St. Barnabas

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St. Barnabas

biblical figure

Also known as: Joseph the Levite, Joses the Levite

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Feb 15, 2024 • Article History

St. Barnabas

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Category: History & Society

Original name:: Joseph the Levite or Joses the Levite

Flourished:: 1st century

Flourished:: c.1 - c.100; Cyprus

Role In:: Council of Jerusalem

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St. Barnabas (flourished 1st century; feast day June 11) was an important early Christian missionary mentioned in the New Testament and one of the Apostolic Fathers. Barnabas was a hellenized Jew who joined the Jerusalem church soon after Christ’s crucifixion, sold his property, and gave the proceeds to the community (Acts 4:36–37). He was one of the Cypriots who founded (Acts 11:19–20) the church in Antioch, where he preached. After he called St. Paul from Tarsus as his assistant (Acts 11:25), they undertook joint missionary activity (Acts 13–14) and then went to Jerusalem in 48. Shortly afterward, a serious conflict ...(100 of 233 words)

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