Whilst Barnabas and Saul were still at Antioch, preaching the Gospel of Jesus, there "came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified (or foretold) by (the direction of) the Spirit that there should be great dearth (or famine) throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar," who was at that time Emperor of Rome. The word here translated "world," sometimes means the Roman Empire, and sometimes only the land of Judæa. In this case, it appears to mean Judæa only; for the dearth seems to have been confined to that country: and Josephus, speaking of this dearth in the reign of Claudius, tells us, that large quantities of corn were sent up to Jerusalem from the neighbouring provinces, which could not have been the case if the dearth had been felt in them also. On the announcement of the distress about to come upon their brethren in Judæa, "the disciples" at Antioch, "every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judæa." By this we learn, that the custom of having all things in common had not been followed at Antioch. Most probably by this time it had been given up altogether; for now that the numbers of Christians had so largely increased on all sides, the plan of having all things in common would be no longer desirable, or even practicable. Each Christian of Antioch determined then to give what he could for the relief of their fellow Christians in Judæa; "which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul," who immediately set out from Antioch, to take the money thus collected to the elders of the Church at Jerusalem. These two Apostles stayed in Jerusalem for some months; probably about a year. We learn from another part of the Book of Acts, that during this stay at Jerusalem, Saul had a very remarkable vision. He was praying in the temple, when by the power of God he fell into a trance. Whilst he was in this state, his bodily senses suspended as it were, and his mind more alive to spiritual things, Jesus Christ appeared to him, and said, "Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me." It surprised Saul to be told that the Jews of Jerusalem would not believe him: they knew how he had formerly persecuted the Christians, and therefore his change of opinions would, he thought, have great weight in convincing them of the truth of what he now taught them: therefore he answered, and said, "Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed in thee: and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I was also standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him."