The account of Paul and Barnabas in the book of Acts provides valuable lessons for Christians today. Though the events took place almost 2,000 years ago, God’s Word contains timeless principles that remain applicable in every age. By studying their lives, ministry, and interactions, we can gain insight into spreading the gospel, relying on God’s provision and power, persisting through opposition, and modeling Christlike character.
Their Backgrounds and Callings
Paul and Barnabas came from very different backgrounds. Paul (then Saul) had been a devout Pharisee, intensely trained in the Mosaic law and zealous to persecute the early church (Philippians 3:4-6). Barnabas was a Levite from Cyprus (Acts 4:36) who sold property to support the believers (Acts 4:37). Despite their differences, God called them both to be missionaries and they worked together to advance the gospel.
This shows that God uses all kinds of people, regardless of their history or status, if they are willing to obey His call. As Paul later wrote, “Consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27).
No matter who we are or where we come from, if we make ourselves available to God, He can use us powerfully in His kingdom. Our human credentials and qualifications are far less important than a willing heart submitted to God’s will. Paul and Barnabas’ lives give encouragement that God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways when they faithfully follow His leading.
Their Early Ministry Together
We first see Paul and Barnabas teamed up together ministering to the church at Antioch, where they had been sent as emissaries of the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:19-26). The diverse church at Antioch became the hub of early Gentile Christianity and the base from which Paul and Barnabas would be sent out on their missionary journeys. Working together in this thriving church matured their gifts and prepared them for wider ministry.
This partnership is a model for how God often develops leaders in the context of faithful service in local churches. Effective ministry is rarely solo work; it usually requires humble teamwork over an extended period to bear fruit. Paul and Barnabas exemplify this by the way they served shoulder-to-shoulder at Antioch before being launched into their itinerant preaching tours.
Their close association at Antioch also suggests the value of mentorship. Barnabas had introduced the newly converted Paul to the Jerusalem apostles earlier (Acts 9:27). Now at Antioch, the two men invested in each other’s growth as Barnabas shared his wisdom and Paul his vigor in ministry. Godly mentors can spur us to greater faithfulness and effectiveness.
Their First Missionary Journey (Acts 13-14)
After ministering at Antioch for about a year, the Holy Spirit set apart Paul and Barnabas for cross-cultural missionary work beyond their own region (Acts 13:2). This commenced their first traveling mission, the account of which covers all of Acts 13-14.
A key lesson here is the need to follow the Spirit’s leading rather than personal preferences or human wisdom. These men were not adventurers setting off on their own initiative. Rather, it was the clear direction of the Holy Spirit, confirmed by fasting, prayer, and the laying on of hands (Acts 13:3), that compelled them to launch out. The same Spirit would guide, empower, and sustain them through the challenges ahead.
Submitting to the Spirit’s prompting, they sailed to Cyprus and traveled overland through modern-day Turkey. Their strategy was consistently to preach the gospel first to Jews in synagogues, then to Gentiles if rejected by Jewish communities (Acts 13:5, 14, 46-48). God confirmed their work with miracles and many came to faith (Acts 14:3).
In light of Jewish opposition, Paul and Barnabas boldly declared, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you [Jews]. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46). This pronouncement officially shifted the focus of their mission to inclusion of Gentiles on equal terms with Jews.
Throughout their journey, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in fledgling churches (Acts 14:23) and encouraged new believers to persevere in faith despite persecution (Acts 14:22). Finishing this first extensive mission trip, they returned to Antioch and gave a report of “all that God had done with them” (Acts 14:27). Clearly, the power of the gospel rests not on the eloquence of the preachers but on God’s saving work through them.
The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)
One of the most pivotal events in early church history was the Jerusalem Council mentioned in Acts 15. The issue at stake was whether Gentile converts should be required to keep the Mosaic law by being circumcised and following Jewish customs. Certain Jewish believers insisted this was necessary for salvation (Acts 15:5), directly contradicting the doctrine of justification by faith.
Paul and Barnabas were sent down to Jerusalem to consult with the apostles and elders on this question. After much discussion, Peter reminded those assembled of how God had made no distinction between Jew and Gentile, purifying Gentile hearts by faith alone (Acts 15:7-9). Barnabas and Paul then testified to God’s work among the Gentiles through them (Acts 15:12). James finally pronounced his judgment that Scripture supported no burden being placed on Gentiles beyond some basic requirements, which were for the sake of Jewish sensitivities (Acts 15:13-21).
This was a defining moment for the early church. Paul and Barnabas’ advocacy for Gentile liberty of conscience was a key factor in establishing the truth of salvation by grace as opposed to works. Their courageous stand ensured that pure faith in Christ, apart from legalism, would remain central in the expanding church. All believers since owe them a tremendous debt.
Their Sharp Disagreement (Acts 15:36-41)
Shortly after the Jerusalem Council, Paul proposed to Barnabas that they visit the churches from their first journey to see how the new believers were doing (Acts 15:36). But a sharp disagreement arose because Barnabas wanted to take John Mark along while Paul did not, due to Mark having deserted them earlier (Acts 15:37-38).
This contention was so sharp that Paul and Barnabas separated, with Barnabas and Mark sailing for Cyprus and Paul taking Silas overland through Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:39-41). While Scripture does not explicitly condemn either one’s behavior in this dispute, the rupture is surely a sober reminder that even mature believers and close friends can have serious conflicts.
Arguments and differences are inevitable in any human institution, including the church. But with the help of God’s Spirit, they can often be resolved through patient discussion, mutual understanding, and willingness to forgive. Paul and Barnabas themselves evidently later reconciled, as Paul refers to Barnabas affectionately in his writings (1 Corinthians 9:6). Their dispute did not permanently destroy their friendship or ministry.
Through humbling experiences like this, God teaches us to be slow to take offense, quick to restore peace, and focused on reconciliation rather than retaliation. Our witness is damaged when Christians nurse grudges and refuse to seek unity after conflicts. By God’s grace, Paul and Barnabas’ relationship was eventually mended for their good and God’s glory.
Barnabas’ Continued Ministry
After splitting with Paul, the New Testament offers only brief glimpses of Barnabas’ ongoing ministry. In Galatians 2:13, he is mentioned as still actively working with the Jerusalem church at the time of Paul’s later visit there. This indicates Barnabas maintained his initial convictions about the relationship between Jewish and Gentile believers.
Beyond this, Scripture simply records that Barnabas and Mark sailed to Cyprus, Barnabas’ home region (Acts 15:39). Early church tradition holds that Barnabas was martyred on Cyprus sometime after this. While the details are uncertain, Barnabas undoubtedly continued to serve Christ in the years following his break with Paul.
Barnabas’ devotion to Mark even when Paul refused to trust him is a model of true mentoring. By taking Mark under his wing once more, Barnabas helped set Mark on course to later write his Gospel and mature into a useful minister himself (see 2 Timothy 4:11). Barnabas’ ongoing legacy, like many faithful believers, rests more in the people he discipled than himself.
The little information we have about Barnabas after Acts 15 is a reminder that most lives of genuine impact are quietly lived outside the limelight with unseen, eternal results. Not everyone can be center-stage like Paul. But by developing younger believers and strengthening churches, obscure figures like Barnabas play an indispensable role in God’s work.
Paul’s Later Ministry
Unlike Barnabas, the book of Acts provides considerable detail about Paul’s later ministry. After splitting with Barnabas, Paul took Silas and revisited many churches he had planted on his first trip (Acts 15:41). God blessed and expanded this ministry to strengthen and encourage the new congregations.
Paul undertook his second and third major missionary journeys throughout Acts 16-20. He carried the gospel as far west as Greece, planting churches in major cities across the Roman Empire. Everywhere Paul went, the pattern was the same: preach first in Jewish synagogues, then go to the Gentiles, and finally suffer persecution from unbelieving Jews but be protected by Gentile authorities.
Paul’s tireless evangelism, church planting, and nurturing established Christian communities that would change the Mediterranean world. The remainder of Acts depicts Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem, extended imprisonment in Caesarea, and eventual transport to Rome for trial before Caesar. Even while in chains, Paul continued boldly preaching the kingdom of God and teaching all who would listen (Acts 28:30-31).
Beyond evangelistic zeal, Acts portrays Paul as a pastor’s heart. In his farewell to the Ephesian elders, he movingly declares how he did not shrink from declaring to them anything profitable, teaching both publicly and house-to-house, serving the Lord in all humility, and warning each one with tears night and day (Acts 20:20-21, 31). Such compassion and care for God’s people marked all of Paul’s ministry.
The history in Acts shows Paul remained faithful to the end in fulfilling the unique ministry to which God called him. Despite intense persecution, God protected His chosen instrument to ensure the spread of the gospel across the Roman world. Paul’s perseverance challenges us to steadfastly obey our own callings despite obstacles.
Key Lessons from Paul and Barnabas
In surveying the ministries of Paul and Barnabas throughout Acts, several vital lessons emerge that remain applicable today:
- God uses all kinds of people with diverse gifts and backgrounds.
- Ministry is most fruitful as a team through humble service in local churches.
- Mentorship and training of younger believers is essential.
- Being set apart and sent out requires complete dependence on the Spirit.
- Preaching the gospel takes priority over preferences or comfort.
- Standing firm in truth may require confronting serious error.
- Conflicts are inevitable but reconciliation is imperative.
- Quiet faithfulness over many years glorifies God.
- Persevering through intense trials fulfills our purpose.
- Pastoral care and teaching of God’s flock is the mark of a true shepherd.
Paul and Barnabas modeled surrendered lives, servant hearts, and steadfast faith despite severe challenges. As we walk in the footsteps of these early missionaries, we too can turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6) for the advancement of God’s kingdom.
Conclusion
The account of Paul and Barnabas’ ministries together and apart is far more than just history. It was intentionally recorded in Scripture as an example and inspiration for the church down through the centuries (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11). By considering their lives, collaboration, conflicts, and faithfulness over many years of fruitful labor for Christ, we are motivated to follow their model of wholehearted obedience in the face of sacrifice and suffering.
These two key figures in the early church compellingly demonstrate that God uses simple, surrendered people to accomplish His grand purposes. As we respond in faith to the Holy Spirit’s work in and through us, our weakness is eclipsed by God’s strength being perfected (2 Corinthians 12:9). May the testimony of Paul and Barnabas encourage us to cling to Christ, stand for truth, serve others, and persevere to the end that God may be glorified in each of our lives.
