The answer
Definitely not. There is no real gospel that bears the name of Barnabas. It is merely a book that is full of lies and slander, charged with lies and fantasies. It was written by a non-Christian man about the sixteenth century, and first appeared in Andalusia in Spain. It was written in Italian, and then translated to Spanish in a hostile attack against Christianity. It infixed sayings and claims to the Master Christ, to Him be glory, which were never uttered. It was eventually translated into English and other languages.
Based on much evidence, it seems that its author converted from his original faith, Judaism, in Spain. There, he wrote this book out of his unsound imagination, and with a desire for fame. So, he gave it the name “gospel.” There are many insupportable errors therein. For example, the author refers to the cities of Nazareth and Jerusalem as ports on the Red Sea, even though it is known that they are in Palestine.
A proof that this book is a modern forgery is its inclusion in many matters that pertain to the Italian customs of the Middle Ages, and was quoted by the Italian writer Dante (1265-1321) in his epic poem, The Divine Comedy. It also contains much that is offensive to the different religions. The Concise Arabic Encyclopedia, which was edited by Mr. Mohammed Shafik Ghorbal, refers to it as being “a forged book that was authored in Europe in the 15th century...There are many grave errors in its description of the political and religious milieus of The Holy Land in the days of Christ” (page 354, column A).
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II
Pope Tawadros II, My Faith: A Series of Dialogues on the Creed (Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, 2014), 107–108.
The pages in the book (107–108)
