But Paul thought not good to take him with them
He did not think him worthy, or a fit and proper person to go
with them, as the word used seems to signify, and therefore he
refused to take him: the Syriac version renders it, "but Paul
would not take him with them"; and, the Ethiopic version is very
expressive, though it renders it in softer language, "Paul
prayed, or entreated Barnabas that he would leave Mark"; that is,
behind them at Antioch: his reasons were as follow:
who departed from them from Pamphylia, (See Gill on Acts 13:13); either through the fatigue of the journey, or fear of danger, or weariness in his work, or affection to his mother; or be it what it will, it seems in the apostle's opinion of the matter, he was very blameworthy, and on account of it very undeserving, at least at present, of being a companion of theirs in their travels:
and went not with them to the work;
the Arabic version adds, "of preaching"; that is, the Gospel, in
the several places whither they went, and to which the Holy Ghost
had called them, and for which the church at Antioch had
separated, and sent them forth; but in the midst of this John
deserted them; and which the apostle resented, he having, as yet,
not given any evidence of his sense of his evil, and of his
repentance for it, to his satisfaction; though it seems as if he
afterwards did, since in ( Colossians
4:10 Colossians
4:11 ) he speaks of him with great respect, as one of his
fellow workers, and who had been a comfort to him.
