Barnabas is sent to verify the legitimacy of the new believers and establish a link between them and the church at Jerusalem.1 He is chosen because he is fluent in the Greek language and has experience of living among non-Jews (as a result of his time in Cyprus, Acts 4:36).2 He is also well known as someone who can build bridges between people (see Acts 4:36–37; Acts 9:27; Acts 11:25, Acts 11:30; Acts 15:2; Acts 15:35–39).
22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.