Salamis, on the island of Cyprus, was the first place reached, after sailing from Seleucia (Acts 13:4, 5) the sea-port of Antioch. It was the natural thing to go first to this island as it had been the home of Barnabas and many Jews had settled there; it was about eighty miles to the southwest of Seleucia.
Paphos.—After passing through the island from east to west the missionaries came to Paphos. This city was the seat of the worship of Venus, the goddess of love. This worship was carried on with the most degrading of immoralities.
The chief incidents in the ministry here were the smiting of the Jewish sorcerer, Elymas, with blindness for his persistent opposition and the conversion of the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:6-12). Saul is filled with an unusual power of the Spirit for his work in this city and takes the name of Paul. It is now no longer Barnabas and Saul, but Paul and Barnabas.
Perga in Pamphylia—(Acts 13:13, 14). The missionaries take ship from Paphos and sail in a north-easterly direction across the Mediterranean Sea to this city of Asia Minor. John Mark, doubtless appalled by the difficulties which had already been experienced and now that the journey seemed to promise still greater hardships, left the company and returned to Jerusalem.
Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:14-52) was about ninety miles directly north of Perga. It was a good-sized city with a large Jewish population. Luke's account of this visit is notable in that we have the chief points in Paul's speech in the synagogue set down. This address is worth study from the fact that it is the first sermon of Paul of which we have any record, and is probably the usual way in which he began his work in a great many Jewish synagogues. Paul is asked to speak to the assembled Jews. He begins upon the common ground of the history of Israel. He declares the promise of a Savior. This Savior is to be of the seed of David. Then Paul sets forth that Jesus is the promised Savior. He reminds them of the testimony of John and of those who had seen Jesus before and after His resurrection. He declares unto them the glad tidings of a Savior. He warns them of their peril in rejecting Jesus Christ. Paul is invited to speak upon the next Sabbath, but there is a division and those who oppose Paul try to drive him out of their city which they finally succeed in doing. But the Word has fallen into good soil and there is the beginning of a Christian church.
Iconium in Lycaonia (Acts 14:1-5) is over one hundred miles distant from Antioch. The missionaries were now in a country of a people with strange ways. They remained here for some time and their ministry was attested by "signs and wonders." But again some of the Jews opposed them and stirred up the multitude. A plan was made by the ringleaders of the opposition to stone them, but being made aware of it Paul and Barnabas "fled unto Derbe and Lystra." They had, however, the satisfaction of leaving behind "a great multitude of believing Jews and Greeks" (Acts 14:1).
Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia (Acts 14:6-21).—"And there they preached the gospel." There is no mention of any Jewish synagogue at either of these cities. The inhabitants were worshippers of the heathen gods. The healing of a lame man at Lystra brought Paul and Barnabas directly into touch with the heathen priests and populace. When they saw this miracle of healing, they thought that the gods had come down to earth in the likeness of men. Barnabas was called Jupiter "and Paul Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker." When Paul and Barnabas sought to restrain the priests and people from doing sacrifice to them, it is interesting to note what words Paul uses in addressing them. As with the Jews he here seeks first of all a common ground. He says, "We are men of like passions with you and preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein; who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He left not Himself without a witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness" (Acts 14:15-17). We find the same earnestness the same desire to preach the gospel to the heathen here as to the Jews elsewhere. But the Jews who had made trouble in Antioch and Iconium for the missionaries came to Lystra and, forming a plot against Paul, persuaded the people and stoned him so that he was drawn out of the city, they "supposing he had been dead." But he was not dead, he soon rose up and came back into the city and the next day departed with Barnabas to Derbe, where they preached the gospel and taught many.
The Return Journey is very briefly recorded (Acts 14:21-28). The missionaries returned through the same cities, Lystra, Iconium, Antioch, and so back to Perga. But from the last city they did not sail to the island of Cyprus, but took a different course, westerly along the coast to Attalia in Pamphylia and from thence they sailed to Antioch, the starting point of their trip. During this return journey they proved to their friends and enemies that, in departing from the cities where mobs threatened them, it was through no cowardice on their part, but for other reasons and for the purpose of preaching the gospel in the regions beyond. They "confirmed the souls of the disciples exhorting them to continue in the faith." They also further perfected the organization of the churches, ordaining elders in every church. They prayed with and for the disciples and commended them to the Lord.
When the missionaries at last entered the city of Antioch, "they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how He had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles." There must have been great rejoicing over this happy return of Paul and Barnabas.