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This content from Berean Standard Bible (public domain)
(Matthew 28:1â10; Luke 24:1â12; John 20:1â9)
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint the body of Jesus. Very early on the first day of the week, [Literally And very early on the first of the Sabbaths, ]just after sunrise, they went to the tomb. They were asking one another, âWho will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb?â But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, even though it was extremely large.
When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. But he said to them, âDo not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, âHe is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.ââ
So the women left the tomb and ran away, trembling and bewildered. And in their fear they did not say a word to anyone. [Early manuscripts end the Gospel of Mark after verse 8. Other manuscripts contain only a short ending, a version of the following: 9 But they quickly reported all these instructions to Peterâs companions. Afterward, Jesus Himself, through them, sent out from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation. Amen. ]
(John 20:10â18)
Early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen, [Or After Jesus had risen early on the first day of the week ]He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had driven out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, who were mourning and weeping. And when they heard that Jesus was alive and she had seen Him, they did not believe it.
(Luke 24:13â35)
After this, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them as they walked along in the country.
And they went back and reported it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
(Matthew 28:16â20)
Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
And He said to them, âGo into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; [WH in tongues ] they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.â
(Luke 24:50â53; Acts 1:6â11)
After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked through them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it. (BSB)
This content from World English Bible (public domain)
In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain. Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him out of the mountain, saying, âThis is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: âYou have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles â wings, and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.â These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.â
Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Yahweh commanded him. All the people answered together, and said, âAll that Yahweh has spoken we will do.â
Moses reported the words of the people to Yahweh. Yahweh said to Moses, âBehold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.â Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh. Yahweh said to Moses, âGo to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments, and be ready for the third day; for on the third day Yahweh will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai. You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, âBe careful that you donât go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death. No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live.â When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain.â
Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. He said to the people, âBe ready by the third day. Donât have sexual relations with a woman.â
On the third day, when it was morning, there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled. Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain. All of Mount Sinai smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
Yahweh said to Moses, âGo down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish. Let the priests also, who come near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break out on them.â
Moses said to Yahweh, âThe people canât come up to Mount Sinai, for you warned us, saying, âSet bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.ââ
Yahweh said to him, âGo down! You shall bring Aaron up with you, but donât let the priests and the people break through to come up to Yahweh, lest he break out against them.â
So Moses went down to the people, and told them. (WEB)
This content from World English Bible (public domain)
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, [âChristâ means âAnointed Oneâ. ]called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God, which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was born of the offspring [or, seed ]of David according to the flesh, who was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for his nameâs sake; among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ; to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers, requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established; that is, that I with you may be encouraged in you, each of us by the otherâs faith, both yours and mine.
Now I donâ t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you (and was hindered so far), that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish. So as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome.
For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. For in it is revealed Godâs righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, âBut the righteous shall live by faith.â (Habakkuk 2:4 )
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them. For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse. Because knowing God, they didnâ t glorify him as God, and didnâ t give thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves; who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error. Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them. (WEB)
This content from World English Bible (public domain)
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: [âChristâ means âAnointed Oneâ. ]Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father. We know, brothers [The word for âbrothersâ here and where context allows may also be correctly translated âbrothers and sistersâ or âsiblings.â ]loved by God, that you are chosen, and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out, so that we need not to say anything. For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead: Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. (WEB)
This content from World English Bible (public domain)
For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesnât know it; all is before them. All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesnât sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all. Yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they will die, but the dead donât know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for their memory is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither do they any longer have a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.
Go your way â eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works. Let your garments be always white, and donât let your head lack oil. Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity, for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, [Sheol is the place of the dead. ]where you are going.
I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. For man also doesnât know his time. As the fish that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them.
I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me. There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then I said, âWisdom is better than strength.â Nevertheless the poor manâs wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good. (WEB)
This content from World English Bible (public domain)
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of Yahweh, âHe is my refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust.â
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler,
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers.
Under his wings you will take refuge.
His faithfulness is your shield and rampart.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
nor of the arrow that flies by day,
nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
and ten thousand at your right hand;
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes,
and see the recompense of the wicked.
Because you have made Yahweh your refuge,
and the Most High your dwelling place,
no evil shall happen to you,
neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
For he will put his angels in charge of you,
to guard you in all your ways.
They will bear you up in their hands,
so that you wonât dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and cobra.
You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot.
âBecause he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him.
I will set him on high, because he has known my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him.
I will be with him in trouble.
I will deliver him, and honor him.
I will satisfy him with long life,
and show him my salvation.â (WEB)
Genesis 22:14; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 4:19; Psalm 91:11: Jehovah Jireh
This content pulled from bible.org.
Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler;whoever goes astray by them is not wise. The kingâs terrifying anger is like the roar of a lion;whoever provokes him sins against himself. It is an honor for a person to cease from strife,but every fool quarrels. The sluggard will not plow during the planting season, so at harvest time he asks for grain but has nothing. Counsel in a personâs heart is like deep water, but an understanding person draws it out. Many people profess their loyalty, but a faithful personâwho can find? The righteous person behaves in integrity; blessed are his children after him. A king sitting on the throne to judge separates out all evil with his eyes. Who can say, âI have kept my heart clean; I am pure from my sinâ? Diverse weights and diverse measuresâthe Lord abhors both of them. Even a young man is known by his actions,whether his activity is pure and whether it is right. The ear that hears and the eye that seesâthe Lord has made them both. Do not love sleep, lest you become impoverished;open your eyes so that you might be satisfied with food. âItâs worthless! Itâs worthless!â says the buyer, but when he goes on his way, he boasts. There is gold and an abundance of rubies,but words of knowledge are like a precious jewel. Take a manâs garment when he has given security for a stranger, and hold him in pledge on behalf of strangers. Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet to a person, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. Plans are established by counsel,so make war with guidance. The one who goes about gossiping reveals secrets;therefore do not associate with someone who is always opening his mouth. The one who curses his father and his mother,his lamp will be extinguished in the blackest darkness. An inheritance gained easily in the beginningwill not be blessed in the end. Do not say, âI will pay back evil!âWait for the Lord, so that he may vindicate you. The Lord abhors differing weights,and dishonest scales are wicked. The steps of a person are ordained by the Lordâso how can anyone understand his own way? It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, âHoly!âand only afterward to consider what he has vowed. A wise king separates out the wicked;he turns the threshing wheel over them. The human spirit is like the lamp of the Lord,searching all his innermost parts. Loyal love and truth preserve a king,and his throne is upheld by loyal love. The glory of young men is their strength,and the splendor of old men is gray hair. Beatings and wounds cleanse away evil,and floggings cleanse the innermost being.
(NET)
This content from World English Bible (public domain)
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to Yahweh, the God of Israel, they came near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathersâ households, and said to them, âLet us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.â
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathersâ households of Israel said to them, âYou have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to Yahweh, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.â
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building. They hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian and delivered in the Syrian language. Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows. Then Rehum the chancellor, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites, and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth, wrote.
This is the copy of the letter that they sent:
To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, the people beyond the River.
Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem. They are building the rebellious and bad city, and have finished the walls and repaired the foundations. Be it known now to the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings. Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not appropriate for us to see the kingâs dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king, that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have started rebellions within it in the past. That is why this city was destroyed. We inform the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, then you will have no possession beyond the River.
Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who live in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River:
Peace.
The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me. I decreed, and search has been made, and it was found that this city has made insurrection against kings in the past, and that rebellion and revolts have been made in it. There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll was paid to them. Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built until a decree is made by me. Be careful that you not be slack doing so. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
Then when the copy of King Artaxerxesâ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force of arms. Then work stopped on Godâs house which is at Jerusalem. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. (WEB)
This content from World English Bible (public domain)
Yahwehâs word came to me again, saying, âWhat do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying,
âThe fathers have eaten sour grapes,
and the childrenâs teeth are set on edge â?
âAs I live,â says the Lord Yahweh, âyou shall not use this proverb any more in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.
âBut if a man is just,
and does that which is lawful and right,
and has not eaten on the mountains,
hasnât lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
hasnât defiled his neighborâs wife,
hasnât come near a woman in her impurity,
and has not wronged any,
but has restored to the debtor his pledge,
has taken nothing by robbery,
has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
he who hasnât lent to them with interest,
hasnât taken any increase from them,
who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity,
has executed true justice between man and man,
has walked in my statutes,
and has kept my ordinances,
to deal truly;
he is just,
he shall surely live,â says the Lord Yahweh.
âIf he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things, or who does not do any of those things
but has eaten at the mountain shrines
and defiled his neighborâs wife,
has wronged the poor and needy,
has taken by robbery,
has not restored the pledge,
and has lifted up his eyes to the idols,
has committed abomination,
has lent with interest,
and has taken increase from the poor,
shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him.
âNow, behold, if he fathers a son who sees all his fatherâs sins which he has done, and fears, and doesnât do likewise,
who hasnât eaten on the mountains,
hasnât lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
hasnât defiled his neighborâs wife,
hasnât wronged any,
hasnât taken anything to pledge,
hasnât taken by robbery,
but has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
who has withdrawn his hand from the poor,
who hasnât received interest or increase,
has executed my ordinances,
has walked in my statutes;
he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live. As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.
âYet you say, âWhy doesnât the son bear the iniquity of the father?â When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live. The soul who sins, he shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.
âBut if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die. None of his transgressions that he has committed will be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?â says the Lord Yahweh, âand not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
âBut when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.
âYet you say, âThe way of the Lord is not equal.â Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Arenât your ways unequal? When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it, then he dies in his iniquity that he has done. Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive. Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, âThe way of the Lord is not fair.â House of Israel, arenât my ways fair? Arenât your ways unfair?
âTherefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,â says the Lord Yahweh. âReturn, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,â says the Lord Yahweh. âTherefore turn yourselves, and live! (WEB)
This content from Berean Standard Bible (public domain)
The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers [Literally those of the circumcision ]took issue with him and said, âYou visited uncircumcised men and ate with them.â
But Peter began and explained to them the whole sequence of events: âI was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision of something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came right down to me. I looked at it closely and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. Then I heard a voice saying to me, âGet up, Peter, kill and eat.â
âNo, Lord,â I said, âfor nothing impure [Literally common; similarly in verse 9 ]or unclean has ever entered my mouth.â
But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, âDo not call anything impure that God has made clean.â
This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into heaven.
Just then three men sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the manâs home. He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, âSend to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.â
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, as He used to say, âJohn baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.â [Or âJohn baptized in water, but in a few days you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.â Acts 1:5 ] So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?â
When they heard this, their objections were put to rest, and they glorified God, saying, âSo then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.â
Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews. But some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks [Or the Hellenists ]as well, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. [Or the entire Roman world ](This happened under Claudius.) So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul. (BSB)