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).
In the Bible
All 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.
- Acts 13:46
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
- Acts 13:50
The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.
- Acts 14:12
Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.
- Acts 14:13
The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates, hoping to offer a sacrifice along with the crowds.
- Acts 14:14
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
- Acts 14:20
But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. And the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
- Acts 15:2
And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
- Acts 15:12
The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
- Acts 15:22
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,
- Acts 15:25
So we all agreed to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
- Acts 15:35
But Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, along with many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.
- Acts 15:36
Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”
- Acts 15:37
Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark.
- Acts 15:39
Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
1 Corinthians
- 1 Corinthians 9:6
Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living?
Galatians
- Galatians 2:1
Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also.
- Galatians 2:9
And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
- Galatians 2:13
The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
Colossians
- Colossians 4:10
My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you greetings, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas. You have already received instructions about him: If he comes to you, welcome him.
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 30Believers share all things
- c. AD 38Saul proclaims Jesus
- c. AD 40Disciples first called Christians
- no dateFirst missionary journey begins
- c. AD 45First Missionary Journey
- no dateBarnabas and Saul go to Cyprus
- no dateMission to Antioch in Pisidia
- no dateMission to Iconium
- no dateMission to Lystra and Derbe
- no dateReturn to Antioch in Syria
- c. AD 46Jerusalem Council
- c. AD 46Second Missionary Journey
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.