Bible Strands
Acts 12:25
When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator Luke records this event immediately after noting that the word of God continued to spread in Jerusalem. The account addresses the early Christian movement as it shifts from a Jerusalem-centered focus to coordinated missionary travel.
The words — πληρώσαντες (plērōsantes) literally means "having fulfilled," and ὑπέστρεψαν (hupestrepsan) means "returned." These terms denote the completion of a specific task and the physical movement back to a new base.
The thread — The text links to John Mark’s earlier presence in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12), his later disputed inclusion in a missionary journey (Acts 15:37), and his eventual recognition as Peter’s associate (1 Peter 5:13). These references track his movement from a local house church into the broader apostolic network.
Why it lands — It requires the reader to track how individuals move between local congregations and missionary teams. The text demands attention to the practical logistics of early church expansion rather than abstract theology.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.
Cross-references
- Acts 12:12 And when he had realized this, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered together and were praying.
- Acts 15:37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark.
- 1 Peter 5:13 The church in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does my son Mark.
- Acts 4:36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (meaning Son of Encouragement),
- Acts 11:29 So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
- Acts 13:1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.