Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. {\cf2\super [249]} They went to the city of Seleucia. Then they sailed from Seleucia to the island of Cyprus.
The believers were scattered by the persecution {\cf2\super [226]} that happened after Stephen was killed. Some of the believers went to places far away like Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. The believers told the Good News {\cf2\super [227]} in these places; but they told it only to Jews.
These men were all serving the Lord and fasting. {\cf2\super [245]} The Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [246]} said to them, “Give Barnabas and Saul to me to do a special work. I have chosen them to do this work.”
A few days later, Paul said to Barnabas, “We told the message {\cf2\super [325]} of the Lord in many towns. We should go back to all those towns to visit the brothers and sisters and see how they are doing.”
One of the believers was named Joseph. The apostles {\cf2\super [82]} called him Barnabas. (This name means “A person that helps others.”) He was a Levite {\cf2\super [83]} born in Cyprus.