Acts 9:26-31

Acts 9:26-31 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. The Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were like Ananias in Damascus: they were afraid that Saul was just trying another trick to get them to let him into their church so that he could arrest them all. But Barnabas trusted Saul and took up for him. Barnabas helped Saul to get started in Jerusalem. But just like the Jealous Jews in Damascus, the Jews in Jerusalem couldn’t answer Saul’s powerful preaching for Jesus Christ! So they tried to kill Saul! Saul’s new Christian friends whisked him away to Caesarea, and on to Tarsus, Saul’s hometown. With Saul on the Christian’s side, the Christians were able to rest a little. God allowed the new church in Jerusalem to grow. But all the while, Saul was praying and learning from the Holy Spirit and preparing for his new ministry as a bold missionary for Jesus Christ.