After their ordination Paul and Barnabas “went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.” Barnabas was “a native of Cyprus” (Acts 4:36, NRSV), and now he and Paul visited this island, accompanied by John Mark, a relative of Barnabas. Cyprus was one of the places where believers had gone because of persecution after Stephen’s death.4TC 86.2

Mark’s mother had become a Christian, and the apostles were always sure of a welcome and rest in her home at Jerusalem. During one of these visits to his mother’s home, Mark suggested to Paul and Barnabas that he go with them on their missionary tour. He longed to devote himself to the work of the gospel.4TC 86.3

When the apostles “had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.”4TC 87.1

When Sergius Paulus was listening to the apostles, the forces of evil worked through the sorcerer Elymas to try to turn him from the faith and so defeat God’s plans. The fallen enemy works in this way to keep people of influence on his side and prevent them from giving effective service in God’s cause.4TC 87.2

Paul had the courage to rebuke the one through whom the enemy was working. “Filled with the Holy Spirit,” he “said, ‘You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now listen—the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind for a while, unable to see the sun.’ Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he went about groping for someone to lead him by the hand” (NRSV).4TC 87.3

The sorcerer had closed his eyes to gospel truth, and in righteous anger the Lord caused his natural eyes to be closed. This blindness was only for a time, so that he could repent and seek pardon from the God he had offended. The fact that he had to grope about in blindness proved to everyone that the apostles’ miracles, which Elymas had denounced as skillful tricks, were done by the power of God. The deputy was convinced, and he accepted the gospel.4TC 87.4

Those who preach the truth will meet Satan in many forms. It is the duty of Christ’s ministers to stand faithful at their posts, in the fear of God. In this way they may put the forces of Satan into confusion, triumphing in the name of the Lord.4TC 87.5

Paul and his companions continued their journey, going to Perga in Pamphylia. They met hardships and did not have everything they needed, and in the towns and cities and along lonely highways they were surrounded by dangers seen and unseen. But Paul and Barnabas had learned to trust God’s power. As faithful shepherds in search of lost sheep, forgetful of themselves, they did not turn away from weariness, hunger, and cold.4TC 87.6

Here Mark became overwhelmed with fear and discouragement. He was not used to hardships, and he lost heart when opposition and danger came. He failed to endure hardship as a good soldier of the cross. He still had to learn to face danger, persecution, and trouble with a brave heart. Losing all courage, he returned to Jerusalem.4TC 88.1

This caused Paul to judge Mark harshly for a while. Barnabas was inclined to excuse him. He saw qualifications in him that would fit him to be a useful worker. In later years the young man gave himself completely to proclaiming the gospel in difficult fields. Under the wise training of Barnabas, he developed into a valuable worker.4TC 88.2

Paul and Mark Later Reconciled

Afterward Paul was reconciled to Mark. He recommended him to the Colossians as a fellow worker “for the kingdom of God” and “a comfort to me.” He spoke of Mark as profitable, “useful to me for ministry.” (Colossians 4:11; 2 Timothy 4:11.)4TC 88.3

At Antioch in Pisidia Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue on the Sabbath. “After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent them a message, saying, ‘Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, give it’” (NRSV). Being invited to speak, “Paul stood up, and with a gesture began to speak: ‘You Israelites, and others who fear God, listen.’” Then he proceeded to give a history of how the Lord had dealt with the Jews and how He had promised a Savior. He boldly declared that “God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as He promised; before His coming John had already proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his work, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. No, but One is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of the sandals on His feet’” (NRSV). Powerfully he preached Jesus as the Messiah of prophecy.4TC 88.4

Paul Speaks Plainly

Paul said, “My brothers, ... because the residents of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Him or understand the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they fulfilled those words [the prophecies] by condemning Him” (NRSV)4TC 89.1

Paul did not hesitate to speak the truth about the Jewish leaders. “Though they found no cause for death in Him,” the apostle said, “they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead. He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people.”4TC 89.2

“And we declare to you glad tidings,” the apostle continued. “God has ... raised up Jesus.”4TC 89.3

And now Paul preached repentance and forgiveness of sin through the merits of Jesus their Savior: “By Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”4TC 89.4

The apostle’s appeal to Old Testament prophecies and his declaration that these had been fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth were convincing. And his assurance that the “glad tidings” were for both Jews and Gentiles brought hope and joy.4TC 89.5

“So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.” “Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism” (NRSV) accepted the good news that day. Paul and Barnabas “persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.”4TC 89.6

The next Sabbath, the interest that Paul’s words had stirred up brought together “almost the whole city ... to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.4TC 89.7

“Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.’”4TC 89.8

“When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” Thus “the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.”4TC 90.1

Centuries before, prophecy had predicted this ingathering of the Gentiles. (See Hosea 1:10; 2:23.) The Savior Himself foretold the spread of the gospel among them. (See Matthew 21:43.) And after His resurrection He commissioned His disciples to go “into all the world” and “make disciples of all the nations.” (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19.)4TC 90.2

The Gentiles See the Light

Later, in important centers, Paul and his companions preached the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. But from this time on their chief energies were directed toward heathen peoples who had little or no knowledge of the true God and of His Son. Through the untiring efforts of the apostles to the Gentiles, those “without Christ” who “once were far off” learned that they had been “brought near by the blood of Christ” and that through faith they could become “members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:12, 13, 19).4TC 90.3

To those who believe, Christ is a dependable foundation. This living stone is broad enough and strong enough to support the weight and burden of the whole world. The apostle wrote: “You are ... built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19, 20).4TC 90.4

As the gospel spread in Pisidia, in blind prejudice the unbelieving Jews “stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them” from that district.4TC 90.5

The apostles were not discouraged. They remembered the words of their Master: “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:12).4TC 90.6

The gospel message was advancing!4TC 90.7

Dramatic Success at Antioch

The Apostles Are Both Persecuted and Adored