Apocrypha
Acts of Barnabas
Apocryphal Acts
1 chapter · read and listen
Reading note
An apocryphal or pseudepigraphal text — outside the canon of the Western churches, yet widely circulated among ancient Jews and Christians. Published here from a public-domain translation, edited for continuous reading.
Chapters
Dossier
The account of the mission and death of Barnabas in Cyprus, written in the first person by someone who says he was there: John Mark.
Where this text comes from
Greek, 5th century AD. It is connected with the discovery of Barnabas's tomb in Cyprus, which secured the Cypriot church the right to govern itself.
Why it is not in the Bible
Outside every canon.
What you will find
- It is narrated by John Mark, the same figure who appears in Acts, which gives the text the tone of a travel diary.
- The itinerary through the cities of Cyprus is detailed enough to have geographical value.
- The martyrdom by stoning, and the body hidden in a cave with the gospel of Matthew on his chest.
Frequently asked questions
- Why did this text matter for Cyprus?
- Because the discovery of Barnabas's tomb, which it describes, was used in the 5th century to support the autonomy of the church of Cyprus against Antioch.