God’s Word Translation
Acts 15:38
38However, Paul didn’t think it was right to take a person like him along. John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to work.
Acts 15:38 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
- New International Version (NIV)but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
Context of Acts 15:38
36After a while Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back to every city where we spread the Lord’s word. We’ll visit the believers to see how they’re doing.” 37Barnabas wanted to take John Mark along. However, Paul didn’t think it was right to take a person like him along. John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to work. 39Paul and Barnabas disagreed so sharply that they parted ways. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed to the island of Cyprus. 40Paul chose Silas and left after the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s care.
Read all of Acts 15Acts 15:38 word by word
Παῦλος δὲ ἠξίου τὸν ἀποστάντα ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἀπὸ Παμφυλίας καὶ μὴ συνελθόντα αὐτοῖς εἰς τὸ ἔργον μὴ συμπαραλαμβάνειν τοῦτον.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
- thoughtἀξιόωaxioō · to deem worthyG515
- notμήmē · notG3361
- to take himσυμπαραλαμβάνωsumparalambanō · to take along withG4838
- with themοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- whoὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- departedἀφίστημιaphistēmi · to leaveG868
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- PamphyliaΠαμφυλίαPamphulia · PamphyliaG3828
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- wentσυνέρχομαιsunerchomai · to assembleG4905
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the workἔργονergon · workG2041
Cross-references for Acts 15:38
- Acts 13:13Paul and his men took a ship from Paphos and arrived in Perga, a city in Pamphylia. John Mark deserted them there and went back to Jerusalem.
- Psalms 78:9The men of Ephraim, well-equipped with bows ⌞and arrows⌟, turned ⌞and ran⌟ on the day of battle.
- Proverbs 25:19⌞Like⌟ a broken tooth and a lame foot, ⌞so⌟ is confidence in an unfaithful person in a ⌞time of⌟ crisis.
- Luke 9:61Another said, “I’ll follow you, sir, but first let me tell my family goodbye.”
- Luke 14:27So those who do not carry their crosses and follow me cannot be my disciples.
- James 1:8A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can’t make up his mind about anything.
Commentaries on Acts 15:38
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38But Paul thought not good to take him with them - On this subject, see the note on Acts 13:13.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38But Paul thought not good - Did not think it proper. Because he could not confide in his perseverance with them in the toils and perils of their journey. Who departed from them - Acts 13:13. Why he did this is not known. It was evidently, however, for some cause which Paul did not consider satisfactory, and which, in his view, disqualified him from being their attendant again. To the work - Of preaching the gospel.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. 3838. But Paul thought not good to take him with them who departed from them--that is, who had departed; but the word is stronger than this--"who stood aloof" or "turned away" from them. from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work--the work yet before them. The allusion is to what is recorded in Ac 13:13 (see on Ac 13:13).Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 15:38
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries