Acts 15 · Verse 38

Acts 15:38

But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
Acts 15:38, King James Version

Acts 15:38 in other translations

BSBBut Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.
WEBBut Paul didn’t think that it was a good idea to take with them someone who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and didn’t go with them to do the work.
ASVBut Paul thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
YLTand Paul was not thinking it good to take him with them who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and did not go with them to the work;
DARBYbut Paul thought it not well to take with them him who had abandoned them, going back from Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
BBEBut Paul was of the opinion that it was not right to take with them one who had gone away from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone on with the work.
WebsterBut Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

What does Acts 15:38 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
38. But Paul thought not good to take him with them who departed from them--that is, who had departed; but the word is stronger than this--"who stood aloof" or "turned away" from them. from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work--the work yet before them. The allusion is to what is recorded in Ac 13:13 (see on Ac 13:13).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 38. But Paul thought not good. Did not think it proper. Because he could not confide in his perseverance with them in the toils and perils of their journey.

Who departed from them, etc. Acts 13:13. Why he did this is not known. It was evidently, however, for some cause which Paul did not consider satisfactory, and which, in his view, disqualified him from being their attendant again.

To the work. Of preaching the gospel.

(e) "departed" Acts 13:13

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them - On this subject, see the note on Act 13:13.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 15:36-41

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…

Read the full comment on Acts 15:36-41 →

Acts 15:38 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΠαῦλοςPaulosPaulG3972
δὲdehoweverG1161
ἠξίουēxiouwas consideringG515
τὸνtonthe [one]G3588
ἀποστάνταapostantahaving withdrawnG868
ἀπ᾽ap᾽fromG575
αὐτῶνautōnthemG846
ἀπὸapofromG575
ΠαμφυλίαςPamphuliasPamphyliaG3828
καὶkaiandG2532
μὴmēnotG3361
συνελθόνταsunelthontahaving gone withG4905
αὐτοῖςautoisthemG846
εἰςeistoG1519
τὸtotheG3588
ἔργονergonworkG2041
μὴmēnotG3361
συμπαραλαμβάνεινsumparalambaneinto take alongG4838
τοῦτον.¶toutonhim.G3778

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 15:38

  • Acts 13:13

    Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

  • Proverbs 25:19

    Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

  • Psalms 78:9

    The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

  • James 1:8

    A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

  • Luke 14:27-34

    And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. …

  • Luke 9:61

    And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
who.
13:13; Ps 78:9; Pr 25:19; Lu 9:61; 14:27-34; Jas 1:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 15:37

    And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.

  • Acts 15:38

    But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

  • Acts 15:39

    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;

Read all of Acts 15

Acts 15:38 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas á Pablo no le parecía bien llevar consigo al que se había apartado de ellos desde Pamphylia, y no había ido con ellos á la obra.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais Paul trouvait bon de ne pas prendre avec eux un homme qui les avait abandonnés dès la Pamphylie et qui n’était pas allé à l’œuvre avec eux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Paulus aber hielt es für billig, den nicht mitzunehmen, der aus Pamphylien von ihnen gewichen und nicht mit ihnen gegangen war zum Werke.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Paulus autem rogabat eum (ut qui discessisset ab eis de Pamphylia, et non isset cum eis in opus) non debere recipi.