Cyprus

In the Bible

Cyprus is mentioned several times in Acts.

• Acts 4:36: Joseph (KJV "Joses"), who was called Barnabas, is introduced as "a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus."
• Acts 11:19–20: After the martyrdom of Stephen, scattered believers traveled as far as Cyprus, preaching the word to the Jews. Some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, also preached the Lord Jesus to the Greeks in Antioch.
• Acts 13:4–12: Sent out by the church at Antioch, Barnabas and Saul sailed to Cyprus. They preached the word in the synagogues at Salamis, the eastern port, and then crossed the island to Paphos in the west. At Paphos the sorcerer Elymas (Bar-jesus) opposed them, and the proconsul Sergius Paulus believed when he saw what had happened. John, whose surname was Mark, accompanied them as their assistant. Acts 13:9 is the first place where Saul is identified by the name Paul: "Saul, (who also is called Paul,)."
• Acts 15:39: After his disagreement with Paul, Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus.
• Acts 21:3, 21:16, 27:4: The ships on which Paul traveled passed by Cyprus, and Mnason of Cyprus is mentioned as "an old disciple."

Background

Cyprus is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean, after Sicily and Sardinia. It lies close to the coasts of Syria and Asia Minor. It was renowned from antiquity as a source of copper, and the Latin word for copper is generally said to derive from the island's name. In the New Testament period it was a Roman province, and Acts 13:7 uses the title "proconsul" (KJV "deputy"), which designated the governor of a province under the jurisdiction of the Senate. The island had a Jewish community, as the plural "synagogues" in Acts 13:5 indicates.

Many scholars identify "Kittim" (KJV "Kittim" or "Chittim"), which appears in the Old Testament in Genesis 10:4, Isaiah 23:1, and elsewhere, with Cyprus. Over time, however, the term also came to refer more broadly to lands in the western Mediterranean, so not every occurrence is read as a reference to Cyprus.

Significance in the Bible as a Whole

Cyprus is portrayed as a gateway through which the gospel moved beyond Judea to the Gentiles. Believers from Cyprus, such as Barnabas, were among the first to preach the gospel to Greeks in Antioch. The island was also the first mission field on Paul's first missionary journey. The conversion of a Roman official there is read as an instance of the gospel reaching the leaders of Gentile society.

Interpretations and Issues

• The names Saul and Paul: Some interpret this passage as the point at which Saul changed his name. Because the text says "who also is called Paul," however, many interpreters hold that he had used both names all along. From this point the order "Barnabas and Saul" gives way to "Paul and his company" (13:13), which some read as indicating that leadership of the mission had shifted to Paul.
• Extrabiblical traditions: The account that Barnabas was martyred at Salamis is a later tradition not found in the Bible, as is the story that Paul was scourged at Paphos. The Church of Cyprus, an Eastern Orthodox church, honors Barnabas as its founder. This church is said to have had its independence recognized at the Council of Ephesus in 431.

In the Korean Church

In Sunday schools and Bible studies, Cyprus is presented as the first stop when students study maps of Paul's missionary journeys. It is also sometimes included in pilgrimage itineraries that follow in the footsteps of Paul.