Who Was John Mark?

John Mark — also called Mark — first appears as a young man who accompanied Paul and Barnabas from Jerusalem to Antioch and then joined their first missionary journey. But at Perga in Pamphylia, he left them and returned to Jerusalem, for reasons Luke does not state. When Paul proposed a second journey, he refused to take Mark, causing a sharp disagreement that split the team — Barnabas took Mark to Cyprus, and Paul chose Silas. Years later, Mark was restored. Paul wrote from Rome, 'Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.' Peter calls him 'my son Mark,' suggesting a close mentoring relationship. Early church tradition holds that Mark wrote his Gospel based on Peter's preaching. Mark's story is one of failure, restoration, and faithful service — proof that a moment of weakness need not define a lifetime.