Mark

Mark, also called John Mark, was the son of a Mary of Jerusalem in whose home the early church met (Acts 12:12) and a cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). He accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey but turned back at Perga, a decision that caused Paul to refuse to take him on the second journey and led to the rift between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:37–39). He later reconciled with Paul, who calls him 'useful for ministry' (2 Timothy 4:11). Ancient tradition, going back to Papias (c. 125 CE), identifies him as the author of the second Gospel, composed from Peter's eyewitness testimony in Rome. The Gospel of Mark is considered by most modern scholars to be the earliest of the four canonical Gospels (c. 65–70 CE), written with urgency and energy, emphasizing Jesus's deeds over his teaching.