(AN: Here's a nice chapter. Though I'm gonna have to see how to formulate it into an actual story, since there's not much of it to go on, story-wise. Oh well, there'll be a lot more Greek in this chapter, as well as something else more familiar.)

(Thank you once again, Carol Molliniere, for the reviews. I don't mind them: it makes me happy that people are reading my stories and that I have a faithful reader who's going to see this one through to the end [hopefully]. As far as Paul and Gamaliel are concerned, I could postulate that Paul [or Saul] did not agree with Gamaliel's policy of tolerance, or that he knew that he was a believer and thought that those beliefs of his were wrong. That way, he could still be his 'disciple' and yet disagree with him. Make sense?)

Kristianos

c. 40 AD

Tarsus. It was said that here the Roman Marcus Antonius first met the Queen of Egypt, who proved to be his downfall. It was also here that a fellow believer, a member of the Cult of the Way, was searching for an old friend of his. It had been many years since he had parted ways with him on the coasts of Caesarea, after the daring escape from both Jerusalem and Damascus. Now the tides of the world were bringing them back together.

Barnabas was told where to go by a group of merchants, who had pointed him toward a booth covered by a heavy cloth tarp, yet embroidered with the colors of a Hebrew. As he made his way toward the stand, he saw the short, bald-headed ex-rabbi stand up from his shop, beard and all, and run out into the street to greet him.

"Shalom, shalom!" Paul greeted warmly. "It's good to see you again, Barnabas!"

"Shalom to you as well," Barnabas returned.

"It's been too long, my friend!" Paul exclaimed, as he led Barnabas into his shop.

"Too long indeed!" Barnabas added, looking at the all the spools of cloth and yards of leather there were strewn about the place. "Is this how you have occupied your time here, back at home?"

"Well, my father was a tent-maker," Paul stated. "What other trade do I know? Though I share the good news with anyone I work with or comes to my stand who is willing to hear it."

"Do you have any food?" Barnabas asked. Paul presented the food he had with him, and after a quick word of blessing, they sat down to eat. While they ate, they discussed things that happened in Israel proper. When Barnabas revealed to him that Peter had preached the good news to a Gentile, and a Roman at that, the most unexpected thing happened.

Paul did not reply as Barnabas had expected. In fact, it seemed as though he were expecting this.

"You're not surprised?" Barnabas asked. "Come on! We are the Chosen people!"

"Old Ananias told me," Paul said. "That Joshua told him that I was to bring the good news to the Gentiles. I see that now is the time. Tell me, is there any news from beyond Israel?"

"I was hoping you'd ask," Barnabas began. "See, I was sent from Jerusalem to Antioch a few weeks ago. I had heard that a friend of mine, a righteous man named Mnason, had gone with Rufus and Alexander to Antioch and were spreading the good news to the Greeks."

"Who were those last two?" Paul asked. "I think I know those names."

"Alexander, maybe," Barnabas said. "As I recalled, there was a Pharisee of that name. But these two are from Cyrene, they claim to be sons of a man named Simeon."

"I think I remember a Simeon of Cyrene," Paul said. "I remember Miriam of Magdala saying something about him regarding the manner of our LORD's death. He carried His cross, if I recall."

"Yes," Barnabas said. "Now they've come to Antioch, preaching the good news. Peter sent me there to see what had happened. I've got to tell you, it was amazing! That's why I'm here: I think you should come too, see what HaShem has wrought among the Gentiles!"

Paul's eyes swelled and he looked down first at his hands.

"What's wrong?" Barnabas asked.

But Paul was no longer looking at him. His eyes were shut, and his heart was lifted to Heaven.

"HaShem," he said. "Maker of Heaven and Earth, by the faith I have in Your Son Joshua the Messiah, I ask...I beg you, take this from me! I cannot bear the fear of what I must suffer!"

This was all that Barnabas heard for a while, and the sounds of the city continued about them. At last, Paul opened his eyes and began to busy himself about his booth. He looked at Barnabas for a moment.

"Help me pack." he said.

Antioch the Great. It sat upon the border of the land of Israel, or Palestine, and Turkey. Like the Hellespont, it was a gateway between the west and the east. Founded by the Greeks, sacred to the Greeks, the people who lived here spoke Greek as well: even the Jews who had settled here after the various expulsions, both ancient and modern, spoke the Koine dialect.

To this budding metropolis came the two Hebrews, Paul and Barnabas: the tall man from Cyprus with his thick beard, and the short, dagger-bearded and bald ex-Pharisee of Tarsus.

"Where are we going?" Paul asked.

"To the house of a very honorable disciple," Barnabas replied. "An old man named Gaius. He owns an inn just a few blocks from the west gate."

Paul nodded, then continued on their way. As they passed by, they saw many of the people of the city. They cried out greetings to them, calling them kristianos as they passed by.

In due process of time, they arrived at the house of Gaius. Barnabas knocked, and an old gentleman appeared out of the porthole of the door.

"Who calls at my house?" the old man said.

"Believers in the One True God," Barnabas replied, speaking in Greek. "And His Son Jesus Christ."

"Good, good," the old man said with a smile. "Come inside, please. You are welcomed to me and to my house."

"Are you the proprietor of this inn?" Paul asked.

"Yes, I am Gaius," the old man returned. "Though, I daresay, I can guess who you two might be. This good man I've seen around here before," He said, placing an arm around Barnabas. He then turned to Paul. "You, teacher, I have not seen, though I can guess who you might be. The others speak very highly of you: Paul of Tarsus, I presume?"

"Yes, good Gaius," Paul replied, his cheeks flushing. "Though I know not what to say, I am not worthy of their praises."

"That, my dear friend, is for God to decide," Gaius said. "And now, if you are not feeling very weary, I would like to welcome you to supper. The others will be happy to see you."

"Which others?" Paul asked.

Gaius called forth a young woman named Phoebe and told her to lead Paul and Barnabas into the large upper room where the others were gathered. The maid approached the door, a smile on her face as she put her fore-finger to her lips and told the two to wait outside a moment.

"What is it?" Barnabas asked. "Aren't you going to announce us?"

"Not yet," she replied. "Just wait."

She then opened the door, gestured for Paul and Barnabas to stand back, then walked in the opening.

"Friends, brothers in Christ," she said.

"Hello, Phoebe." the voice of Lucas sounded.

"Hello, child." an old woman's voice added.

"Yes?" Nicholas' voice joined in.

"Is supper ready yet?" a younger voice asked. Was it John?

"Almost, my friends," Phoebe laughed. "But I have two men out here, brothers in Christ, who my father wishes me to introduce to you. I feel you have missed them a long time."

The others were asking who it might be, while Phoebe stepped back and ushered the bewildered Paul and Barnabas into the room.

"Barnabas, you're back!" Nicholas greeted.

"How was your trip?" another woman, Miriam of Magdala, asked.

"Did you accomplish your goal?" Miriam the elder asked.

"I'll let you decide," Barnabas asked with a smile. He stepped aside and revealed Paul. All exploded with joy as they saw Paul, long-missed. Many had not seen him since the events in Damascus and had feared that he had not survived, especially since they heard little or no news of him here in Antioch, whether from Damascus or Jerusalem.

"Paul!", "It's good to see you again!", "We'd thought something happened to you after Damascus!", "Praise the Name of the LORD, you are safe!" And many other greetings of the same were repeated.

So, while they waited to eat, they had much goodly conversation with the others who were here in Antioch. They all seemed much older, though John was still at least thirty. Miriam was getting older, but remained as warm and loving as possible. Nicholas, it seemed, was now the chief-servant of the believers here in Antioch, tending to the distribution of food, clothes and money to the poor and needy.

"How goes the work?" Paul asked Lucas.

"It goes well," he said. "The women have been most helpful."

"My husband was a steward to Herod Antipas," Joanna stated. "I heard from his mouth first-hand about the events surrounding the death of John the Baptist."

"Well, what, if I may ask," Barnabas queried. "Is the purpose of this work?"

"I met her grandfather," Lucas replied, pointing to Joanna. "Theophilus is a good man, and he was one of the first of the believers when we arrived here. I felt that he should know the things of what we speak, so I remembered some of the things I was told back in Jerusalem and, with the help of these fine brothers and sisters, the work goes quite well."

"This is good news," Paul said. "If I may ask, though. While we were entering the town, we heard some of the townspeople calling us 'kristianos'. What does that mean?"

"It's Greek," Lucas said. "It means 'follower of Christ'."

"That's what they call us here," John said. "Personally, I liked that better than being called a cultist."

"What do you have there, Paul?" Lucas asked.

Paul brought forth an object wrapped in cloth. This he brought forth and unwrapped, which made all gasp in amazement.

"A friend of mine in Tarsus," Paul said. "Gave me this copy of the Torah. I know not how it will be useful for me, but I think that one who is writing an account of Joshua might need use of it."

"Thank you, friend." Lucas nodded.

Hours passed and supper was served. And so they ate, and as the evening came on, they lit a fire in the hearth and the believers, the kristianos, warmed themselves by the fire and shared the stories of the miraculous events here in Antioch. It seemed that many believers were being blessed with the Spirit of Holiness, the Ruach HaKodesh. Suddenly, while they were discussing, the door was opened up and a middle-aged man appeared.

"Who is this?" Paul asked.

"This is Agabus," Lucas said. "He is a believer, one of the..."

"Please, I beg you!" Agabus shouted. "Hear now these words, I fear they come not from man but from God! Ere fourteen years have ended, there will be famine in the land of Judaea!"

All were shocked as they heard these words.

"I think," Nicholas said. "We should organize a relief effort. If we wait until these things come to pass, it may take too long to arrange the food and supplies to send and many might die. I will speak with Gaius at once." He got up and then led Agabus out of the room to speak with Gaius.

"Paul," Miriam of Magdala queried. "This is the house of a very good man. Will you not tarry here a little while longer?"

"I will go wherever the Ruach..." He looked around and saw several of the Greek believers looking at him. "I will go wherever the Spirit leads me." he said, speaking in Greek.

"Speak no secrets here, Paul," Lucas said. "Many have been given the Spirit of Holiness and now speak in tongues. They'll know what we say, even if we speak in our mother tongue."

Barnabas laughed. "Still," he said, turning to Miriam. "We will help with the relief effort, so rest assured, we won't be going anywhere for a while."

(AN: My fondest memories of Pilgrim's Progress were from the house of Gaius. I trust that I captured some of that good, welcoming, home-like essence with this chapter here in Antioch. As you see, there are the Greek names used here. That will happen as things go on, but if we go back to an all-Jewish setting, I will revert back to using the old words.)

(Fortunately, I've got a lot of chapters finished, so the next update will be coming very shortly.)