Perga of Pamphylia, Attalia

“They passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia. When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.” (1) Paul and Barnabas traveled through Pisidia and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. (a) During their previous visit, there is no record of evangelism in Perga. (b) Perga was a city where the issue with John Mark arose: “Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem” (Acts 13:13). (c) This time, it is written, “they spoke the word in Perga,” indicating that they evangelized in the city on this occasion. (2) Attalia was a neighboring port city of Perga, and from there, the group boarded a ship.

Antioch

“From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been entrusted to the grace of God for the work that they had accomplished.” (1) Paul and Barnabas boarded a ship from Perga and returned to Antioch, where the church that had been the base for their first missionary journey was located. (2) It’s unclear why they did not return to Cyprus. It is possible that a lasting church had not been established there. (3) Their return to Antioch likely took place around the fall of 49 AD, meaning approximately a year and a half had passed since the start of their first missionary journey. “When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all the things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.” (1) Upon returning to their sending church, Paul and Barnabas held a mission report meeting. The content of their report focused on two key points. (a) All that God had done with them. (b) How God had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. (2) Significant changes took place during the missionary journey. (a) Leadership shifted from Barnabas to Paul. The record in Acts increasingly focuses on Paul’s ministry. (b) The center of Christianity began to transition from the Jerusalem church to the Antioch church. Paul and Barnabas did not go up to the Jerusalem church to report on their mission. How would the Jerusalem church respond to the growth of Gentile churches? This becomes the next major theme. We too need to pause from time to time and remember the works of God’s grace. No matter what trials we face, the Lord Jesus is with us.