Paul's First Missionary Journey

The Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' The church fasted, prayed, laid hands on them, and sent them off.

Paul and Barnabas traveled to the port city of Seleucia Pieria, the harbor of Antioch, and sailed for Cyprus.

Landing at Salamis on the east coast of Cyprus, Paul and Barnabas proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John Mark accompanied them as an assistant.

At Paphos the sorcerer Bar-Jesus tried to oppose the gospel. Paul struck him blind. The Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus witnessed this and believed, astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

Sailing from Paphos, the team arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. John Mark left them here and returned to Jerusalem - a decision that later caused a sharp dispute between Paul and Barnabas.

Paul delivered a landmark synagogue sermon tracing God's saving acts from the Exodus to Jesus's resurrection. When Jews opposed him, Paul declared he was turning to the Gentiles. The word spread throughout the whole region.

A great number of Jews and Greeks believed. Opposition developed and the city was divided. A plot to stone Paul and Barnabas forced them to flee to Lystra and Derbe.

Paul healed a man lame from birth. The crowd called Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes and tried to sacrifice to them. Paul was later stoned, dragged out of the city, and left for dead - but he got up and went back into the city.

Paul and Barnabas preached in Derbe and won a large number of disciples. This was the easternmost point of the first journey.

Paul and Barnabas retraced their route, returning to strengthen the disciples and appointing elders in each church.

Returning through Iconium to encourage believers and appoint elders.

Returning through Antioch, strengthening the disciples.

Paul and Barnabas preached the word at Perga, the city they had passed through without preaching on the way out.

From Attalia (modern Antalya) they sailed back to Antioch in Syria.

Paul and Barnabas returned and gathered the church together to report everything God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. They stayed a long time.