A Jerusalem Jew sometimes referred to in the New Testament as John Mark (Acts 12:12). He accompanied Paul and Barnabas, his cousin, to Antioch and traveled with them on their first missionary journey (Acts 12:25). At Perga, however, he left them and went home; no reason is given (Acts 13:13). This caused a split later between Paul and Barnabas when Paul refused to take Mark on their second journey. Barnabas was so incensed that he broke off his partnership with Paul and went on a voyage to Cyprus with Mark (Acts 15:36-39). Some years later, however, Paul and Mark were reunited and joined forces on another missionary trip. Mark was also closely associated with Peter, possible acting as his interpreter. Peter referred to him affectionately as "my son" (I Peter 5:13), probably considering him a protégé. Mark's greatest contribution was the authorship of the second Gospel. Estimates vary, but it was most probably written in the decade A.D. 60-70. Mark wrote in Greek, evidently for Christians, because he uses terms meaningless to nonbelievers. His Gospel is a blend of history and theology written in simple, forceful language.
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We are not told specifically what happened to Barnabas and John Mark when they left Paul in Antioch for ministry on Cyprus. But we can be sure that Paul and Mark were reconciled. Years later, Mark visited Paul and ministered to him during his first imprisonment in Rome. Colossians, “My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas” (Col. 4:10). Paul implied that he had sent these Colossian believers previous instructions about Mark, briefing them on his commitment to Jesus Christ and the gospel. We read, “If he [John Mark] comes to you, welcome him.”
During his second imprisonment, Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy. He again mentioned John Mark, knowing his time was short before he would be sentenced to death by the wicked and unpredictable Nero, he wrote: “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). This final reference to Mark in this last letter Paul ever wrote leaves no question that whatever trust was missing was restored.
Tradition has it that John Mark also became an associate of the apostle Peter. This apostle had often spent time in Mark’s home, where the church met frequently for worship and teaching (Acts 12:12—14) and in his first epistle, he identified him as “my son Mark” (1 Pet. 5:13).