with some of the believers from Caesarea accompanying us. They brought us to a village where they introduced us to Mnason, a Cypriot, one of the original disciples, and he offered us hospitality.
for in your presence they will still overflow and be anointed. Even in their old age they will stay fresh, bearing luscious fruit and abiding faithfully.
I’d much rather make an appeal because of our friendship. So here I am, an old man, a prisoner for Christ, making my loving appeal to you. It is on behalf of my child, whose spiritual father I became while here in prison; that is, Onesimus.
Make sure that my relatives Andronicus and Junia are honored, for they’re my fellow captives who bear the distinctive mark of being outstanding and well-known apostles, and who were joined into the Anointed One before me.
Because of the persecution triggered by Stephen’s death in Jerusalem, many of the believers were scattered. Some reached as far as the coast of Lebanon, the island of Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria, but they were still only preaching the word to Jews.
So he instructed them to be baptized in the power of the name of Jesus, the Anointed One. After their baptism, they asked Peter to stay with them for a few more days.
The next day they arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was waiting anxiously for them and had gathered together all of his relatives and close friends.
For example, there was a Levite from Cyprus named Joseph, who sold his farmland and placed the proceeds at the feet of the apostles. They nicknamed him Barnabas (or “Encourager”).
After a lengthy debate, Peter rose to his feet and said to them, “Brothers, you know how God has chosen me from the beginning to preach the wonderful news of the gospel to the non-Jewish nations.