5th Sunday of Pascha
Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
Acts 11:19-30

A reading - from the Acts of the Holy Apostles

Brothers and sisters: In those days, those in the community who had been dispersed by the persecution that arose because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, making the message known to none | but | Jews.

However, some men of Cyprus and Cyrene among them had come to Antioch began to talk even to the Greeks, announcing the good news of the Lord Jesus to them. The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number of them believed and were converted to | the | Lord.

News of this eventually reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, resulting in the sending of Barnabas to An|ti|och.

On his arrival he rejoiced to see the evidence of God’s favor. He encouraged them all to remain firm in their commitment to the Lord, since he himself was a good man filled with the Holy Spirit | and | faith.

Thereby large numbers were added to the Lord. Then Barnabas went off to Tarsus to look for Saul; once he had found him, he brought him back to An|ti|och.

For a whole year they met with the church and instructed great numbers. It was in Antioch that the disciples were called Christians for the | first | time.

At about that time, certain prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus was inspired to stand up and proclaim that there was going to be a severe famine all over the world. (It did in fact occur while Claudius was em|pe|ror).

This made the disciples determined to set something aside, each according to his means, and send it to the relief of the brothers who lived in Judea. They did this, dispatching it to the presbyters, in the care of Barna-bas - and - Saul.