<p>12:25 <i>And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had completed their service</i>- The AV says that Paul 'fulfilled his ministry'; and he can use the same two words in telling Archippus to ensure that he too fulfils <em>his</em> ministry (Col. 4:17). Surely Paul is setting himself up as a pattern, and inviting his brother to follow it. The specific &quot;service&quot; in view was the taking of donations from Antioch to Jerusalem (11:30). Having done this once, it became Paul's desire to do it again, when he attempted to gather donations from Asia for a Jerusalem Poor Fund. The record may be making the point that Paul was in Jerusalem at the time of Peter's deliverance from prison; this experience was intended to cultivate his faith, ready for the times when he would be imprisoned.</p><p><em>Taking with them John whose surname was Mark</em>- The cousin of Barnabas (Col. 4:10). Some changed their Hebrew names into the Latin forms when they went on mission work into the Roman world: Silas became Silvanus, Saul became Paulus, Joseph Barsabbas became Justus (Acts 1:23); and hence we read of &ldquo;John, whose other Latin name was Mark&rdquo; (:12,25). We have here an example of becoming all things to all men in our witness to the world.</p><p><em><br clear=all /></em></p><p><em>&nbsp;</em></p>