Editing Barnabas (section)

== Barnabas and Antioch ==
[[Antioch]], the third-most important city of the Roman Empire after Rome and Alexandria,{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|2005|p=78|loc=Antioch}} then the capital city of [[Syria (Roman province)|Syria province]], today [[Antakya]], Turkey, was where Christians were first called thus.<ref>{{Bibleverse|Acts|11:26}}</ref>

Some of those who had been scattered by the persecution that arose because of Stephen went to Antioch, which became the site of an early Christian community.{{sfn|Arbez|1907}} A considerable minority of the Antioch church of Barnabas's time belonged to the merchant class, and they provided support to the poorer Jerusalem church.{{sfn|Durant|1944|p=583}}