Paul's First Missionary Journey

The event

Commissioned by the church at Antioch, Barnabas and Saul (whom Luke now begins calling by his Roman name, Paul) sailed first to Cyprus, Barnabas's home island, where the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus believed after Paul struck a sorcerer named Elymas blind for opposing the gospel (Acts 13:6-12). From Cyprus they crossed to the southern coast of Asia Minor and pushed inland into the region of Galatia, preaching in a string of cities - Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.

The pattern repeated in city after city: Paul preached first in the synagogue, a mixed response of Jewish and Gentile believers followed, and jealous opposition from some Jewish leaders eventually forced the missionaries out - sometimes violently, as at Lystra, where Paul was stoned and left for dead, only to get up and walk back into the city the next day (Acts 14:19-20). At Lystra the crowds first hailed Paul and Barnabas as the gods Hermes and Zeus in human form, then just as quickly turned on Paul - a vivid picture of how volatile pagan crowds could be.

Rather than pressing further, Paul and Barnabas retraced their steps, strengthening the new churches, appointing elders in each one, and commending them to the Lord before sailing back to report to the Antioch church "all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles" (Acts 14:27). This journey established the first wave of Gentile-majority churches in Galatia and set the stage for the controversy that would soon require the Jerusalem Council.

Scripture references

• Acts 13:4-14:28

Further reading

• Bible Odyssey (SBL): Pauline Cities