The Apostolic Age · AD 4–70
Barnabas of Cyprus
c. 5 – c. 61 · Apostle of Antioch & Cyprus · “Son of Encouragement” · Cyprus → Antioch
The Apostolic Age
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Who Barnabas of Cyprus was
Joseph the Levite of Cyprus sold his field and laid the money at the apostles’ feet, earning from them the name Barnabas, “son of encouragement.” It was he who vouched for the converted Saul before a wary Jerusalem, he who fetched him to teach the mixed church at Antioch — where believers were first called Christians — and he who shared the first missionary journey until the two parted over John Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. Tradition holds he was martyred at Salamis on Cyprus around 61. The early church prized an epistle under his name, a fierce allegorical reading of the Old Testament that Clement of Alexandria and Origen quoted as scripture, though most scholars date it to a later Alexandrian hand.
Common questions
When did Barnabas live?
Barnabas of Cyprus is dated c. 5 – c. 61 in the archive, which places Barnabas in the Apostolic Age (AD 4–70). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.
What did Barnabas write?
Barnabas of Cyprus has 1 catalogued writing in the archive: Epistle of Barnabas (attributed).
Which early sources mention Barnabas?
Barnabas of Cyprus is named in 4 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Paul of Tarsus, Luke, Clement of Alexandria and Jerome of Stridon. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Barnabas from?
The archive associates Barnabas of Cyprus with Cyprus, Antioch. The sources record more than one location, so the places are listed in the order the record moves through them.
Writings (1)
Epistle of Barnabas (attributed)
c. 70–130Thou shalt love, as the apple of thine eye, every one that speaketh to thee the word of the Lord… The way of light, then, is as follows: if any one desires to travel to the appointed place, he must be zealous in his works.Read the interlinear source text →
Primary-source mentions (4)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
1 Corinthians 9:6
c. AD 55Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?Paul of Tarsus · read ↗
Acts 11:24
c. AD 85For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.Luke · read ↗
Stromateis II.6 (cited as 'the apostle Barnabas')
c. AD 200On Illustrious Men 6
c. AD 392Barnabas the Cyprian, also called Joseph the Levite, ordained apostle to the Gentiles with Paul, wrote one Epistle, valuable for the edification of the church.Jerome of Stridon · On Illustrious Men 6 · source text
Connected in the archive
Sponsor of Paul; cousin and defender of Mark
People
- Paul of Tarsus
- John Mark
- Ananias of Jerusalem
- Elymas (Bar-Jesus)
- Mary, Mother of John Mark
- Simeon called Niger
- The Didachist (Author of the Didache)
- Lucius of Cyrene
- Mnason of Cyprus
- Nicanor the Deacon
- Luke the Evangelist
- Sergius Paulus
Events in this lifetime
- AD 30 · Crucifixion, Resurrection and Pentecost, AD 30–33
- AD 44 · Persecution under Herod Agrippa I, AD 44
- AD 49 · The Council of Jerusalem, AD 49
- AD 57 · Paul writes Romans, AD 57
Place
Places served
The 10 places the sources put Barnabas, in the order the record moves through them. This is what the sources attest, not a reconstructed route.
- 1JerusalemSold his land and laid the money at the apostles’ feetActs 4:36–37
- 2AntiochSent from Jerusalem; fetched Saul and taught a yearActs 11:22–26
- 3SalamisPreached in the synagogues of SalamisActs 13:5
- 4PaphosBefore the proconsul Sergius PaulusActs 13:6–12
- 5PergaLanded in Pamphylia, where John Mark left themActs 13:13
- 6Antioch in PisidiaTurned with Paul to the GentilesActs 13:14–50
- 7IconiumSpoke boldly, then fled a plotActs 14:1–6
- 8LystraTaken for Jupiter by the crowdActs 14:8–18
- 9DerbePreached and made many disciplesActs 14:20–21
- 10CyprusTook Mark and sailed for Cyprus after the quarrelActs 15:39