Luke is the coworker called "the beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14) and the only companion who remained with Paul at the end (2 Timothy 4:11); he is traditionally regarded as the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.
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Life & Story
Luke was a coworker named alongside Paul in the New Testament Epistles. Paul refers to him as "the beloved physician" in Colossians 4:14, greeting the Colossian believers together with Demas—a title that identifies Luke as both a medical professional and a servant of the gospel. At the close of Paul's second Roman imprisonment, when the end drew near, Luke was the only companion who remained. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:11, "Only Luke is with me," and asked Timothy to bring Mark along, for Mark was useful to him in ministry. This note portrays Luke as a faithful companion to Paul at his most vulnerable hour and connects him with fellow workers such as Mark and Demas. Luke's writing ministry occupies a distinctive place in the New Testament canon. Acts 1:1 opens with the address, "The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach," linking this volume directly to the one before it. The reference to a "former treatise" about all that Jesus began to do and teach indicates that Luke's work was a deliberate two-volume project: the first volume records the life and teaching of Jesus, and the second continues the same mission through the apostles until the gospel reaches the ends of the earth. Luke's legacy lies in his careful narration of salvation history, his unfolding of the Messiah's (The Anointed One) work, and his steadfast friendship with Paul. His attention to the suffering, the poor, and the Gentiles runs through both volumes, giving his account of salvation a universal scope. Luke's life reminds readers that God uses diverse gifts—including medical skill, narrative craftsmanship, and enduring friendship—to build the early church and to proclaim the salvation that comes through Christ.