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,
Barnabas.
Acts 11:22-25,30 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch…
Acts 12:25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.
Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
The son.
Mark 3:17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:
Cyprus.
Acts 11:19,20 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only…
Acts 15:39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
Acts 21:16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.
a Levite
As a Levite, Joseph belonged to the tribe of Levi, which was traditionally set apart for religious duties and service in the temple. This background may have influenced his later role in the church, as Levites were often involved in teaching and leadership. The Levites did not have a territorial inheritance like other tribes, which may have contributed to Joseph's mobility and missionary work.
from Cyprus
Cyprus is an island in the eastern Mediterranean, known for its strategic location and diverse population. Being from Cyprus suggests that Joseph was part of the Jewish diaspora, living outside of Israel. This background may have given him a broader perspective and ability to connect with both Jewish and Gentile communities, which was crucial in the early spread of Christianity.
whom the apostles called Barnabas
The apostles gave Joseph the name Barnabas, indicating their recognition of his character and contributions. This renaming is reminiscent of other biblical figures who received new names to signify a change in role or identity, such as Abram to Abraham or Simon to Peter. It highlights the apostles' authority and the transformative nature of following Christ.
(meaning Son of Encouragement)
The name Barnabas means "Son of Encouragement," reflecting his role in the early church as a source of support and motivation. Barnabas is known for his generosity, as seen in Acts 4:37, where he sells a field and donates the proceeds. His encouragement is further demonstrated in his mentorship of Paul and his involvement in missionary journeys. This characteristic aligns with the Christian call to build up and edify the body of Christ, as seen in passages like 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
• Luke introduces “Joseph” to anchor this account in real history—an identifiable man living among the early believers (Acts 4:36).
• The given name reminds us of God’s pattern of calling ordinary people, just as He earlier chose a carpenter named Joseph to raise Jesus (Matthew 1:20-21) and a young dreamer named Joseph to preserve Israel (Genesis 45:7-8).
• From this point on, Scripture almost always refers to him by his new name, showing how Christ-centered community can reshape personal identity (cf. Acts 9:27; 11:25-30; 13:1-3).
• Levites were set apart for temple service (Numbers 18:20-24). Though they owned no tribal land, they were rich in spiritual stewardship—a fitting background for a man soon to give sacrificially (Acts 4:37).
• His priestly lineage highlights the gospel’s power to reach even those steeped in old-covenant ritual and redirect them to the risen Messiah (Hebrews 7:11-14).
• Like the Levite who should have shown mercy in Jesus’ parable (Luke 10:32), Barnabas will become the one who actually does, living out compassion toward Saul and Gentile converts (Acts 9:26-27; 11:22-24).
• Being a Cypriot Jew placed him among the dispersion, comfortable in both Jewish and Hellenistic worlds. This equips him to bridge cultures when the gospel spreads beyond Jerusalem (Acts 11:19-23).
• Cyprus later becomes the first stop on Paul’s maiden missionary journey (Acts 13:4-5), likely chosen in part because Barnabas knows the terrain and people.
• His island origin underlines God’s desire to reach “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8), starting with believers who already span those geographic edges.
• The apostles give him a new name, echoing moments when God renamed Abram, Sarai, and Simon (Genesis 17:5; John 1:42). It signals acceptance into the core leadership of the church.
• Receiving this name from the apostles shows their discernment of spiritual gifting (Acts 6:3). They see in Joseph a God-given quality valuable for the body (Romans 12:6-8).
• The renaming also models healthy community: leaders notice, affirm, and label the grace they observe in others, urging them toward greater usefulness (2 Timothy 1:6).
• “Encouragement” (paraklēsis) describes comfort, exhortation, and advocacy—the same ministry title Jesus gives the Holy Spirit (John 14:16: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate”).
• Barnabas embodies this gift:
– He vouches for newly converted Saul when others fear him (Acts 9:26-27).
– He rejoices in God’s grace among Gentiles and urges them to remain faithful (Acts 11:23).
– He patiently mentors Mark after Paul lets him go (Acts 15:37-39; Colossians 4:10).
• His example urges believers today to “encourage one another daily” (Hebrews 3:13) and to “build one another up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
• In a climate of persecution (Acts 4:18-21), such encouragement strengthens the church to remain bold (Acts 4:31).
Acts 4:36 introduces a real man, Joseph, whose priestly heritage, international background, and Spirit-given gift of encouragement make him a vital bridge in the early church. Renamed Barnabas by the apostles, he models sacrificial generosity, cultural agility, and persistent advocacy for others, showing how Christ transforms ordinary believers into indispensable servants who strengthen and extend the gospel’s reach.
(36) And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas.--The better MSS. give the name as Joseph. It is possible, as Rabbinic writers often give Jose for Joseph, that both were but different forms, like Simon and Simeon, of the same name. The later friendship between the Levite of Cyprus and St. Paul makes it probable that there had been some previous companionship (see Notes on Acts 9:27; Acts 11:25), and it may well have been that he was sent from Cyprus to receive his education in the famous schools of Tarsus, or practised with Saul in early life the craft of tent-making, for which Tarsus was famous, and in which they were afterwards fellow-labourers (1Corinthians 9:6). As a Levite he had probably taken his place in the ministries of the Temple, and may, therefore, have been among our Lord's actual hearers. His relation Mary, the mother of John surnamed Marcus, was, we know, living at Jerusalem. (See Note on Acts 12:12; Colossians 4:10.) A tradition, as early as Clement of Alexandria (Strom. ii. ? 116), makes him one of the Seventy, and this agrees with the prophetic character which we have seen reason to think of as attaching to that body. (See. Note on Luke 10:1.) The new name which the Apostles gave him, literally, if we look to its Hebrew etymology, The son of prophecy, or, taking St. Luke's translation, The son of counsel, implies the possession of a special gift of persuasive utterance, in which the Apostles recognised the work of the Spirit. The Paraclete had endowed him with the gift of paraclesis, in the sense in which that word included counsel, comfort, admonition, application of divine truth to the spiritual necessities of men. (See Excursus G. on St. John's Gospel.) In Acts 11:23, we find him exhorting the Gentile converts at Antioch, the verb being that from which paraclesis is derived. He was, i.e., conspicuous for the gift of prophecy as that gift is described in 1Corinthians 14:3. The several stages in his life come before us later. An Epistle bearing his name, and recognised as his by Clement of Alexandria and Origen, is still extant, but its authenticity is, to say the least, questionable. It consists mainly of allegorical interpretations of Old Testament narratives. Some critics have assigned the Epistle to the Hebrews to his authorship, as the expounder of St. Paul's thoughts. It should be noted that a little further on his kinswoman Mary's house is the chief meeting-place of the Church of Jerusalem (Acts 12:12), and that her son John, surnamed Mark, is mentioned by St. Peter ("Marcus my son," 1Peter 5:13) in words which make it almost certain that he was converted by that Apostle. . . . Verse 36. - Joseph for Joses, A.V., as Acts 1:23; Son of exhortation for The son of consolation, A.V.; a man of Cyprus by race for and of the country of Cyprus, A.V. Joseph. In the variation of manuscripts it is difficult to say which is right. Some (Grotius, Alford, etc.) consider the two forms as mere variations in writing the name Joseph. But it seems more probable that Joses is the same name as Josiah, only without the addition of the Divine Name (Jab) at the end (see Simon, 'Onomast.'). It is found as a proper name in the T.R. of Matthew 13:55; Matthew 27:56; Mark 6:3; Mark 15:40, 47; Luke 3:29 (Jose); and is not likely to have been substituted for the common name of Joseph. The Codex Sinaiticus has Joses only in Mark 15:40. The R.V. has Joseph in Matthew 13:55, and Joses in Matthew 27:56; Mark 6:3; Mark 15:40, 47. In Luke 3:29 the R.V. has Jesus. But Joses is probably right both here and in the above-cited passages. Barnabas; literally, son of prophecy; i.e. a prophet, as he is called in Acts 18:1. Probably his exhortations under the influence of the Holy Spirit in the Church assemblies were particularly stirring and edifying. The Greek version of the name, υἱὸς παρακλήσεως, should be rendered, as in R.V., Son of exhortation, for "son of consolation? is a meaning which can hardly be got out of the Hebrew. The apostles seem here to have followed our Lord's example in naming the sons of Zebedee, sons of thunder. A man of Cyprus by race. The A.V. is less accurate, but it gives the sense better. Cyprus was the country where he was born and lived, as, it is likely, his fathers had done before him. But he was hardly, in our sense of the words, a Cypriot by race. We know that a great many Jews were settled in Cyprus (Philo, 'Leg. ad Caium.,'§ 36; Josephus, 'Ant.,' 13:4; Alford, on Acts 11:19); and we learn from Acts 13:5 that in Salamis alone there were several synagogues.