The Roman surname of the son of Mary of Jerusalem. His Hebrew name was John, meaning “Jehovah Has Shown Favor; Jehovah Has Been Gracious.” (Ac 12:12, 25) Mark was a cousin of Barnabas, was his traveling companion and that of other early Christian missionaries, and was inspired to write the Gospel bearing his own name. (Col 4:10) Mark is the John Mark mentioned in the book of Acts and the John of Acts 13:5, 13.

After they had carried out the relief ministration in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Saul (Paul) “returned and took along with them John, the one surnamed Mark.” It appears that Mark served as their attendant, perhaps caring for their physical needs while they traveled. (Ac 12:25; 13:5) For some undisclosed reason, when they arrived at Perga in Pamphylia, “John [Mark] withdrew from them and returned to Jerusalem.” (Ac 13:13) When Paul later set out on his second missionary journey, though Barnabas was determined to take Mark along, Paul “did not think it proper to be taking this one along with them, seeing that he had departed from them from Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.” “A sharp burst of anger” ensued, and they separated; Barnabas took Mark with him to Cyprus and Paul took Silas with him through Syria and Cilicia.​—Ac 15:36-41.