Acta Barnabae

Since the descent of the presence of our savior Jesus Christ, the tireless, philanthropic, mighty shepherd, teacher, and physician, I have beheld and seen the ineffable, holy, and blameless mystery of those who piously hold the hope and are sealed as Christians, whom I also served eagerly. I deemed it necessary to record the mysteries I heard and saw.

I, John, set forth to narrate, having accompanied Barnabas and Paul, the holy apostles, having been formerly a servant of Cyrillus, the high priest of Zeus, but now having received the grace of the Holy Spirit through Paul and Barnabas and Silas, who are worthy of their calling, who also baptized me in Iconium.

After I was baptized, I saw in a vision a certain man standing, clothed in a white garment, and he said to me: "Take courage, John; for your name will be changed to Mark, and your glory will be proclaimed throughout the whole world. And the darkness in you has passed away from you, and understanding has been given to you to know the mysteries of God.

When I saw the vision, I became trembling and went to the feet of Barnabas and reported to him what I had seen and heard from that man—mysteries. The apostle Paul was not nearby when I disclosed the mysteries. Barnabas said to me: "Tell no one the power which you saw. For to me also this night the Lord appeared, saying: 'Take courage; for just as you gave your life for my name, to die and be estranged from your own people, so also you will be perfected. Moreover, take also the servant who is with you, and bring him along with yourself; for he has certain mysteries.' Now then, child, guard for yourself the words which you saw and heard; for the time will reveal you.

After I had been instructed by him in these things, we remained in Iconium for a considerable number of days; for there was a holy and devout man there who received us, and whose house Paul sanctified. From there we then arrived in Seleucia, and after staying three days we sailed to Cyprus, and I was serving them until we passed through Cyprus; and having put out from Cyprus we landed at Perge in Pamphylia. And there I remained for about two months, wishing to sail to the western regions; but the Holy Spirit did not permit me. Having returned again, I sought the apostles, and learning that they were in Antioch, I went to them.

I found Paul in Antioch, lying on his bed from the fatigue of the journey. When he saw me, he was greatly distressed because I had delayed in Pamphylia. Barnabas came and entreated him, and he tasted bread; but he took little of it. And they proclaimed the word of the Lord, and enlightened many of the Jews and Greeks. I, however, only attended to them. And I was afraid to approach Paul, because I had spent a considerable time in Pamphylia and he was greatly agitated against me. I offered repentance on my knees to Paul upon the ground, but he would not accept it. And when I persisted for three Sabbaths in supplication and entreaty, kneeling, I was unable to appease him on my own behalf; his great grief toward me was because I had the majority of the membranes in Pamphylia.

When they had finished teaching in Antioch, on one of the Sabbaths they sat together and deliberated about going to the eastern regions, and after that coming to Cyprus and visiting all the churches in which they had spoken the word of God. Barnabas urged Paul to go first to Cyprus and visit his own relatives in his village, and Lucius also urged that he receive a visit to his city, Corine. But there was a vision seen by Paul in his sleep, that he should hasten to Jerusalem because the brothers there were expecting him. Barnabas, however, urged that they go to Cyprus and spend the winter, and then go to Jerusalem at the feast.

Much contention arose between them. Barnabas urged me also to accompany them, since from the beginning I had been their servant, and in all Cyprus I served them until they arrived at Perge of Pamphylia, and there I remained for many days. But Paul cried out against Barnabas, saying, "It is impossible for this man to go with us." And those who were with us there also urged that I accompany them, because I had a vow to follow them to the end; so that Paul said to Barnabas, "If you wish to take John, who was renamed Mark, with you, go another way; for he will not come with us." Barnabas, coming to himself, said, "The grace of God does not reject one who has once served the gospel and traveled with us. So if this is also pleasing to you, Father Paul, I will take him and go." And he said, "Go in the grace of Christ, and we in the power of the Spirit.

Then, bending their knees, they prayed to God. And Paul, sighing, wept, and likewise Barnabas, saying to each other: "It would have been good for us to have made both the beginning and the end in common among men, as we began. But since it has seemed good to you, Father Paul, pray for me that my labor may be perfected to praise; for you know how I served you for the grace of Christ given to us. For I am going to Cyprus and hasten to be perfected; for I know that I will no longer see your face, Father Paul." And falling to the ground at his feet, he wept abundantly.

Paul said to him, "And to me this night the Lord appeared, saying, 'Do not force Barnabas not to go to Cyprus; for there it has been prepared for him to enlighten many. And you, in the grace given to you, go to Jerusalem to worship in the holy place, and there it will be shown to you where your martyrdom has been prepared.' And we embraced each other, and Barnabas took me with him.

And going down to Laodicea, we asked to cross over to Cyprus, and finding a ship bound for Cyprus, we embarked. And as we sailed, the wind proved contrary. We came to the place called Corasium, and going down to the shore, where there was a spring, we refreshed ourselves there, revealing ourselves to no one, so that no one would know that Barnabas had separated from Paul. Setting sail from Corasium, we came to Palaea in Isauria, and from there we came to a certain island called Pityousa, and a storm having arisen, we stayed there three days. A certain devout man named Euphemus received us, and Barnabas instructed him and his whole household extensively in the faith.

From there we sailed past the Aconnesiae and came to the city of Anemurium. When we entered it, we found two Greeks. They came to us and asked from where we were and who we were. Barnabas said to them, "If you wish to know from where we are and who we are, cast off the garment you have, and I will clothe you in a garment that is never soiled, nor is there any filth in it, but it is always bright." Astonished at the word, they asked us, "What is that garment which he is about to give?" Barnabas said to them, "If you confess your sins and submit to our Lord Jesus Christ, you receive that garment, which is imperishable for eternity.

Stricken by the Holy Spirit, they fell at his feet, entreating and saying, "We beseech you, Father, give us that garment; for we believe in the living and true God whom you proclaim." Leading them down to the spring, he baptized them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; and they knew that they had put on power and a holy garment. Taking one garment from me, he clothed one of them, and from his own garment he clothed the other. They offered him money, and Barnabas immediately distributed it to the poor; from which even the sailors were able to gain much.

Going down to the shore, he spoke to them the word of God; and having blessed them, we greeted them and set sail in the ship. One of them, named Stephen, wished to accompany us; but Barnabas did not permit it. When we had crossed over, we sailed into Cyprus by night, and coming to the place called Krommyakites we found Timon and Ariston, the temple-servants, with whom we were entertained.

Timon was seized with a severe fever; and laying our hands on him, we immediately removed his fever, invoking the name of the Lord Jesus. Barnabas had received from Matthew a book, a composition of the voice of God and of miracles and teachings; this book Barnabas placed upon the sick in whatever country we came to, and it immediately brought healing from their afflictions.

When we were in Lapithus, and idolatry was being performed in the theatre, they did not allow us to enter the city, but we rested a little by the gate. Timon, after he had recovered from his illness, came with us. Departing from Lapithus, we traveled through the mountains, and came to the city of Lampadistus, from which Timon also came. Finding Heracleius there as well, we were entertained by him.

This man was from the city of Tamassus, and had come to visit his relatives. Looking intently at him, Barnabas recognized him, having formerly had an encounter with him in the city of Citium together with Paul; and to him the Holy Spirit was given at his baptism, and he renamed him Heraclides. Having ordained him bishop of Cyprus and established a church in Tamassus, we left him there for the habitation of the brothers dwelling in that place.

After we had crossed the mountain called Chionodes, we arrived at Old Paphos, and there we found a certain Rhodon, a temple slave, who also believed and followed us. And we met a certain Jew named Barjesus coming from Paphos, who recognized Barnabas as having formerly been with Paul. This man did not allow us to enter Paphos, but turning back we came to Curium.

And we found a certain sacred race being held on the road near the city, where a multitude of women and men, naked, were performing the race; and much deceit and error took place in that place. But Barnabas turned and rebuked them, and the western part collapsed, so that many were wounded; and many of them also died, and the rest fled into the temple of Apollo, which was nearby in the place called Hiera. When we came near Curium, a great multitude of Jews who were there, instigated by Barjesus, stood outside the city and did not allow us to enter the city, but we spent the day under a tree that was near the city and rested there.

The next day we came to a certain village where Aristoclianus was staying; he had been a leper and was cleansed in Antioch, and Paul and Barnabas had sealed him as bishop and sent him to his village in Cyprus because there were many Greeks there. We were entertained by him in a cave on the mountain, and there we remained one day. From there we came to Amathus, and there was a great multitude of Greeks in the temple on the mountain, of shameless women and men making libations. Barjesus had anticipated us there also and stirred up the nation of the Jews, and he did not allow us to enter the city, until a certain widow, about eighty years old, who was outside the city and did not worship the idols, approached us and received us in her house for one hour. As we were leaving, we shook the dust from our feet opposite that temple where the libation of the priests was taking place.

From there we departed and went through desert places; and Timon also followed us. And when we came to the Citians, there was a great uproar there too in their hippodrome, so learning of it we left the city, all of us shaking the dust from our feet; for no one received us, except that we rested for one hour near the aqueduct at the gate.

When we had set sail from the city of the Citians, we came to Salamis and landed at the place called the Islands, where the region was full of idols; for there festivals and libations were held. And finding Heraclides there again, we taught him how to proclaim the gospel of God and to establish churches and ministers in them. When we entered Salamis, we came to the synagogue near the place called Biblia; and when we had entered there, Barnabas, opening the gospel which he had received from Matthew the fellow worker, began to teach the Jews.

When Bar-Jesus arrived after two days, after he had instructed not a few Jews, he became enraged and gathered together the whole multitude of the Jews, and they seized Barnabas and sought to hand him over to Hypatos, the governor of Salamis. And they bound him to bring him to the governor, but when a pious relative of Nero, a Jebusite, arrived in Cyprus, the Jews, learning of this, took Barnabas by night and bound him with a rope around his neck, and dragged him from the synagogue to the hippodrome, and passing outside the gate, they surrounded him and burned him with fire, so that even his bones became ashes. Immediately that same night, taking his ashes, they placed them in a linen cloth, and securing them with lead, they planned to cast them into the sea.

I, finding an opportunity by night, and being able to carry him with Timon and Rhodon, came to a certain place, and finding a cave, we brought him down there, where the nation of the Jebusites formerly dwelt; and finding a hidden place within it, we laid him to rest together with the writings which he received from Matthew. It was the fourth hour of the night of the second day of the week.

When we had hidden in the place, the Jews made no small search against us, and having found us with difficulty they pursued us as far as the village of Ledrae. And finding there also a cave near the village, we fled into it and thus escaped them. We remained hidden in the cave for three days, and when the Jews had withdrawn, we left the place by night. Taking with us Ariston and Rhodon, we came to the village of Limnetes.

And when we came to the shore, we found an Egyptian ship, and going aboard it we were brought down to Alexandria. And there I remained, teaching the brothers who came the word of the Lord, enlightening them and proclaiming the gospel of what I was taught by the apostles of Christ, who also baptized me in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and who renamed me Mark in the water of baptism, in which I also hope to bring many to the glory of God through his grace; for to him belongs honor and eternal glory, amen. Since from the descent of the presence of our Savior Jesus Christ, the unwearying and philanthropic and strong and shepherd and teacher and physician, I have beheld and seen the ineffable and holy and blameless mystery of those who piously hold the hope and are sealed Christians, to which I also served eagerly, I thought it necessary to set forth the mysteries I heard and saw, I, John, following Barnabas and Paul, the holy apostles, being formerly a servant of Cyril, the high priest of Zeus, but now having received the grace of the Holy Spirit through Paul and Barnabas and Silas, who are worthy of the calling, who also baptized me in Iconium. After I was baptized, I saw in a vision a certain man standing, clothed in a white robe, and he said to me: Take courage, John; for your name will be changed to Mark, and your glory will be proclaimed throughout the whole world. And the darkness in you has passed from you, and understanding has been given to you to know the mysteries of God.

When I saw the vision, I became trembling and went to the feet of Barnabas and reported to him what I had seen and heard from that man, the mysteries. Now the apostle Paul was not nearby when I disclosed the mysteries. And Barnabas said to me: "Tell no one the power which you saw. For to me also this night the Lord appeared, saying: 'Take courage; for as you have given your soul for my name to die and to be alienated from your own people, so also you will be perfected. Moreover, take also the servant who is with you, and take him with yourself; for he has certain mysteries.' Now therefore, child, guard for yourself the words which you saw and heard; for the time will come for you to reveal them." After I was instructed by him in these things, we remained in Iconium for many days; for there was a holy and pious man there, who received us, and whose house Paul sanctified. From there, then, we arrived in Seleucia, and after staying three days we sailed to Cyprus, and I was serving them until we passed through Cyprus; and having set sail from Cyprus, we were brought down to Perge of Pamphylia. And there I remained for about two months, wishing to sail to the western regions; but the Holy Spirit did not allow me. Having returned again, I sought the apostles, and learning that they were in Antioch, I went to them. I found Paul in Antioch, lying on his bed from the fatigue of the journey; and when he saw me, he was greatly grieved because I had delayed in Pamphylia. And Barnabas came and comforted him, and he tasted bread; but he took only a little of it.

And they proclaimed the word of the Lord, and enlightened many of the Jews and Greeks. But I alone paid attention to them. And I was afraid to approach Paul, because I had spent considerable time in Pamphylia and he was greatly agitated against me. I offered repentance on my knees to Paul on the ground, but he would not accept it. When I persisted for three Sabbaths with supplication and entreaty, kneeling, I was unable to appease him on my own behalf. His great anger toward me was because I had the majority of the membranes in Pamphylia. When they had finished teaching in Antioch, on one of the Sabbaths they sat together and deliberated about going to the eastern regions, and after that to come to Cyprus and visit all the churches in which they had spoken the word of God. Barnabas urged Paul to come first to Cyprus and visit his own people in his village, and Lucius also urged that he visit his city, Corine. But there was a vision seen in sleep by Paul, that he should hasten to Jerusalem because the brothers there were expecting him. Barnabas urged that they come to Cyprus and spend the winter, and then go to Jerusalem for the feast. So great contention arose between them. Barnabas urged me also to accompany them, because from the beginning I had been their servant, and in all Cyprus I served them until they arrived at Perga in Pamphylia, and there I remained for many days.

But Paul cried out against Barnabas, saying, “It is impossible for this man to come with us.” And those who were with us there also urged that I should accompany them, because I had a vow to follow them to the end; so that Paul said to Barnabas, “If you wish to take John, who was renamed Mark, with you, go another way; for he will not come with us.” And Barnabas, coming to himself, said, “The grace of God does not reject one who has once served the gospel and journeyed with us. So if this is also pleasing to you, Father Paul, I will take him and go.” And he said, “Go in the grace of Christ, and we in the power of the Spirit.” Then, bending their knees, they prayed to God. And Paul, sighing, wept, and likewise Barnabas also, saying to one another, “It would have been good for us to make the end among men as we made the beginning, together. But since it has seemed so to you, Father Paul, pray for me that my labor may be brought to completion for praise; for you know how I served you in the grace of Christ given to us. For I am going to Cyprus and I hasten to be perfected; for I know that I will no longer see your face, Father Paul.” And falling to the ground at his feet, he wept copiously. And Paul said to him, “This night also the Lord appeared to me, saying, ‘Do not force Barnabas not to go to Cyprus; for there it is prepared for him to enlighten many.’

And you, with the grace given to you, go to Jerusalem to worship in the holy place, and there it will be shown to you where your martyrdom is prepared. We embraced one another, and Barnabas took me. And going down to Laodicea, we asked to cross to Cyprus, and finding a ship going to Cyprus we embarked; and as we sailed, the wind was found contrary. We came to Corasium, and going down to the shore, where there was a spring, we refreshed ourselves there, not revealing ourselves to anyone because no one was to know that Barnabas had separated from Paul. Setting sail from Corasium, we came to Palaias of Isauria, and from there we came to a certain island called Pityousa, and a storm having arisen, we stayed there three days; and a certain pious man named Euphemus received us, and Barnabas instructed him and his whole household much in the faith. From there we sailed past the Akonesiai and came to the city of Anemurium, and entering it we found two Greeks; they came to us and asked from where and who we were. Barnabas said to them, “If you wish to know from where and who we are, cast off the garment you have, and I will clothe you with a garment that is never soiled, nor is there any filth in it, but it is always bright.” Being astonished at the word, they asked us, “What is that garment which he is about to give?” Barnabas said to them, “If you confess your sins and submit to our Lord Jesus Christ, you receive that garment which is imperishable for eternity.

Stricken with compunction by the Holy Spirit, they fell at his feet, entreating and saying, "We beseech you, father, give us that garment; for we believe in the living and true God whom you proclaim." And leading them down to the spring, he baptized them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; and they knew that they had put on power and a holy garment. Taking one garment from me, he clothed one of them, and from his own garment he clothed the other. They offered money to him, and Barnabas immediately distributed it to the poor; from which even the sailors were able to gain much. Going down to the shore, he spoke the word of God to them; and having blessed them, we embraced them and set sail in the ship. One of them, called Stephen, wished to accompany us; but Barnabas did not permit it. Crossing over, we sailed into Cyprus by night, and coming to the place called Krommyakites, we found Timon and Ariston, the temple servants, with whom we were entertained. Timon was suffering from a severe fever; and laying our hands on him, we immediately removed his fever, invoking the name of the Lord Jesus. Barnabas had received from Matthew a book, a writing of the voice of God and of miracles and teachings; this Barnabas placed on the sick in whatever country we came to, and it immediately brought healing from their afflictions. When we were in Lapithos, and idolatrous madness was being performed in the theater, they did not allow us to enter the city, but we rested a little near the gate.

Timon, after he had risen from his sickness, came with us. And having gone out from Lapithus, we traveled through the mountains, and came to the city of Lampadistus, from which Timon also originated; finding him there, and also Heracleius being there, we were entertained by him. This man was from Tamaseus, who had come to visit his relatives; looking intently at him, Barnabas recognized him, having formerly had an encounter with him in the region of Citium together with Paul; to him also the Holy Spirit was given at his baptism, and he renamed him Heraclides. And having ordained him bishop of Cyprus and established a church in Tamasus, we left him for the habitation of the brothers dwelling there. And when we had crossed the mountain called Chionodes, we arrived at Old Paphos, and there finding a certain Rhodon, a temple slave, who also himself believed and followed us. And we met a certain Jew named Barjesus coming from Paphos, who also recognized Barnabas as having formerly been with Paul; this man did not allow us to enter Paphos, but turning back we came to Curium. And we found some profane race being conducted on the road near the city, where a multitude of women and men, naked, were performing the race; and much deception and error occurred in that place. But Barnabas, turning, rebuked this, and the western part fell, so that many became wounded; many of them also died, and the rest fled to the temple of Apollo which is nearby in the place called Hiera.

When we drew near to Curium, a great multitude of Jews who were there, suborned by Bar-Jesus, stood outside the city and would not allow us to enter the city; but we spent the day under a tree that was near the city and rested there. On the following day we came to a certain village where Aristoclianus was staying; he had been a leper and was cleansed in Antioch, and Paul and Barnabas had sealed him as bishop and sent him to his village in Cyprus because there were many Greeks there. We were entertained by him in a cave on the mountain, and we remained there one day. From there we came to Amathus, and there was a great multitude of Greeks in the temple on the mountain, both indecent women and men making libations. Bar-Jesus had anticipated us there also and had stirred up the nation of the Jews, and they would not allow us to enter the city, except that a certain widow, about eighty years old, who was outside the city and did not worship the idols, approached us and received us in her house for one hour. As we were leaving, we shook the dust from our feet opposite that temple where the libation of the priests was taking place. From there we departed and came through desert places; and Timon also followed us. And when we came to Citium, a great uproar having occurred there also in their hippodrome, we learned of it and left the city, all of us shaking the dust from our feet; for no one received us, except that we rested for one hour at the gate near the aqueduct.

When we had set sail from the city of the Citians, we came to Salamis and landed at the place called the Islands, where the spot was full of idols; for there festivals and libations were taking place. Finding Heraclides there again, we taught him how to proclaim the gospel of God and to establish churches and ministers in them. When we entered Salamis, we arrived at the synagogue near the place called Biblia; and when we entered there, Barnabas, opening the gospel which he had received from Matthew the fellow worker, began to teach the Jews. When Bar-Jesus arrived after two days, after he had instructed not a few Jews, he became enraged, gathered together the whole multitude of the Jews, and seizing Barnabas they sought to hand him over to Hypatus, the governor of Salamis. And as they bound him to bring him to the governor, when a pious Jebusite, a relative of Nero, arrived in Cyprus, the Jews, learning of this, took Barnabas by night, bound him with a rope around his neck, and dragging him from the synagogue to the hippodrome, and passing outside the gate, they surrounded him and burned him with fire, so that even his bones became ashes. Immediately that same night, taking his ashes, they placed them in a linen cloth, and securing them with lead, they planned to cast them into the sea. But I, finding an opportunity during the night, and being able to carry this with Timon and Rhodon, we came to a certain place, and finding a cave, we deposited him there, where the nation of the Jebusites formerly dwelt.

Having found a hidden place, we deposited in it the teachings which he had received from Matthew. It was the fourth hour of the night of the second day of the Sabbath. When we had hidden ourselves in that place, the Jews made no small search against us, and having found us with difficulty, they pursued us as far as the village of Ledrae. And finding there also a cave near the village, we took refuge in it and thus escaped them. We remained hidden in the cave for three days, and when the Jews had withdrawn, we left the place by night. Taking Ariston and Rhodon with us, we came to the village of Limnetes. When we reached the shore, we found an Egyptian ship, and boarding it, we were brought to Alexandria. And there I remained, teaching the brothers who came the word of the Lord, enlightening them and proclaiming the gospel which I had learned from the apostles of Christ, who also baptized me in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and who renamed me Mark in the water of baptism, in which I hope to bring many to the glory of God through his grace; for to him belong honor and eternal glory. Amen.