15:38a–c

Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work: The Greek is literally “Paul did not consider the one who deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work worthy, not to take along this one.” John Mark left Paul and Barnabas in the middle of the first missionary journey. So Paul did not believe he was worthy to go on this missionary journey. The last part (“not to take along this one”) emphasizes that Paul really did not want to take John with them. Other ways to translate this are:

Paul did not think that he was worthy to take part in this ministry, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the ministry. He really did not want to take him along.
-or-
John/he had deserted them at Pamphylia ⌊on the earlier journey⌋ and had ended working with them in that ministry in the middle of it, so Paul did not consider him worthy to work with them in this ministry and insisted on not taking him along.

15:38b

deserted: This word refers to leaving a duty. John Mark committed himself to go with Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey to help them. But in Pamphylia he changed his mind, left the work, and went home.

Pamphylia: This name refers to a region within a Roman province.

15:38c

had not accompanied them in the work: In the middle of the first missionary journey John Mark left Paul and Barnabas and went back to Jerusalem. Other ways to translate this are:

had not continued with them in the work (New International Version)
-or-
but had turned back and left them (Good News Translation)

in the work: Here the word work refers to the ministry of going from town to town and proclaiming the message about Jesus. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate only physical labor. If that is true in your language, explain the kind of work in your translation. For example:

their mission (Good News Translation)
-or-
in the ministry
-or-
in their ⌊missionary⌋ work

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