Acts 15:39

Acts 15:39 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
• New International Version (NIV)They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;

Context of Acts 15:39

37Barnabas wanted to take along John who was called Mark. 38But Paul insisted that they should not take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus. 40But Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended by the brothers and sisters to the grace of the Lord. 41He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Acts 15:39 word by word

Ἐγένετο δὲ παροξυσμός, ὥστε ἀποχωρισθῆναι αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾽ ἀλλήλων, τόν τε Βαρναβᾶν παραλαβόντα τὸν Μᾶρκον ἐκπλεῦσαι εἰς Κύπρον.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• the contentionπαροξυσμόςparoxusmos · stirring upG3948
• wasγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• thatὥστεhōste · soG5620
• they departed asunderἀποχωρίζωapochōrizō · to separate fromG673
• oneαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the otherἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
• and soτεte · and/bothG5037
• Barnabasὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• BarnabasΒαρνάβαςBarnabas · BarnabasG921
• tookπαραλαμβάνωparalambanō · to takeG3880
• MarkΜάρκοςMarkos · MarkG3138
• and sailedἐκπλέωekpleō · to sail out/awayG1602
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• CyprusΚύπροςKupros · CyprusG2954

Cross-references for Acts 15:39

• Acts 15:2After Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this issue.
• Acts 6:1In those days, as the disciples were increasing in number, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.
• Psalms 106:33for they embittered his spirit, and he spoke rashly with his lips.
• Psalms 119:96I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your command is without limit.
• Ecclesiastes 7:20There is certainly no one righteous on the earth who does good and never sins.
• Romans 7:18For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it.
• James 3:2For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.
• Acts 4:36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas (which is translated Son of Encouragement),
• Acts 11:20But there were some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.
• Acts 13:4So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
• Acts 27:4When we had put out to sea from there, we sailed along the northern coast of Cyprus because the winds were against us.

Commentaries on Acts 15:39

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39The contention was so sharp between them - For all this sentence, there is only in the Greek text ; there was therefore a paroxysm, an incitement, a stirring up, from , compounded of , intensive, and , to whet, or sharpen: there was a sharp contention. But does this imply anger or ill-will on either side? Certainly not. Here, these two apostles differed, and were strenuous, each in support of the part he had adopted. "Paul," as an ancient Greek…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 39And the contention was so sharp - The word used here ́ paroxusmosis that from which our word “paroxysm” is derived. It may denote “any excitement of mind,” and is used in a good sense in Hebrews 10:24. It here means, however, “a violent altercation” that resulted in their separation for a time, and in their engaging in different spheres of labor. And sailed into Cyprus - This was the native place of Barnabas. See the notes on Acts 4:36.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 36-41Verses 36-41 Here we have a private quarrel between two ministers, no less than Paul and Barnabas, yet made to end well. Barnabas wished his nephew John Mark to go with them. We should suspect ourselves of being partial, and guard against this in putting our relations forward. Paul did not think him worthy of the honour, nor fit for the service, who had departed from them without their knowledge, or without their consent: see ch. 13:13. Neither would…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 36-41The discordant separation of Paul and Barnabas is indicated by a very strong word in Greek (Their disagreement was so sharp). They were two dedicated men who disagreed about giving John Mark, Barnabas’s cousin, a second chance to join their missionary journey (Colossians 4:10). John Mark had left them in Pamphylia (see Acts 13:13). Eventually, Paul and John Mark made peace (2 Timothy 4:11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3939. And the contention was so sharp between them--such was the "irritation," or "exacerbation." that they departed asunder one from the other--Said they not truly to the Lystrians that they were "men of like passions with them"; (Ac 14:15). But who was to blame? (1) That John Mark had either tired of the work or shrunk from the dangers and fatigues that yet lay before them, was undeniable; and Paul concluded that what he had done he might, and probably…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 15:39

• Barnabas
• Cyprus
• Mark
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Strife

In the dictionaries

• Barnabas
• Cyprus
• Abstain
• Cause
• Choice
• Consider
• Conversion
• Council
• Declare
• Dissension

Commentaries on Acts 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings