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“So they [Paul and Barnabas]…sailed to Cyprus. And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found…the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus…who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the Word of God” (Acts 13:4,6-7).
As I write this in February, 2023, we are actually in Cyprus, and yesterday we were able to visit Paphos, which is at the western end of the island. If you look at Cyprus on a map, it does not look very big, but it is quite a large island, and it would have been a long way for Barnabas and Paul to walk to Paphos. When you come across the name of a place in your Bible, it is good to look it up on a map and learn a little about it. It makes the stories come alive for you.
No doubt Paphos has changed quite a bit since Barnabas and Paul were there, but there is a plaque hanging there in Paphos, telling tourists that it was in this city that Christianity first came to Cyprus. It is clear that Sergius Paulus was saved when Paul and Barnabas preached to him that day, and he was one of the important people in government. Later others came to Cyprus to preach the gospel, and no doubt many others were saved.
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