Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
Parallel translations
- WEB Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.
- BSB Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me in the ministry.
- NKJV Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.
- NASB Only Luke is with me. Take along Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.
- NLT Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul notes that only Luke remains with him and asks Timothy to bring Mark, who is now useful for ministry. It shows both Paul's human need for companionship and the grace of restoration after past failure.
Overview
Luke, the beloved physician and author of the Gospel and Acts, stays faithfully at Paul's side. Strikingly, Paul asks for Mark, the same John Mark whose earlier desertion had caused a sharp split with Barnabas (Acts 15:37-39); now Mark is 'useful for service,' a testimony to reconciliation and growth in grace. This verse displays the gospel's power to mend broken relationships and restore those who once failed. It also reveals Paul's reliance on a body of fellow workers rather than solitary strength.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Acts 12:12And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
- Acts 12:25And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.
- Phlm 1:24Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
- Col 4:14Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
- 2 Tim 1:15This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
- Col 4:10Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)
- Acts 15:39And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
- 1 Pet 5:13The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
- Matt 19:30But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
- Hos 14:4I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
- Luke 13:30And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
- Acts 16:10And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
- Matt 20:16So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ Jesus 'abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel' — the risen Lord whose word and kingdom endure to the end.
How 2 Timothy 4:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.