and saw how God had blessed the believers there, he was very happy. He encouraged them all, saying, “Always be faithful to the Lord. Serve him with all your heart.” Many more people became followers of the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas went to the city of Tarsus to look for Saul.
26 When he found him, he brought him to Antioch. They stayed there a whole year. Every time the church came together, Barnabas and Saul met with them and taught many people. It was in Antioch that the followers of the Lord Jesus were called “Christ-followers” for the first time.
27 About that same time some prophets went from Jerusalem to Antioch.