1. Barnabas, born Joseph or Joses, was according to tradition an early Christian, one of the prominent Christian disciples in Jerusalem.
17 Facts About Barnabas
1. 2.
Barnabas' story appears in the Acts of the Apostles, and Paul mentions him in some of his epistles.
3.
The Epistle of Barnabas was ascribed to him by Clement of Alexandria and others in the early church and the epistle is included under his name in Codex Sinaiticus, the earliest extant manuscript of the complete New Testament.
4.
Barnabas is traditionally identified as the founder of the Cypriot Orthodox Church.
5.
Barnabas appears mainly in Acts, a history of the early Christian church.
6.
Barnabas found the work so extensive and weighty that he went to Tarsus in search of Paul, "an admirable colleague", to assist him.
7.
Acts 14:14 is the only biblical verse where Barnabas is referred to using the Greek word for Apostle.
8.
Peter then refused to eat any longer with the Gentiles, apparently through fear of displeasing these disciples, and Barnabas followed his example.
9.
Paul then stated that Peter and Barnabas "walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel" and upbraided them before the whole church.
10.
Barnabas wished to take John Mark along, but Paul did not, as John Mark had left them on the earlier journey.
11.
The dispute ended by Paul and Barnabas taking separate routes.
12.
Paul took Silas as his companion, and journeyed through Syria and Cilicia; while Barnabas took John Mark to visit Cyprus.
13.
Barnabas was still living and labouring as an Apostle in 56 or 57 AD, when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, in which it is stated that he, too, like Paul, earned his own living.
14.
St Barnabas is venerated as the patron saint of Cyprus.
15.
Barnabas is considered a patron saint in many other places in the world, highlighting Milan in Italy.
16.
The question whether Barnabas was an apostle was often discussed during the Middle Ages.
17.
Barnabas is traditionally associated with the Epistle of Barnabas, although some modern scholars think it more likely that the epistle was written in Alexandria in the 130s.