Markus 1:19

1:19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in their ¹  boat mending nets.

Markus 1:29

Healings at Simon’s House

1:29 Now ²  as soon as they left the synagogue, ³  they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John.

Markus 1:32

1:32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed.

Markus 2:17

2:17 When Jesus heard this he said to them, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. ⁴  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Markus 2:25

2:25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry –

Markus 4:10

The Purpose of Parables

4:10 When he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.

Markus 4:15

4:15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: Whenever they hear, immediately Satan ⁵  comes and snatches the word ⁶  that was sown in them.

Markus 4:17

4:17 But ⁷  they have no root in themselves and do not endure. ⁸  Then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.

Markus 4:31-32

4:31 It is like a mustard seed ⁹  that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground – 4:32 when it is sown, it grows up, ¹⁰  becomes the greatest of all garden plants, and grows large branches so that the wild birds ¹¹  can nest in its shade.” ¹² 

Markus 4:34

4:34 He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples.

Markus 5:40

5:40 And they began making fun of him. ¹³  But he put them all outside ¹⁴  and he took the child’s father and mother and his own companions ¹⁵  and went into the room where the child was. ¹⁶ 

Markus 6:11

6:11 If a place will not welcome you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off ¹⁷  your feet as a testimony against them.”

Markus 6:35

6:35 When it was already late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is an isolated place ¹⁸  and it is already very late.

Markus 6:38

6:38 He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five – and two fish.”

Markus 6:48

6:48 He ¹⁹  saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. As the night was ending, ²⁰  he came to them walking on the sea, ²¹  for ²²  he wanted to pass by them. ²³ 

Markus 7:4

7:4 And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. They hold fast to many other traditions: the washing of cups, pots, kettles, and dining couches. ²⁴ ) ²⁵ 

Markus 7:25

7:25 Instead, a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit ²⁶  immediately heard about him and came and fell at his feet.

Markus 8:7

8:7 They also had a few small fish. After giving thanks for these, he told them to serve these as well.

Markus 8:19

8:19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?” They replied, “Twelve.”

Markus 8:23

8:23 He took the blind man by the hand and brought him outside of the village. Then ²⁷  he spit on his eyes, placed his hands on his eyes ²⁸  and asked, “Do you see anything?”

Markus 9:9

9:9 As they were coming down from the mountain, he gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Markus 9:14

The Disciples’ Failure to Heal

9:14 When they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and experts in the law ²⁹  arguing with them.

Markus 9:20

9:20 So they brought the boy ³⁰  to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He ³¹  fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Markus 9:28

9:28 Then, ³²  after he went into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?”

Markus 9:31

9:31 for he was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men. ³³  They ³⁴  will kill him, ³⁵  and after three days he will rise.” ³⁶ 

Markus 9:33

Questions About the Greatest

9:33 Then ³⁷  they came to Capernaum. ³⁸  After Jesus ³⁹  was inside the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?”

Markus 9:42

9:42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone ⁴⁰  tied around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

Markus 9:50

9:50 Salt ⁴¹  is good, but if it loses its saltiness, ⁴²  how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

Markus 10:14

10:14 But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ⁴³ 

Markus 11:1

The Triumphal Entry

11:1 Now ⁴⁴  as they approached Jerusalem, ⁴⁵  near Bethphage ⁴⁶  and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, ⁴⁷  Jesus ⁴⁸  sent two of his disciples

Markus 11:24

11:24 For this reason I tell you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Markus 11:32

11:32 But if we say, ‘From people – ’” (they feared the crowd, for they all considered John to be truly a prophet).

Markus 12:7

12:7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’

Markus 12:25

12:25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels ⁴⁹  in heaven.

Markus 12:34

12:34 When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.

Markus 12:38

Warnings About Experts in the Law

12:38 In his teaching Jesus ⁵⁰  also said, “Watch out for the experts in the law. ⁵¹  They like walking ⁵²  around in long robes and elaborate greetings ⁵³  in the marketplaces,

Markus 13:34

13:34 It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his slaves ⁵⁴  in charge, assigning ⁵⁵  to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert.

Markus 14:11-12

14:11 When they heard this, they were delighted ⁵⁶  and promised to give him money. ⁵⁷  So ⁵⁸  Judas ⁵⁹  began looking for an opportunity to betray him.

The Passover

14:12 Now ⁶⁰  on the first day of the feast of ⁶¹  Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, ⁶²  Jesus’ ⁶³  disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” ⁶⁴ 

Markus 14:25

14:25 I tell you the truth, ⁶⁵  I will no longer drink of the fruit ⁶⁶  of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Markus 14:65

14:65 Then ⁶⁷  some began to spit on him, and to blindfold him, and to strike him with their fists, saying, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him and beat ⁶⁸  him.

Markus 15:1

Jesus Brought Before Pilate

15:1 Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law ⁶⁹  and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. ⁷⁰ 

Markus 15:20

15:20 When they had finished mocking ⁷¹  him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes back on him. Then ⁷²  they led him away to crucify him. ⁷³ 

Markus 15:39

15:39 Now when the centurion, ⁷⁴  who stood in front of him, saw how he died, ⁷⁵  he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

Markus 16:5

16:5 Then ⁷⁶  as they went into the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe ⁷⁷  sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

Markus 16:9

The Longer Ending of Mark

16:9 ⁷⁸ [[Early on the first day of the week, after he arose, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven out seven demons.

[1:19]  ¹ tn Or “a boat.” The phrase ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ (en tw ploiw) can either refer to a generic boat, some boat (as it seems to do in Matt 4:21); or it can refer to “their” boat, implying possession. Mark assumes a certain preunderstanding on the part of his readers about the first four disciples and hence the translation “their boat” is justified (cf. also v. 20 in which the “hired men” indicates that Zebedee’s family owned the boats).

[1:29]  ² tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[1:29]  ³ sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.

[2:17]  ⁴ sn Jesus’ point is that he associates with those who are sick because they have the need and will respond to the offer of help. A person who is healthy (or who thinks mistakenly that he is) will not seek treatment.

[4:15]  ⁵ sn Interestingly, the synoptic parallels each use a different word for Satan here: Matt 13:19 has “the evil one,” while Luke 8:12 has “the devil.” This illustrates the fluidity of the gospel tradition in often using synonyms at the same point of the parallel tradition.

[4:15]  ⁶ sn The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person’s heart, something the devil is very much against.

[4:17]  ⁷ tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[4:17]  ⁸ tn Grk “are temporary.”

[4:31]  ⁹ sn Mustard seeds are known for their tiny size.

[4:32]  ¹⁰ tn Mark 4:31-32 is fairly awkward in Greek. Literally the sentence reads as follows: “As a mustard seed, which when sown in the earth, being the smallest of all the seeds in the earth, and when it is sown, it grows up…” The structure has been rendered in more idiomatic English, although some of the awkward structure has been retained for rhetorical effect.

[4:32]  ¹¹ tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).

[4:32]  ¹² sn The point of the parable seems to be that while the kingdom of God may appear to have insignificant and unnoticeable beginnings (i.e., in the ministry of Jesus), it will someday (i.e., at the second advent) be great and quite expansive. The kingdom, however, is not to be equated with the church, but rather the church is an expression of the kingdom. Also, there is important OT background in the image of the mustard seed that grew and became a tree: Ezek 17:22-24 pictures the reemergence of the Davidic house where people can find calm and shelter. Like the mustard seed, it would start out small but grow to significant size.

[5:40]  ¹³ tn Grk “They were laughing at him.” The imperfect verb has been taken ingressively.

[5:40]  ¹⁴ tn Or “threw them all outside.” The verb used, ἐκβάλλω (ekballw), almost always has the connotation of force in Mark.

[5:40]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “those with him.”

[5:40]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “into where the child was.”

[6:11]  ¹⁷ sn To shake the dust off represented shaking off the uncleanness from one’s feet; see Luke 10:11; Acts 13:51; 18:6. It was a sign of rejection.

[6:35]  ¹⁸ tn Or “a desert” (meaning a deserted or desolate area with sparse vegetation).

[6:48]  ¹⁹ tn This verse is one complete sentence in the Greek text, but it has been broken into two sentences in English for clarity.

[6:48]  ²⁰ tn Grk “about the fourth watch of the night,” between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.

[6:48]  ²¹ tn Or “on the lake.”

[6:48]  ²² tn The καί (kai) was translated so as to introduce a subordinate clause, i.e., with the use of “for.” See BDF §442.9.

[6:48]  ²³ sn The statement he wanted to pass by them is somewhat difficult to understand. There are at least two common interpretations: (1) it refers to the perspective of the disciples, that is, from their point of view it seemed that Jesus wanted to pass by them; or (2) it refers to a theophany and uses the language of the Greek Old Testament (LXX) when God “passed by” Moses at Sinai (cf. Exod 33:19, 22). According to the latter alternative, Jesus is “passing by” the disciples during their struggle, in order to assure them of his presence with them. See W L. Lane, Mark (NICNT), 236.

[7:4]  ²⁴ tc Several important witnesses (Ì^45vid א B L Δ 28* pc) lack “and dining couches” (καὶ κλινῶν, kai klinwn), while the majority of mss (A D W Θ Ë^1,13 33 Ï latt) have the reading. Although normally the shorter reading is to be preferred, especially when it is backed by excellent witnesses as in this case, there are some good reasons to consider καὶ κλινῶν as authentic: (1) Although the addition of κλινῶν could be seen as motivated by a general assimilation to the purity regulations in Lev 15 (as some have argued), there are three problems with such a supposition: (a) the word κλίνη (klinh) does not occur in the LXX of Lev 15; (b) nowhere in Lev 15 is the furniture washed or sprinkled; and (c) the context of Lev 15 is about sexual impurity, while the most recent evidence suggests that κλίνη in Mark 7:4, in keeping with the other terms used here, refers to a dining couch (cf. BDAG 549 s.v. κλίνη 2). Thus, it is difficult to see καὶ κλινῶν as a motivated reading. (2) κλίνη, though a relatively rare term in the NT, is in keeping with Markan usage (cf. Mark 4:21; 7:30). (3) The phrase could have been dropped accidentally, at least in some cases, via homoioteleuton. (4) The phrase may have been deliberately expunged by some scribes who thought the imagery of washing a dining couch quite odd. The longer reading, in this case, can thus be argued as the harder reading. On balance, even though a decision is difficult (especially because of the weighty external evidence for the shorter reading), it is preferable to retain καὶ κλινῶν in the text.

[7:4]  ²⁵ sn Verses 3-4 represent parenthetical remarks by the author, giving background information.

[7:25]  ²⁶ sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.

[8:23]  ²⁷ tn Grk “village, and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[8:23]  ²⁸ tn Grk “on him,” but the word πάλιν in v. 25 implies that Jesus touched the man’s eyes at this point.

[9:14]  ²⁹ tn Or “and scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[9:20]  ³⁰ tn Grk “him.”

[9:20]  ³¹ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[9:28]  ³² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[9:31]  ³³ tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) is considered by some to be used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NRSV, “into human hands”; CEV, “to people”). However, because this can be taken as a specific reference to the group responsible for Jesus’ arrest, where it is unlikely women were present (cf. Matt 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12), the word “men” has been retained in the translation. There may also be a slight wordplay with “the Son of Man” earlier in the verse.

[9:31]  ³⁴ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[9:31]  ³⁵ tn Grk “They will kill him, and being killed, after…” The redundancy in the statement has been removed in the translation.

[9:31]  ³⁶ sn They will kill him and after three days he will rise. See the note at the end of Mark 8:30 regarding the passion predictions.

[9:33]  ³⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[9:33]  ³⁸ map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.

[9:33]  ³⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:42]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “the millstone of a donkey.” This refers to a large flat stone turned by a donkey in the process of grinding grain (BDAG 661 s.v. μύλος 2; L&N 7.68-69). The same term is used in the parallel account in Matt 18:6.

[9:42]  sn The punishment of drowning with a heavy weight attached is extremely gruesome and reflects Jesus’ views concerning those who cause others who believe in him to sin.

[9:50]  ⁴¹ sn Salt was used as seasoning or fertilizer (BDAG 41 s.v. ἅλας a), or as a preservative. If salt ceased to be useful, it was thrown away. With this illustration Jesus warned about a disciple who ceased to follow him.

[9:50]  ⁴² sn The difficulty of this saying is understanding how salt could lose its saltiness since its chemical properties cannot change. It is thus often assumed that Jesus was referring to chemically impure salt, perhaps a natural salt which, when exposed to the elements, had all the genuine salt leached out, leaving only the sediment or impurities behind. Others have suggested the background of the saying is the use of salt blocks by Arab bakers to line the floor of their ovens: Under the intense heat these blocks would eventually crystallize and undergo a change in chemical composition, finally being thrown out as unserviceable. A saying in the Talmud (b. Bekhorot 8b) attributed to R. Joshua ben Chananja (ca. a.d. 90), when asked the question “When salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again?” is said to have replied, “By salting it with the afterbirth of a mule.” He was then asked, “Then does the mule (being sterile) bear young?” to which he replied: “Can salt lose its flavor?” The point appears to be both are impossible. The saying, while admittedly late, suggests that culturally the loss of flavor by salt was regarded as an impossibility. Genuine salt can never lose its flavor. In this case the saying by Jesus here may be similar to Matt 19:24, where it is likewise impossible for the camel to go through the eye of a sewing needle.

[10:14]  ⁴³ sn The kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Children are a picture of those whose simple trust illustrates what faith is all about. The remark illustrates how everyone is important to God, even those whom others regard as insignificant.

[11:1]  ⁴⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[11:1]  ⁴⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:1]  ⁴⁶ sn The exact location of the village of Bethphage is not known. Most put it on the southeast side of the Mount of Olives and northwest of Bethany, about 1.5 miles (3 km) east of Jerusalem.

[11:1]  ⁴⁷ sn “Mountain” in English generally denotes a higher elevation than it often does in reference to places in Palestine. The Mount of Olives is really a ridge running north to south about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) long, east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. Its central elevation is about 30 meters (100 ft) higher than Jerusalem. It was named for the large number of olive trees which grew on it.

[11:1]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:25]  ⁴⁹ sn Angels do not die, nor do they eat according to Jewish tradition (1 En. 15:6; 51:4; Wis 5:5; 2 Bar. 51:10; 1QH 3.21-23).

[12:38]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:38]  ⁵¹ tn Or “for the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[12:38]  ⁵² tn In Greek this is the only infinitive in vv. 38-39. It would be awkward in English to join an infinitive to the following noun clauses, so this has been translated as a gerund.

[12:38]  ⁵³ sn There is later Jewish material in the Talmud that spells out such greetings in detail. See H. Windisch, TDNT 1:498.

[13:34]  ⁵⁴ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44.

[13:34]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “giving.”

[14:11]  ⁵⁶ sn The leaders were delighted when Judas contacted them about betraying Jesus, because it gave them the opportunity they had been looking for, and they could later claim that Jesus had been betrayed by one of his own disciples.

[14:11]  ⁵⁷ sn Matt 26:15 states the amount of money they gave Judas was thirty pieces of silver (see also Matt 27:3-4; Zech 11:12-13).

[14:11]  ⁵⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.

[14:11]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:12]  ⁶⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[14:12]  ⁶¹ tn The words “the feast of” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity.

[14:12]  ⁶² sn Generally the feast of Unleavened Bread would refer to Nisan 15 (Friday), but the following reference to the sacrifice of the Passover lamb indicates that Nisan 14 (Thursday) was what Mark had in mind (Nisan = March 27 to April 25). The celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted eight days, beginning with the Passover meal. The celebrations were so close together that at times the names of both were used interchangeably.

[14:12]  ⁶³ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:12]  ⁶⁴ sn This required getting a suitable lamb and finding lodging in Jerusalem where the meal could be eaten. The population of the city swelled during the feast, so lodging could be difficult to find. The Passover was celebrated each year in commemoration of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt; thus it was a feast celebrating redemption (see Exod 12). The Passover lamb was roasted and eaten after sunset in a family group of at least ten people (m. Pesahim 7.13). People ate the meal while reclining (see the note on table in 14:18). It included, besides the lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs as a reminder of Israel’s bitter affliction at the hands of the Egyptians. Four cups of wine mixed with water were also used for the meal. For a further description of the meal and the significance of the wine cups, see E. Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 523-24.

[14:25]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[14:25]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “the produce” (“the produce of the vine” is a figurative expression for wine).

[14:65]  ⁶⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[14:65]  ⁶⁸ tn For the translation of ῥάπισμα (rJapisma), see L&N 19.4.

[15:1]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[15:1]  ⁷⁰ sn The Jews most assuredly wanted to put Jesus to death, but they lacked the authority to do so. For this reason they handed him over to Pilate in hopes of securing a death sentence. The Romans kept close control of the death penalty in conquered territories to prevent it being used to execute Roman sympathizers.

[15:20]  ⁷¹ tn The aorist tense is taken consummatively here.

[15:20]  ⁷² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[15:20]  ⁷³ sn See the note on Crucify in 15:13.

[15:39]  ⁷⁴ sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.

[15:39]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “the way he breathed his last”; or “the way he expired”; or “that he thus breathed no more.”

[16:5]  ⁷⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[16:5]  ⁷⁷ sn Mark does not explicitly identify the young man dressed in a white robe as an angel (though the white robe suggests this), but Matthew does (Matt 28:2).

[16:9]  ⁷⁸ tc The Gospel of Mark ends at this point in some witnesses (א B 304 sy^s sa^ms arm^mss Eus Eus^mss Hier^mss), including two of the most respected mss (א B). The following shorter ending is found in some mss: “They reported briefly to those around Peter all that they had been commanded. After these things Jesus himself sent out through them, from the east to the west, the holy and imperishable preaching of eternal salvation. Amen.” This shorter ending is usually included with the longer ending (L Ψ 083 099 0112 579 al); k, however, ends at this point. Most mss include the longer ending (vv. 9-20) immediately after v. 8 (A C D W [which has a different shorter ending between vv. 14 and 15] Θ Ë¹³ 33 2427 Ï lat sy^c,p,h bo); however, Jerome and Eusebius knew of almost no Greek mss that had this ending. Several mss have marginal comments noting that earlier Greek mss lacked the verses, while others mark the text with asterisks or obeli (symbols that scribes used to indicate that the portion of text being copied was spurious). Internal evidence strongly suggests the secondary nature of both the short and the long endings. Their vocabulary and style are decidedly non-Markan (for further details, see TCGNT 102-6). All of this evidence strongly suggests that as time went on scribes added the longer ending, either for the richness of its material or because of the abruptness of the ending at v. 8. (Indeed, the strange variety of dissimilar endings attests to the probability that early copyists had a copy of Mark that ended at v. 8, and they filled out the text with what seemed to be an appropriate conclusion. All of the witnesses for alternative endings to vv. 9-20 thus indirectly confirm the Gospel as ending at v. 8.) Because of such problems regarding the authenticity of these alternative endings, 16:8 is usually regarded as the last verse of the Gospel of Mark. There are three possible explanations for Mark ending at 16:8: (1) The author intentionally ended the Gospel here in an open-ended fashion; (2) the Gospel was never finished; or (3) the last leaf of the ms was lost prior to copying. This first explanation is the most likely due to several factors, including (a) the probability that the Gospel was originally written on a scroll rather than a codex (only on a codex would the last leaf get lost prior to copying); (b) the unlikelihood of the ms not being completed; and (c) the literary power of ending the Gospel so abruptly that the readers are now drawn into the story itself. E. Best aptly states, “It is in keeping with other parts of his Gospel that Mark should not give an explicit account of a conclusion where this is already well known to his readers” (Mark, 73; note also his discussion of the ending of this Gospel on 132 and elsewhere). The readers must now ask themselves, “What will I do with Jesus? If I do not accept him in his suffering, I will not see him in his glory.”

[16:9]  sn Double brackets have been placed around this passage to indicate that most likely it was not part of the original text of the Gospel of Mark. In spite of this, the passage has an important role in the history of the transmission of the text, so it has been included in the translation.