Barnabas, a Jew from Cyprus, came to Jerusalem where he joined the early Christian community. The apostles changed his name from Joseph to Barnabas which Luke tells us meant "man of encouragement." All that we know of Barnabas is recorded by Luke in Acts: he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. It was Barnabas who accepted Paul into the community after his conversion and who was at Paul's side for many years as his partner in evangelizing the Gentiles. Tradition has it that he was stoned to death in his native Cyprus about the year 61.©2011 Living with Christ, Novalis - Bayard Press Canada Inc., http://www.livingwithchrist.ca/. Reprinted with permission.