One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the

Messiah? Save yourself and us!” (Gestas)

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you
are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what
our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”
(Dismas)

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Acts 4:36 New International Version (NIV)
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means
“son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put
it at the apostles’ feet.

10 Things to Know about the Bible’s Barnabas

“Barnabas” wasn’t his birth name (Joseph was), it was his nickname meaning
“Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36). This rather obscure Bible character was so
encouraging that it became his name. What a legacy to leave! What an example to
follow. What would people nickname you?
Background: Acts 4:36 records that Barnabas was a Levite and a Cyprian (that is,
a native of the island of Cyprus).
Barnabas put the kingdom first with possessions. His first recorded action is that
he “sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the
apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:37). He also was acknowledged by Paul for supporting
himself financially for his ministry instead of depending on churches (1
Corinthians 9:6).
After Paul’s dramatic conversion, Barnabas courageously vouched for him when
the Jerusalem church was suspicious that a former persecutor would want to join
their ranks (Acts 9:26-31).
Barnabas was a Christian leader and preacher (Acts 15:35). On one occasion, he
was sent by the Jerusalem church to Antioch. Acts 11:23-24 describes his arrival,
“When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all
to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full
of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.”
After his arrival, Barnabas sought out Saul to help him with the work (Acts
11:25). Barnabas’ ministry and effectiveness touches on one of the goals of the
Fellowship of the Word program, which is to equip leaders to preach God’s Word
with God’s heart and to empower pastors to train others in the Scriptures as well.
While praying, fasting, and worshiping God, Barnabas and Saul received the call
from the Holy Spirit to go on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-3).
Barnabas, along with Paul, served to straighten out Jew/Gentile tensions that arose
in the early church by sharing from the Scriptures and his experience how the
Gentiles were being saved and could fellowship with Jews (Acts 15:1-21;
Galatians 2:1-10). Although this issue was not without its challenges for
Barnabas. In Galatians 2:13, Paul called Barnabas out for being led astray by
Jewish circumcision party hypocrisy for a time (presumably before the Jerusalem
Council in Acts 15).
Barnabas had a sharp disagreement with Paul that ended their ministry together.
Acts 15:36-41 explains that Barnabas wanted to take Mark along on their
missionary journey while Paul did not because Mark had abandoned them on a
previous trip. Paul would eventually describe Mark as “useful to me” at the end of
his life (2 Timothy 4:11). It makes sense that Barnabas would stick up for Mark–
they were cousins (Colossians 4:10).
There was wide speculation about Barnabas in early church history. James Brooks
explains, “In the third century Barnabas was identified by Clement of Alexandria
as one of the 70 of Luke 10:1; Tertullian referred to him as the author of Hebrews;
and the Clementine Recognitions stated he was the Matthias of Acts 1:23, 26. All
of these are most unlikely. In the second century an epistle bearing Barnabas’s
name appeared, became quite popular, and even received some consideration for a
place in the NT. Later an apocryphal Acts of Barnabas and perhaps even a Gospel
of Barnabas were circulated.”1
Barnabas left a tremendous legacy. All of the above facts (except #9) prove
Barnabas to be a strong man of faith that left a lasting legacy and stored up for
himself a lucrative inheritance in heaven.

Andrew brought Peter to Jesus, “when Jesus looked at him, He said, ‘You are
Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas’ (which is translated, A
Stone)” (John 1:42). Cephas is Aramaic, and Peter is Greek.
Peter became a rock-solid pillar in the Church and part of its foundation.
Peter’s first recorded sermon is related in Acts 1:15-22. Already we see an added
dimension of sobriety, maturity, wisdom and knowledge of Scripture, clearly
inspired by God’s Holy Spirit. With his second sermon in Acts 2, we see a mighty
preacher of the gospel giving a focused and powerful masterpiece of a sermon.

Cephas - Means "rock" in Aramaic. The apostle Simon was called Cephas by
Jesus because he was to be the rock upon which the Christian church was to be
built. In most versions of the New Testament Cephas is translated into Greek
Πετρος (Petros) (in English Peter).