Gospel of St. Barnabas: transcript of Italian manuscript in the Vienna Library Gospel of St. Barnabas: transcript of Italian manuscript in the Vienna Library, 1713. The Gospel of Barnabas was said to have been written by Saint Barnabas, apostle and relative of Mark. It was accepted as a canonical gospel until being banned by the Nicene council. Frequently branded a forgery it depicts the life of Jesus but shows strong Muslim influences, referring to him as a human prophet and apparently predicting the work of Muhammad. Transcribed and translated from the Arabic by John Frederick Cramer. 1713