'''Barnabas''' (Saint Barnabus in [[Catholic]] and [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] traditions) was a [[Jew]] from [[Cyprus]] (Acts 4:36) and an important member of the [[Pentarchy|Church of Jerusalem]] early in its founding history after the death of [[Jesus]]. His role in the early church is discussed in the [[Bible]] in the [[Book of Acts]].
It was Barnabas who first stood up for [[Paul]] to allow him to be fully accepted into the Jerusalem Church since even the Disciples were afraid of him due to his past of persecuting [[Christians]]. ([[Book of Acts|Acts]] 9:27) Barnabas was sent by the Jerusalem Church to [[Antioch]], where a "great number of people believed and turned to the Lord" from the preaching of other Christians who were scattered due to the persecution of the church in [[Jerusalem]]. Barnabas saw the great acts being done and encouraged them to "remain true to the Lord with all of their hearts" (Acts 11:22-23) He went and got Paul to join him. (Acts 11:25) Barnabus and Paul carried the love offering back to the Jerusalem church when a famine spread over the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] world in 43 A.D.<ref>The [[NIV]] Study Bible, Zondervan (1985), Pg. 1664</ref> (Acts 11:29-30)
Barnabas and Paul went on a missionary journey together from 46 to 48 A.D.<ref>The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan (1985), Pg. 1664</ref> They took with them [[Mark|John Mark]], the author of the [[Gospel of Mark]]. (Acts 12:25) During this journey, Paul rose to prominence over Barnabas. When they prepared for a second missionary journey in 50 A.D.,<ref>The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan (1985), Pg. 1664</ref>, Barnabas wished to have [[John Mark]] accompany them again. [[Paul]] refused since John Mark had left them on the first journey. Unable to resolve their difference, Paul and Barnabas went their separate ways, with Barnabas and John Mark going to [[Cyprus]] to preach the [[Good News]] there. The writings of the [[Apostolic Fathers]] include the [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/barnabas.html '''Epistle of Barnabas''']
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[[Category: Biblical Persons]][[Category: Saints]][[Category:Catholicism]]