Greek word · G4838

συμπαραλαμβάνω

symparalambanō

to take along with

To take someone along with you as a companion or helper on a journey or task. It is built from σύν ('with'), παρά ('alongside') and λαμβάνω ('take').

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated November 01, 2026

What it means

συν-παρα-λαμβάνω

(Rec. συμπ-), [in LXX: Genesis 19:17 (סָפָה ni.), Job 1:4 (שָׁלַח ni), 3Ma.1:1 * ;]

to take along with: as a companion, with accusative, Acts 12:25 15:37-38 (on the tenses, see M, Pr., 130), Galatians 2:1.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

Range of meaning: To take someone along with you as a companion or helper on a journey or task. It is built from σύν ('with'), παρά ('alongside') and λαμβάνω ('take').
Against the English: BSB's 'to take John' drops the 'along with [us]' that the verb itself carries. WEB, ESV and NASB keep it with 'with them' or 'along with them'.
Used elsewhere in the period: It occurs only four times in the New Testament: Acts 12:25 (Barnabas and Saul 'took with them' John Mark), Acts 15:37, Acts 15:38, and Galatians 2:1 (Paul 'taking Titus along'). In ordinary Greek it is used of bringing companions or assistants on a trip.

Range of meaning: To take along with oneself as a companion or assistant. Used only four times in the New Testament: Acts 12:25; 15:37; 15:38; Gal 2:1. Each time the subject is Paul or Barnabas taking someone (Mark or Titus) along on a journey.
Against the English: English 'take him' or 'take him with them' cannot show the change of tense between v. 37 and v. 38.
Used elsewhere in the period: Acts 12:25 is the same verb for the moment Barnabas and Saul first took Mark along from Jerusalem. Gal 2:1 uses it for Paul taking Titus to Jerusalem. In the papyri it is used for taking someone along as an associate.

Acts · 3

Acts 12:25 συμπαραλαβόντες having taken with [them]

When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.
Acts 15:37 συμπαραλαβεῖν to take along

Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark.

Here: 'To take along with [us]', that is, to make him a travelling member of the team. It is the same verb Luke used in 12:25 when Barnabas and Saul first brought John Mark from Jerusalem. Barnabas wants to do again what they did before.
Acts 15:38 συμπαραλαμβάνειν to take along

But Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.

Here: 'To take along as a companion.' This is the same verb Barnabas uses in v. 37, but here in the present tense where v. 37 has the aorist (the tense for a single act). The present may suggest 'to keep having him with us' for the whole journey.

Galatians · 1

Galatians 2:1 συμπαραλαβὼν having taken with [me]

Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.