1I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom: 2preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching. 3For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, 4and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables. 5But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.
6For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. 8From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.
9Be diligent to come to me soon, 10for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; and Titus to Dalmatia. 11Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. 12But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come—and the books, especially the parchments. 14Alexander the coppersmith did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15Beware of him, for he greatly opposed our words.
16At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them. 17But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
19Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus. 20Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick. 21Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.
22The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
The New Testament mentions three Marks, namely, Mark the Evangelist, John Mark, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas, but traditionally these all refer to the same person. John Mark lived in Jerusalem with his mother Mary in a house that served as a gathering place for the church (Acts 12:12). Mark served as an assistant to Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:4), but for an unknown reason he was unable to finish the journey and headed back to Jerusalem early (13:13). Later, when Paul and Barnabas decided to revisit the churches they had established, Barnabas wanted to take Mark along. Paul objected, and their disagreement was so serious that they parted ways. Mark accompanied Barnabas to Cyprus (Acts 15:39). Mark and Paul must have come to an agreement later, since he was with Paul when he wrote to the church at Colossae; Paul spoke of John Mark was a “comfort” (Col 4:11). Paul also calls Mark a “fellow laborer” in Philemon 24 and, sensing the end was near, requested that Timothy bring Mark to Rome, calling him “profitable” in ministry. Mark wrote the gospel bearing his name probably sometime between A.D. 65 and 70. It is widely held that Mark wrote down Peter’s recollections of the life of Jesus to form his Gospel. According to Egyptian church tradition, Mark came to Egypt and founded the church there.