Overview
Perga was an important city in the region of Pamphylia on the southern coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Paul and Barnabas visited this city during their first missionary journey, and it became memorable as the place where John Mark abandoned the mission and returned to Jerusalem, a decision that later caused considerable tension between Paul and Barnabas.
Key Scriptures
"Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem" (Acts 13:13, ESV).
"From there they sailed to Antioch, from which they had been commended to the grace of the Lord for the work that they had completed. And when they arrived, they gathered the church together and declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles" (Acts 14:26, ESV).
Application
Perga reminds us that ministry involves both encouragement and testing—we must persevere faithfully even when co-workers falter or abandon the work.