Deepertruth: Mark Kiser, What has your faith cost you? Be a witness!

There is a lot of history written in between the lines of this scripture coming from Act’s 18:23-28. Antioch became an early Christian center as a result of the great persecution of the followers of Jesus which began with the stoning of St. Stephen (Act’s 7:54-60). In fact, it was Antioch that the followers of Jesus first became known as Christian (Act’s 11:26) and first called Catholic (Act’s 9:31 Greek Translation). Acts 9:31 states, “Then the church throughout all* Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.” In the original Greek, it is: “Acts 9:31 ? μεν ουν εκκλησια καθ? ?λης της ιουδαιας και γαλιλαιας και σαμαρειας ειχεν ειρηνην οικοδομουμενη και πορευομενη τω φοβω του κυριου, και τη παρακλησει του ?γιου πνευματος επληθυνοντο.”