“Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.”
Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers — the Spirit-filled leadership from which the first missionary movement will launch. Luke establishes Antioch as a vibrant, diverse community: Barnabas (a Levite from Cyprus), Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (a courtier of Herod), and Saul. This cosmopolitan assembly represents the Spirit's work in the Diaspora, where Hellenistic Jews and converts from varied backgrounds worship together. The listing of names emphasizes that apostolic mission does not rest on a single apostle but on the corporate gifting of the local church.
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