15. When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as the Spirit fell on us in the beginning.
16. I remembered the Lord’s words: ‘John will baptize with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
17. If God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, then who am I? Could I stand in God’s way?"
18. Once the apostles and other believers heard this, they calmed down. They praised God and concluded, "So then God has enabled Gentiles to change their hearts and lives so that they might have new life."
19. Now those who were scattered as a result of the trouble that occurred because of Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. They proclaimed the word only to Jews.
20. Among them were some people from Cyprus and Cyrene. They entered Antioch and began to proclaim the good news about the Lord Jesus also to Gentiles.
21. The Lord’s power was with them, and a large number came to believe and turned to the Lord.
22. When the church in Jerusalem heard about this, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23. When he arrived and saw evidence of God’s grace, he was overjoyed and encouraged everyone to remain fully committed to the Lord.