First Reading: Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3

²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord.
²² News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
²³ When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad; and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose;
²⁴ for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large company was added to the Lord.
²⁵ So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul;
²⁶ and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church, and taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians.
¹ Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyre’ne, Man’a-en a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
³ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.