,In the early days of the Christian church, when believers were few and persecution was fierce, God raised up a man whose greatest gift was not preaching or healing — it was encouragement. His name was Joses, but the apostles called him Barnabas, which means "Son of Encouragement" (Acts 4:36). That name tells us everything we need to know about the kind of man he was.

This lesson was taught in the Sunday School class at Liberty Baptist Church, Muncie, using the Striving Together Publications curriculum Stories of Grace.

Barnabas: His Background and Early Life

Barnabas was born on the island of Cyprus, a beautiful Mediterranean island known for its trade and culture. He was a Levite — a member of the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe of Israel. This means Barnabas grew up steeped in the traditions of the Jewish faith, familiar with the Law of Moses, the Psalms, and the promises of the prophets.

As a Levite, Barnabas would have been educated in the Scriptures from childhood. He understood the covenant God had made with Israel and the longing of the Jewish people for the promised Messiah. This deep knowledge of God's Word would later make him a powerful teacher and a wise counselor in the early church.

Though the Bible does not give us many details about his childhood, we know that Barnabas was a man of means — he owned land (Acts 4:37) — and that he had family connections in Jerusalem, including his cousin John Mark (Colossians 4:10), who would later write the Gospel of Mark. Barnabas was a man with roots, relationships, and resources — and he would lay all of them at the feet of Jesus.

Coming to Faith: Barnabas Meets the Risen Christ

The Bible does not record the exact moment Barnabas came to faith, but we know he was among the earliest believers in Jerusalem. It is very likely that Barnabas was in Jerusalem during the ministry of Jesus, and perhaps even among the larger group of disciples who witnessed the resurrection and were present at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell upon the believers (Acts 2).

What we do know is that when Barnabas believed, he believed wholeheartedly. His faith was not a quiet, private matter — it transformed his life completely. Acts 4:36–37 tells us:

"And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet." — Acts 4:36–37 (KJV)

This was no small act. In a time when the early church was caring for hundreds of new believers who had left everything to follow Christ, Barnabas sold his own land and gave every penny to the apostles to distribute to those in need. He did not hold back. He did not give a portion and keep the rest. He gave it all — and he did it quietly, without fanfare, as an act of love for his brothers and sisters in Christ.

This is the heart of Barnabas: a man who, once he encountered the grace of God, could not help but pour that grace out on others.

Standing Up for Paul: A Reference That Changed History

Perhaps the most dramatic moment in the life of Barnabas came when a man named Saul of Tarsus arrived in Jerusalem.

Saul had been the most feared persecutor of the early church. He had stood by approvingly at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58). He had gone house to house dragging believers off to prison (Acts 8:3). He had breathed out "threatenings and slaughter" against the disciples of the Lord (Acts 9:1). Every Christian in Jerusalem knew the name of Saul — and they feared it.

Then came the news that Saul had been dramatically converted on the road to Damascus — that the risen Jesus had appeared to him in a blinding light and called him to be an apostle to the Gentiles. Saul himself came to Jerusalem, eager to meet the apostles and join the fellowship of believers.

But no one believed him. Acts 9:26 tells us plainly: "And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple."

Can you imagine how Saul must have felt? Rejected by the very people he now loved. Suspected by the brothers and sisters he longed to serve. Alone in a city where his old allies wanted to kill him, and his new family was afraid to trust him.

That is when Barnabas stepped forward.

"But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus." — Acts 9:27 (KJV)

Barnabas vouched for Paul. He put his own reputation on the line. He told the apostles: I have looked into this man's eyes. I have heard his testimony. I believe he is genuine. Because of Barnabas, Paul was received into the fellowship of the Jerusalem church. Because of Barnabas, Paul was given the chance to preach boldly in Jerusalem (Acts 9:28).

Without Barnabas, the story of the Apostle Paul — and perhaps the entire history of Christianity — might have looked very different. One act of courageous encouragement changed the world.

The First Missionaries: Barnabas and Paul Sent Out Together

Years later, the Holy Spirit moved in a remarkable way in the church at Antioch — a diverse, vibrant congregation that had become a center of Gentile Christianity. It was here, Acts 11:26 tells us, that believers were first called Christians. And it was here that Barnabas had been sent by the Jerusalem church to shepherd this growing flock.

Barnabas, true to his character, did not try to do it alone. He traveled to Tarsus to find Paul — the man he had once vouched for — and brought him to Antioch, where the two of them taught together for a whole year (Acts 11:25–26).

Then came a moment that would mark the beginning of a new era in the history of the church:

"As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." — Acts 13:2–3 (KJV)

Barnabas and Paul became the first Christian missionaries — the first to be formally sent out by a local church to carry the gospel to unreached peoples. They sailed first to Cyprus (Barnabas' home island), then on to the regions of Galatia in modern-day Turkey, preaching in city after city: Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.

They faced fierce opposition — stoning, riots, expulsion from cities. But they also saw extraordinary fruit: Gentiles coming to faith, synagogues turned upside down, and new churches planted in city after city. When they returned to Antioch, Acts 14:27 tells us they "gathered the church together, and rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles."

The door of faith to the Gentiles — to the whole world — had been opened. And Barnabas had helped carry the key.

The Legacy of an Encourager

Barnabas never wrote a letter that made it into the New Testament. He never performed a miracle as dramatic as raising the dead. But his legacy is woven into nearly every page of the New Testament — because without his encouragement, Paul might never have been received, and the gospel might never have spread as it did.

Barnabas teaches us that encouragement is not a small gift. It is not a lesser calling. Sometimes the most important thing we can do for the Kingdom of God is to see potential in someone that others have overlooked, to stand beside someone that others have written off, and to say: I believe in you. I believe God is at work in you.

Is there a Barnabas in your life who has encouraged you? And more importantly, is there someone in your life who needs you to be their Barnabas?

"Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." — 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV)

Supporting the Mission: Kinsman & Company and the Great Commission

At Kinsman & Company, we believe the spirit of Barnabas is still alive today — in every believer who gives, serves, and encourages the spread of the gospel. That is why a portion of every purchase made in our store goes directly to support missionaries, both local and worldwide. You can read more about our heart for missions on our About Us page.

When you purchase a Bible cover, a journal, a mug, or a set of scripture cards from our shop, you are not just blessing yourself or someone you love — you are helping to send the gospel to the ends of the earth. You are participating in the same Great Commission that Barnabas and Paul answered when the Holy Spirit said, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them."

Thank you for shopping with purpose. Thank you for being part of the mission. And may the Lord raise up many more encouragers — many more sons and daughters of consolation — in our day.

Shop Kinsman & Company and give with purpose — because every purchase supports the mission field, near and far.

Sources & Further Reading

Primary Source: All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible. The story of Barnabas is drawn directly from the biblical text, primarily the book of Acts. Verses can be read online at BibleGateway.com — King James Version. Key passages include Acts 4:36–37, Acts 9:26–28, Acts 13:2–3, Acts 14:27, Colossians 4:10, and 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

Sunday School Curriculum: This lesson is part of the Stories of Grace series by Striving Together Publications, taught at Liberty Baptist Church, Muncie.

Recommended Further Reading:

• Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary — a thorough reference for biblical figures
•  including Barnabas, available at most Christian bookstores.
• The Book of Acts by F.F. Bruce — a respected scholarly commentary on the early church and the missionary journeys of Barnabas and Paul.
• Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free by F.F. Bruce — explores the relationship between Paul and Barnabas in depth.
• Encyclopedia of the Bible: Barnabas — a free online reference at BibleGateway.com.