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 John Mark along. 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. Paul 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. 41Paul went through the provinces of Syria and Cilicia and strengthened 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 15:2Paul and Barnabas had a fierce dispute with these men. So Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were sent to Jerusalem to see the apostles and spiritual leaders about this claim.
• Acts 6:1At that time, as the number of disciples grew, Greek-speaking Jews complained about the Hebrew-speaking Jews. The Greek-speaking Jews claimed that the widows among them were neglected every day when food and other assistance was distributed.
• Psalms 106:33since they made him bitter so that he spoke recklessly.
• Psalms 119:96I have seen a limit to everything else, ⌞but⌟ your commandments have no limit.
• Ecclesiastes 7:20Certainly, there is no one so righteous on earth that he always does what is good and never sins.
• Romans 7:18I know that nothing good lives in me; that is, nothing good lives in my corrupt nature. Although I have the desire to do what is right, I don’t do it.
• James 3:2All of us make a lot of mistakes. If someone doesn’t make any mistakes when he speaks, he would be perfect. He would be able to control everything he does.
• Acts 4:36Joseph, a descendant of Levi, had been born on the island of Cyprus. The apostles called him Barnabas, which means “a person who encourages.”
• Acts 11:20But other believers, who were from Cyprus and Cyrene, arrived in Antioch. They started to spread the Good News about the Lord Jesus to Greeks.
• Acts 13:4After Barnabas and Saul were sent by the Holy Spirit, they went to the city of Seleucia and from there sailed to the island of Cyprus.
• Acts 27:4Leaving Sidon, we sailed on the northern side of the island of Cyprus because we were traveling against the wind.

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