Beginning of Saul’s Ministry

After three years of preaching and teaching in Damascus (35-38AD), Saul is forced to flee for his life over the city wall at night in a basket. Saul goes to Jerusalem to meet the leaders of the Christian community in 38AD, but the apostles are still afraid of his previous reputation and don’t believe he can really be a Spirit-filled disciple.

Barnabas – a Levite from Cyprus introduces Saul to Peter and James (the brother of Jesus), who are the leaders of the native Jewish (Hebrew – speaking) Christian believers in Jerusalem.

After fifteen days in Jerusalem, the disciples take Saul down to the port of Caesarea and send him home to Tarsus by ship.

Saul spends the next five years (38-43AD) based at his home town of Tarsus, extending his preaching ministry to the Greek-speaking Jews in Cilicia and Syria.

Barnabas takes Saul from Tarsus to Antioch in Syria in 43AD. For a whole year they preach and teach in Antioch.

During this time (in 43/44AD), Barnabas and Saul visit the Jewish believers in Jerusalem with money for famine relief sent by their fellow believers in Antioch.