Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 12:25

"And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministration, taking with them John whose surname was Mark." — Acts 12:25 (ASV)

This verse reaches back behind the events of ch. 12 to connect 13:1–3 with the account of the Antioch church in 11:19–30. Luke uses it as a kind of bridge statement before turning to the missionary journey itself. Thus he shifts his readers’ attention from Jerusalem to Antioch of Syria and tells of John Mark’s return with his cousin Barnabas (Colossians 4:10) and with Saul from Jerusalem to Antioch.