For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
Persecution scattered the disciples from Jerusalem, and the gospel spread beyond the city as they preached in other cities including Antioch, where many turned to the Lord as the fruit of their work through divine grace. In Antioch itself, disciples from Cyprus and Cyrene preached Jesus with the Lord's hand with them, and many believed and turned to the Lord. When believers in Jerusalem heard that many had believed and turned, they sent Barnabas to Antioch, the metropolis of Syria, to help and strengthen the church there.
He is described as a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and that character fitted him for that work. On seeing the work of divine grace there he rejoiced and urged the believers to remain faithful and steadfastly devoted to the Lord. His labor there was successful and richly blessed, so that through his ministry many people were added to the Lord, to the believers, and to the church of Christ.
As the work grew and increased, he sought, obtained, and brought Paul's help to join him, and the two labored together teaching the people and adding to the church. That joint work of teaching the people in that city lasted for a year and added to its numbers. Being full of faith and the Holy Spirit, as the verse describes, is the standard for the spirituality desired in the church.
Persecution scattered the disciples from Jerusalem, and the gospel spread beyond the city as they preached in other cities including Antioch, where many turned to the Lord as the fruit of their work through divine grace. In Antioch itself, disciples from Cyprus and Cyrene preached Jesus with the Lord's hand with them, and many believed and turned to the Lord. When believers in Jerusalem heard that many had believed and turned, they sent Barnabas to Antioch, the metropolis of Syria, to help and strengthen the church there.
He is described as a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and that character fitted him for that work. On seeing the work of divine grace there he rejoiced and urged the believers to remain faithful and steadfastly devoted to the Lord. His labor there was successful and richly blessed, so that through his ministry many people were added to the Lord, to the believers, and to the church of Christ.
As the work grew and increased, he sought, obtained, and brought Paul's help to join him, and the two labored together teaching the people and adding to the church. That joint work of teaching the people in that city lasted for a year and added to its numbers. Being full of faith and the Holy Spirit, as the verse describes, is the standard for the spirituality desired in the church.