Act 13:1 | MHM | STEP | The Mission of Paul and Barnabas This passage describes how Paul (then called Saul) and Barnabas were chosen by God to begin preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. The church at Antioch was guided by the Holy Spirit to send them out for this special mission. Their sending was marked by prayer, fasting, and the laying on of hands by other leaders in the church. v. 1 : The church in Antioch had many gifted leaders. There were prophets and teachers, such as Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who grew up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul. These men were known for their wisdom, spiritual gifts, and dedication. Antioch was a large city with many believers, so it needed many teachers to help the church grow. Some leaders, like Manaen, gave up high positions in the world to serve Christ, showing that following Jesus is better than any job or title in society (Acts 11:20; Ephesians 4:11 , Matthew 23:34 ).

‏ Acts 13:1

The Mission of Paul and Barnabas

This passage describes how Paul (then called Saul) and Barnabas were chosen by God to begin preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. The church at Antioch was guided by the Holy Spirit to send them out for this special mission. Their sending was marked by prayer, fasting, and the laying on of hands by other leaders in the church.

v. 1: The church in Antioch had many gifted leaders. There were prophets and teachers, such as Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who grew up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul. These men were known for their wisdom, spiritual gifts, and dedication. Antioch was a large city with many believers, so it needed many teachers to help the church grow. Some leaders, like Manaen, gave up high positions in the world to serve Christ, showing that following Jesus is better than any job or title in society (Acts 11:20; Ephesians 4:11 ^a, Matthew 23:34 ^b).