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Person

Barnabas

Also called Jupiter, Joses

Mentioned in 29 verses across 4 books, first in Acts 4:36. The verses below are the ones linked to this person (the Theographic dataset, with our sourced corrections).

At a glance

Gender: Male

Family

Siblings

Mary (Mother of John Mark)

As the dataset records them from the biblical genealogies.

Often appears with

Named in the same verses most often. Sharing a verse doesn’t always mean they met.

Paul17 verses
Jesus Christ4 verses
God4 verses
John Mark4 verses
John the Apostle1 verse
Titus1 verse
Holy Spirit1 verse
Sergius Paulus1 verse
Judas Barsabas1 verse
Simon Peter1 verse
Herod Antipas1 verse
Simeon1 verse
Manaen1 verse
Silas1 verse

Places

Where the data places them (born, died, or an event they take part in) first; then places named in the same verses, which does not mean they were there.

Jerusalemscene of “Believers share all things”; scene of “Saul proclaims Jesus” +3 more4 shared verses
Antioch (Syria)scene of “Disciples first called Christians”; scene of “First missionary journey begins” +3 more4 shared verses
Cyprusscene of “First Missionary Journey”; scene of “Barnabas and Saul go to Cyprus” +1 more2 shared verses
Tarsusscene of “Saul proclaims Jesus”1 shared verse
Damascusscene of “Saul proclaims Jesus”1 shared verse
Derbescene of “Mission to Lystra and Derbe”1 shared verse
Caesareascene of “Saul proclaims Jesus”
Pergascene of “First Missionary Journey”; scene of “Mission to Antioch in Pisidia” +1 more
Attaliascene of “First Missionary Journey”; scene of “Return to Antioch in Syria”
Pamphyliascene of “First Missionary Journey”; scene of “Mission to Antioch in Pisidia” +1 more
Pisidiascene of “First Missionary Journey”; scene of “Return to Antioch in Syria”
Iconiumscene of “First Missionary Journey”; scene of “Mission to Antioch in Pisidia” +2 more

In the Bible

The first 10 of 29 verses, in Bible order. Text from the Berean Standard Bible; verse numbers follow the KJV.

Acts

Acts 4:36
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (meaning Son of Encouragement),
Acts 9:27
Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, who spoke to him on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had spoken boldly in that city in the name of Jesus.
Acts 11:22
When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
Acts 11:25
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
Acts 11:30
This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.
Acts 12:25
When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.
Acts 13:1
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.
Acts 13:2
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Acts 13:7
an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, a man of intelligence, summoned Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.
Acts 13:43
After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

Show all 29 verses

Events

Events the dataset lists Barnabas as taking part in. Dates follow its Ussher–Jones reckoning (one of several traditional counts), not established history.

c. AD 30
Believers share all thingsActs 4:32–37 · at Jerusalem
c. AD 38
Saul proclaims JesusActs 9:20–31 · at Tarsus, Caesarea, Damascus, Jerusalem
c. AD 40
Disciples first called ChristiansActs 11:19–30 · at Antioch (Syria)
no date
First missionary journey beginsActs 12:24–13:3 · at Antioch (Syria)
c. AD 45
First Missionary JourneyActs 12:24–14:28 · at Antioch (Syria), Perga, Attalia, Pamphylia, Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Antioch (Pisidia), Seleucia, Cyprus, Salamis, Paphos, Jerusalem
no date
Barnabas and Saul go to CyprusActs 13:4–12 · at Paphos, Salamis, Cyprus, Seleucia
no date
Mission to Antioch in PisidiaActs 13:13–52 · at Iconium, Antioch (Pisidia), Paphos, Jerusalem, Pamphylia, Perga
no date
Mission to IconiumActs 14:1–5 · at Iconium
no date
Mission to Lystra and DerbeActs 14:6–20 · at Derbe, Lystra
no date
Return to Antioch in SyriaActs 14:21–28 · at Antioch (Syria), Perga, Attalia, Pamphylia, Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Antioch (Pisidia)
c. AD 46
Jerusalem CouncilActs 15:1–34 · at Jerusalem
c. AD 46
Second Missionary JourneyActs 15:1–18:23

Show all 13 events

Dictionary

From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), as attached to this record by Theographic. The entry is for the name and can describe more than one person who bore it. Easton wrote in 1897, and some of his views are now debated.

Read Easton’s entry

Son of consolation, the surname of Joses, a Levite (Acts 4:36). His name stands first on the list of prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch (13:1). Luke speaks of him as a “good man” (11:24). He was born of Jewish parents of the tribe of Levi. He was a native of Cyprus, where he had a possession of land (Acts 4:36, 37), which he sold. His personal appearance is supposed to have been dignified and commanding (Acts 14:11, 12). When Paul returned to Jerusalem after his conversion, Barnabas took him and introduced him to the apostles (9:27). They had probably been companions as students in the school of Gamaliel.

The prosperity of the church at Antioch led the apostles and brethren at Jerusalem to send Barnabas thither to superintend the movement. He found the work so extensive and weighty that he went to Tarsus in search of Saul to assist him. Saul returned with him to Antioch and laboured with him for a whole year (Acts 11:25, 26). The two were at the end of this period sent up to Jerusalem with the contributions the church at Antioch had made for the poorer brethren there (11:28-30). Shortly after they returned, bringing John Mark with them, they were appointed as missionaries to the heathen world, and in this capacity visited Cyprus and some of the principal cities of Asia Minor (Acts 13:14). Returning from this first missionary journey to Antioch, they were again sent up to Jerusalem to consult with the church there regarding the relation of Gentiles to the church (Acts 15:2: Gal. 2:1). This matter having been settled, they returned again to Antioch, bringing the decree of the council as the rule by which Gentiles were to be admitted into the church.

When about to set forth on a second missionary journey, a dispute arose between Saul and Barnabas as to the propriety of taking John Mark with them again. The dispute ended by Saul and Barnabas taking separate routes. Saul took Silas as his companion, and journeyed through Syria and Cilicia; while Barnabas took his nephew John Mark, and visited Cyprus (Acts 15:36-41). Barnabas is not again mentioned by Luke in the Acts.