Gospels & Acts Workbook0104.nccdn.net/.../21b/MURPHY-Gospels--Acts-Workbook-F15.pdfGospels & Acts Workbook 1 (C. Murphy, DSJ ILM, Fall 2015) Scripture Tools There are a whole host

Gospels & Acts

Workbook

Dr. Catherine Murphy The New Testament

Fall 2015

Institute for Leadership in Ministry Diocese of San José

Gospel & Acts Workbook (C. Murphy, DSJ ILM, Fall 2015)

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Contents

Scripture Tools ............................................................................................................ 1

New Testament Literary Genres ............................................................................... 4

Gospel Overviews ....................................................................................................... 5

The Lectionary Cycle .................................................................................................. 15

Gospel of Mark ............................................................................................................ 23

Mark Worksheet .......................................................................................................... 60

Matthew Worksheet .................................................................................................. 61

Synopses 1–2 ................................................................................................................ 62

Luke–Acts Worksheet ................................................................................................ 64

Synopses 3–5 ................................................................................................................ 65

John Worksheet .......................................................................................................... 69

Gnostic Parallels to John’s Prologue ......................................................................... 70

The translations of the Gospel of Mark and of the passages in the five synopses are by Catherine Murphy.

Gospels & Acts Workbook 1 (C. Murphy, DSJ ILM, Fall 2015)

Scripture Tools There are a whole host of resources available practically at your fingertips to help enrich your study of the Bible. I list some of the most helpful resources below. This information is also available from the “Scripture Tools” tab on our course website). That version has links to the actual resources (if they’re online).

Texts & Versions of the Bible The Jewish and Christian scriptures were originally copied by hand in their original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) and translated into other languages. Scribal errors and regional dif-ferences led to several different versions of each of these books, and also to different lists of books to be included in a given community’s “sacred scriptures.” This variety of versions and the consequent variety of interpretations caused problems for religious communities. They responded by determin-ing at some point in time that form of each individual book would be official, and which books could be included in their “canon” of sacred scripture. The course website allows you to view resources for the textual history of the Jewish and Christian manuscript traditions by rolling over scrolls associated with the major versions (your browser must be set to allow pop-ups). There are several books that focus on the transmission of the gospels and New Testament. Start with Koester and Ehrman; the others are more technical.

§ Aland, Kurt and Barbara Aland. The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism, 2d rev. ed. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1995.

§ Ehrman, Bart D. The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture: The Effect of Early Christological Controversies on the Text of the New Testament. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

§ Koester, Helmut. Ancient Christian Gospels: Their History and Development. Philadelphia: Trinity Press International, 1990.

§ Metzger, Bruce M. The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration, 3d enlarged ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.

There are a few websites that provide access to the main versions of the Bible, often with search capabilities. Here are some of them:

§ The USCC New American Bible (www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible)

§ Bible.Logos.com (has NRSV, others) (biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk1.1-45)

§ Bible Gateway (www.biblegateway.com/passage)

§ Mark Goodacre’s NT Gateway (www.ntgateway.com)

§ Early Christian Writings (www.earlychristianwritings.com)

§ Noncanonical Literature (Wesley.nnu.edu/sermons-essays-books/ noncanonical-literature)

The Biblical Apparatus The editors of modern versions of the Bible place footnotes and marginal comments on the pages of the text that provide interesting supplementary information about the readings, parallel material elsewhere in the Bible, or denominational interpretations of important passages. Study Bibles in particular provide a lot of this type of information, along with articles, atlases and indices.

Synopses A synopsis aligns parallel versions of a text with each other so that the reader may more easily compare and contrast them.

§ Aland, Kurt, ed. Synopsis of the Four Gospels, Greek-English edition. Munster: United Bible Societies, 1972.

§ John W. Marshall’s The Five Gospel Parallels online (www.utoronto.ca/religion/synopsis)

Gospels & Acts Workbook (C. Murphy, DSJ ILM, Fall 2015)

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Concordances A concordance is a list of every word that occurs in a given corpus (e.g., the Bible), along with citations for every place in that corpus that the word occurs. When selecting a concordance, be sure to choose the version that corresponds to the particular version or translation of scripture that you are working with. If you are using the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of scripture, be sure to choose the NRSV concordance; if you are using the New American Bible (NAB; the Catholic Study Bible version), be sure to find the NAB concordance (for searchable online Bibles, see “Texts & Versions”). There isn’t a full concordance yet for the Revised Edition of the NAB, but Oxford University Press has published a concise concordance.

§ Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. New American Bible Revised Edition Concise Concordance. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012.

§ Hartdegen, Stephen J., ed. Nelson’s Complete Concordance of the New American Bible. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1977.

§ Kohlenberger, John R., III. The NRSV Concordance Unabridged. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1991.

Commentaries A scriptural commentary is a discussion of a biblical book or of the Bible as a whole. If its focus is one book, it usually includes an introduction to the book and a verse-by-verse analysis of the book. If its focus is all of scripture (e.g., The New Jerome Biblical Commentary or The Women’s Bible Commentary), it will focus on the most salient features of each book. Commentaries are usually published in series, and can emphasize the beliefs of particular religious denominations.

§ Anchor (Yale) Bible Commentaries. New York: Doubleday. [separate volumes on each biblical book]

§ Brown, Raymond E., et al., eds. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1990. [single-volume commentary]

§ Hermeneia Commentaries. Minneapolis: Fortress. [separate volumes on each biblical book] § Newsom, Carol A. and Sharon H. Ringe, eds. The Women’s Bible Commentary. Louisville:

Westminster/John Knox, 1992. [single-volume commentary]

Dictionaries Dictionaries of scripture define terms that occur in scripture. The entries can be quite extensive, and the longest include bibliographic references.

§ General Bible Dictionary: Freedman, David Noel et al., eds. The Anchor Bible Dictionary, 6 vols. New York : Doubleday, 1992.

§ Theological Dictionary: Kittel, Gerhard, ed. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 10 vols. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1964; German original.

Encyclopedias Scriptural encyclopedias provide background information related to the politics, geography, socio-economic circumstances and terminology associated with scriptural books.

Book Reviews The Society of Biblical Literature, the main international professional association of biblical scholars, provides academic reviews of books published in the field. Their website is www.bookreviews.org.


Handbooks for Exegesis A variety of handbooks are available to help you learn how to analyze and study scripture.

§ Barton, John, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

§ Brenner, Athalya, et al. Feminist Companion to the Bible series. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press. [separate volumes on biblical books]

§ Hayes, John H. and Carl R. Holladay. Biblical Exegesis, A Beginner’s Handbook, rev. ed. Atlanta: Knox, 1987.

§ Guides to Biblical Scholarship Series (Minneapolis: Fortress). § Interfaces (Collegeville: Liturgical Press). § Levine, Amy-Jill et al. Feminist Companion to the New Testament and Early Christian

Writings series. Cleveland: Pilgrim. [separate volumes on canonical and non-canonical early Christian books]

§ Methods in Biblical Interpretation (New York: Cambridge University Press) § WATSA Series: What Are They Saying About … (Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist).

Documents for the Study of the Gospels Anthologies and studies of ancient literary works that are generically similar to the New Testament texts have been published.

§ Cartlidge, David R. and David L. Dungan, eds. Documents for the Study of the Gospels, rev. ed. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1994; original, 1980.

§ Library of Early Christianity Series (Philadelphia: Westminster).

Pronunciation Guides These indispensible tools for lectors help you learn to pronounce the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek names and terms that appear.

§ NetMinistries.org Biblical Words Pronunciation Guide, online, http://netministries.org/ Bbasics/bwords.htm

§ Scott-Craig, T. S. K. A Guide to Pronouncing Biblical Names. New York: Morehouse, 1989. ($8)

§ Staudacher, Joseph M. Lector’s Guide to Biblical Pronunciations. Huntington, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor, 2001. ($6.95)

§ Walker, William O. The HarperCollins Bible Pronunciation Guide. New York: HarperOne, 1994. ($15)


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The Literary Genre of the Gospels 1 The literary genre of all of the gospels is a modified form of the bios, or ancient biography. They share the form and function of ancient biographies. Like bioi, they focus on the public life of Jesus, and Matthew and Luke follow the form even more closely by adding infancy narratives and a genealogy. Like bioi, the function of the gospels is to ground contemporary beliefs of followers in the example of the paradigmatic founder. It is in the area of content that the gospels differ from bioi. Ancient biographies focused on the character, achievements, and lasting significance of the focal figure. However the gospels go much farther. They communicate a belief that Jesus is the Jewish messiah and son of God, that he inaugurated the kingdom of God on earth in his teachings and actions, and that he will return as a judge at the end of time. The gospels are persuasive literature, intending to provoke their audiences to conversion and a way of life modeled on the teaching and life of Jesus. Three of the four gospels —Matthew, Mark and Luke— tell the story of Jesus in roughly the same way. Because they are so similar, they are referred to as the “synoptic” gospels (from Greek “seeing [oyiı] with [sun]”).

The Literary Genre of the Acts of the Apostles2 The Acts of the Apostles is the only work of its kind in the New Testament, but it shares certain formal features with three genres well-represented in early Greek literature: bioi (see above), histories and novels (or “romances”). Histories were used to convey actual occurrences considered worthy of record, though authors often took liberties with accuracy in the interests of moral lessons. Acts of the Apostles and the other early Christian acts certainly do this. Greek romances were imaginative tales told to entertain, so that might seem like less of a fit. Of course, Acts is not imaginative, and it skips the central romantic motif of the climactic reunion of two lovers. But it sets the story of the early apostles and Paul as a series of adventures (including a shipwreck). The apocryphal acts of the apostles—Christian tales that didn’t make it into the canon, like the Acts of Paul and Thecla or the Acts of Judas Thomas—are more like Greek romances, except they invert the motif of sexual desire into the motif of celibacy and union with Jesus.

The Literary Genre of the Epistles3 The literary genre of all of the epistles is a well known in antiquity. It most likely originated as formal correspondence on behalf of ruler, either for diplomatic purposes or for internal administration, and gradually came to be used to maintain family ties as well. Ancient theorists understood the letter as a substitute for the presence of the person, but also knew that the written expression had to be more formal than conversation because of the potential for misunderstanding (after all, the person wasn’t there to clarify what they meant!). There were different types of letters, and each type had standard “parts” (opening, body, closing). Christian epistles tend to be a little longer than your average Greek letter, and they also tend to mix elements with less regard for formal requirements than official correspondence displayed.

The Literary Genre of Revelation4 Revelation is unique in the New Testament but not in the Bible or in Second Temple Jewish literature. Works sharing its perspectives and techniques crop up in Jewish circles between the years 200 BCE and 200 CE, and include the biblical book of Daniel, apocalyptic scenes in the gospels (cf. Mark 13) and Paul’s letters (1 Thess 4:13-18; 1 Cor 15:20-28, 50-56), several pseudepigraphic works such as 1 Enoch, the Psalms of Solomon, the Testament of Abraham, the Sibylline Oracles, 4 Ezra, 2 Baruch, and 3 Baruch, and many of the compositions among the Dead Sea Scrolls. These works emerge in a period of perceived social crisis, and offer hope that God will act any moment to reward the righteous and punish the wicked. This dualistic view of ethics, informed by the present crisis, presents its current readers with an urgent choice, even while it is usually staged in the distant past as a prophecy of the “future.” Often there is only one character in the story who has the ability to interpret the esoteric visions and symbols, and his interpretation points to the victory of God and the righteous in the author’s near future moment.

1 David E. Aune, “Greco-Roman Biography,” in Greco-Roman Literature and the New Testament (ed. David

E. Aune; SBL Sources for Biblical Study 21; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1988) 122. 2 David E. Aune, The New Testament in Its Literary Environment (Library of Early Christianity; Philadelphia:

Westminster, 1987) 77-157. 3 John L. White, “Ancient Greek Letters,” in Greco-Roman Literature and the New Testament (ed. David E.

Aune; SBL Sources for Biblical Study 21; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1988) 85-105. 4 John J. Collins, “From Prophecy to Apocalypticism: The Expectation of the End.” In The Encyclopedia of

Apocalypticism, vol. 1, The Origins of Apocalypticism in Judaism and Christianity (ed. John J. Collins; New York: Continuum, 1998) 129-61.


Gospel of Mark

By general consensus today, Mark is regarded as the earliest surviving gospel.5 Its rough Greek grammar, its awkward phrasing, its sometimes perplexing portrait of Jesus and the disciples, and other anomalies explain both why a majority of scholars regard it as early, and why Mark was not favored in Christian usage. However, Mark’s gospel has received renewed attention since the mid-1800s, when scholars began to regard it as the earliest gospel. And Mark’s episodic style and narrative design have found a more appreciative audience among narrative critics since the 1980s.

Structure 1:1–8:26 Ministry of Healing and Preaching in Galilee

1:1–3:6 Introduction by JBap; an initial day; controversy at Capernaum 3:7–6:6 Choice of the Twelve; training through parables and mighty deeds;

misunderstanding among Nazareth relatives 6:7–8:26 Sending of the Twelve; Herod/JBap flashback; feeding 5000;

walking on water; controversy; feeding 4000; misunderstanding 8:27–16:8 Suffering Predicted; Death and Resurrection

8:27–10:52 Three passion predictions; Peter’s confession; transfiguration; teaching 11:1–13:37 Ministry in Jerusalem: Entry, Temple actions and encounters,

eschatological discourse 14:1–16:8 Anointing, Las Supper, passion, crucifixion, burial, empty tomb

Author The title “According to Mark” was added to manuscripts in the latter half of the 2nd century. A 2d century tradition attributed to Papias and reported by Eusebius in the early 4th century has a Mark as Peter’s interpreter or translator, and when Justin mentions “Peter’s memoirs” in his Dialogue with Trypho (a few decades after Papias), one might wonder if he means Mark’s gospel. However, it is hard to square Mark’s gospel with these traditions. The gospel appears to have been composed in Greek (not Aramaic) by someone with little knowledge of Palestinian geography, so it doesn’t match the tradition that the author is a companion of an early apostle. Even Papias acknowledges that Mark was not an eyewitness himself.

Probable Audience An early tradition from Clement of Alexandria (late 100s CE) cites Rome as the place that Mark wrote his gospel. While this may be based on the (erroneous?) tie Papias posited between Peter and Mark, there are Latinisms and Latin loan words in the Markan text, the style of reference to the Greek/Syro-Phoenician woman sounds is more typical of the western empire than the east (7:26), there is a reference to a coin that was only in western circulation (12:42), and there is a sense of crisis during which many disciples failed (only the Christians of Rome experienced a major persecution before Mark was written). Other scholars have championed Syria, Transjordan or the Galilee as likely locations. Wherever they were, Mark’s audience knew Greek but not Aramaic, had some exposure to Latin and Hebrew, but were unfamiliar with Jewish customs and some phrases so that the author had to explain them (e.g., 5:41; 7:3-4; 15:42). Expectation of an imminent parousia appears to be strong (Mark 13).

Date If the Papias tradition (that Mark was Peter’s interpreter) is accurate, it would likely require that Mark wrote his gospel soon after Peter’s death in the mid’60s. There is some debate about whether the gospel references the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Jewish Temple (7o CE). If Matthew and Luke were written c.80–90 CE and are based on Mark, it would require that Mark was composed at least 5-10 years beforehand to allow time for it to circulate and achieve some authority. For all these reasons, 65–75 CE, or perhaps 68–73 CE, is a reasonable date.

5 The material in this summary is adapted from Raymond E. Brown, “The Gospel according to Mark,” in An

Introduction to the New Testament (Anchor Bible Reference Library; New York: Doubleday, 1997) 126-70.


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Theological Themes Christology: A suffering messiah

� Mark’s gospel has sometimes been called “a passion narrative with an extended introduction” (Martin Kähler).6 Jesus enemies begin to plot to kill him as early as chapter 3; 3 predictions of the passion begin in chapter 8, and the final period (a week?) in Jerusalem takes up fully 6 of the 16 chapters of the gospel. This gospel is trying to explain how Jesus can be messiah when he was executed, failed to rally all the Jews to his cause, and failed definitively to inaugurate the messianic age. In a sense, Mark’s view is that the cross is necessary because of these failures; only through the cross and resurrection can his followers come to faith in him.

� Another purpose of the death of Jesus is “as a ransom for the many” (10:45). � Davidic Christology: Jesus is the son of David and the true King of the Jews; he enters

Jerusalem triumphantly like its King, and the Jerusalem scenes are where the Davidic references cluster.

� Jesus is portrayed as a prophet who accurately predicts the behavior of others (Judas, Peter) as well as his own death and resurrection. Ironically, he is mocked as a false prophet at the Jewish trial at the very moment when his prophecy about Peter’s denial is coming true (14:53–15:1).

� Mark’s Christology is “low” in comparison to the other gospels, particularly John. Mark emphasizes the emotions of Jesus, emotions that seem to get the better of him at times. His final words on the cross he seems to despair of God’s support (albeit through Psalm 22:2).

Ecclesiology: Discipleship means being willing to follow Jesus to the cross � Since Jesus’ “messiahship” takes him to the cross, following him means being willing to “drink

the cup” of suffering as well and being a servant, rather than the greatest (9:33-35). � Discipleship requires absolute dependence on God. Hence the disciples are to take nothing on

their mission (6:7-33); and to rely on God for food even for enormous crowds (twice!). � A strong motif in this gospel is the failure of, or at least the repeated misunderstandings of,

the disciples in face of the demands of discipleship. But this does not mean they fail completely (9:49-50; 14:28; 16:7), particularly if one compares them to Jesus’ other foils: demons, family, scribes-Pharisees-Jewish leaders).

Eschatology: God’s rule has begun � Jesus’ teaching and acts of power inaugurate the kingdom of God; the entry into Jerusalem

also signals the arrival of the day of the Lord. � The culmination of that day lies in the future, and not even the Son knows the day or hour

(13:32); but there is also a sense in which the master’s return occurs within Jesus’ life (see the time markers in 13:35 and then in the passion narrative [14:17; (implied in 14:32-65); 14:72; 15:1]).

6 Martin Kähler, The So-‐called Historical Jesus and the Historic, Biblical Christ (trans. and ed. Carl E.

Braaten; Fortress Texts in Modern Theology; Philadelphia, Fortress Press, 198; German original, 1896).


Gospel of Matthew

Matthew reproduces about 80% of Mark, but is 50% longer than Mark because he has added an infancy narrative, long sermons of sayings material (largely from Q), and two miracles from Q (healings of centurion’s servant and blind and mute demoniac, 8:5-13; 12:22-23). Matthew’s gospel has historically been the most popular catechetical gospel in the church, because of its organization and clarity and the connections it establishes between Jewish tradition and Jesus’ message.7

Structure 1:1–2:23 Introduction: Origin and Infancy of Jesus the Messiah

Who Jesus is: “Immanuel,” true King of the Jews (in contrast to Herod the Great), fulfillment of promises to the Jewish people.

3:1–7:29 Part 1. Proclamation of the Kingdom Narrative: Ministry of JBap, baptism and temptation of Jesus, beginning of Galilean ministry Discourse: Sermon on the Mount (5:1–7:29).

8:1–10:42 Part 2. Ministry and Mission in Galilee Narrative: Nine miracles (healings, calming of storm, exorcism) Discourse: Mission discourse (10:1-42).

11:1–13:52 Part 3. Questioning of and Opposition to Jesus Narrative: Jesus and JBap, woes on disbelievers, thanksgiving, Sabbath controversies, Jesus’ power and family Discourse: Parable discourse (13:1-52).

13:53–18:35 Part 4. Christology and Ecclesiology Narrative: Rejection at Nazareth, feeding 5000, walking on water, controversies with Pharisees, healings, feeding 4000, Peter’s confession, first passion prediction, transfiguration, second passion prediction Discourse: Discourse on the church (18:1-35).

19:1–25:46 Part 5. Journey to and Ministry in Jerusalem Narrative: Teaching, judgment parables, third passion prediction, entry to Jerusalem, Temple cleansing, clashes with authorities Discourse: Eschatological discourse (24:1–25:46).

26:1–28:20 Climax: Passion , Death , and Resurrection Narrative: Conspiracy against Jesus, last supper; arrest, Jewish and Roman trials, crucifixion, death, burial, guard at tomb, opening of tomb, bribing of guard, resurrection appearances

Author The title “According to Matthew” was added to manuscripts in the latter half of the 2nd century. The actual author was likely a non-eyewitness (because he depends on Mark and Q), whose name is unknown to us, and who wrote in Greek. Most scholars believe he was a Jewish Christian, but perhaps one raised in the diaspora given his greater linguistic facility in Greek compared to Mark.

Probable Audience Most scholars place the original audience of Matthew’s gospel in Antioch of Syria, because (1) Matthew adds “Syria” to Mark’s description of the spread of Jesus’ activity (Matt 4:24); (2) early traditions tie Matthew to a Gospel of the Nazaraeans that circulated primarily in Syria; (3) the gospel mentions “city” 26x compared to only 4x for the word “village,” suggesting an urban context; (4) Antioch was a major imperial city and early Christian center, which helps to explain the early prominence of Matthew’s gospel; (5) Ignatius of Antioch and the Didache, which may also be associated with Antioch, quote from Matthew in the early 2d century; (6) the complex interplay of Jewish law and openness to Gentiles fits the history of Antioch well (Brown is very helpful on this; see pp. 213-16).

7 Unless otherwise noted, the material in this summary is adapted from Raymond E. Brown, “The Gospel

according to Matthew,” in An Introduction to the New Testament (Anchor Bible Reference Library; New York: Doubleday, 1997) 171-224.


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Date 80–90 CE, give or take some years on either side. The gospel would have been written after Mark (68–73 CE) had time to circulate; it would have been written by 100 CE given that it is quoted by figures 10–20 years later and shows no awareness of Gnosticism, which has become a problem by 125 CE.

Theological Themes Christology

� Jesus represents the fulfillment of scripture (Matthew says that Jesus fulfills scripture 41x, more than any other synoptic author; these have a teaching purpose)

� Jesus is Messiah, Son of the living God (16:16 and the virgin birth); he is also Son of Man (passim), Immanuel (“God with us” 1:23; cf. 28:20)

� David Christology (Jesus as descendant of David, true king, and heir of the messianic promises) is prominent: see the genealogy, the contrast to Herod in the infancy narrative, and the passion

� Moses Christology (Jesus as the “prophet like Moses” who would return to restore the law, Deut 18:15) is prominent in the infancy narrative, the Sermon on the Mount, and the transfiguration

� Jesus as divine Wisdom (11:19, 27) � Earliest Trinitarian formulation (Father, Son, and holy Spirit) in 28:19

Ecclesiology (ekklesia in Greek = “those called out”) � The Jewish law is not abrogated, but neither are Gentiles shunned from the group (there are

positive portraits of Gentiles—centurion 8:5-13; Canaanite woman 15:21-28; the “nations” 25:31-46; Mrs. Pilate 27:19—even while the Jewish law is upheld [5–7])

� Foundation of the church is narrated (16:18-19); Peter’s role is featured; characteristics of community life and discipleship are described (ch. 18)

� The kingdom of heaven ≠ the church, but the church is where Jesus is confessed as Lord before the eschatological consummation. It is transferred from Jewish authorities to those who will produce fruit (25:14-30)

Eschatology � Natural phenomena signal the decisive change that Jesus inaugurates (2:2; 27:51-54; 28:2) � Some of Matthew’s more difficult ethical demands reflect an eschatological morality (5–7; 24–25)


Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles

Luke’s is the longest of the four gospels, and to that he adds a volume 2, Acts of the Apostles.8 This amounts to over a quarter of the entire New Testament!

Structure Luke Acts 1:1-4 Prologue 1:1-5 Prologue: Recap of Gospel 1:5–2:52 Infancy Narrative

Diptychs of annunciations, births, and circumcisions/manifestations of JBap and Jesus; visitation at center; 12-yr old Jesus in Temple

1:6-26 Preparing for the Spirit Jesus instructs disciples and ascends to heaven; awaiting the Spirit; replacement of Judas

3:1–4:13 Preparation for Public Ministry Preaching of JBap, baptism of Jesus, genealogy, temptations

2:1-45 Pentecost and Communal Life in Jerusalem Pentecost, Peter’s sermon; reception of message, Jerusalem communal life

4:14–9:50 Ministry in Galilee Rejection at Nazareth; activities at Capernaum/lake; reactions to and controversies with Jesus; choice of Twelve, sermon on the plain; Jesus’ identity: Herod, feeding of 5000, Peter’s confession, passion predictions 1 & 2, transfiguration

3:1–8:1a Ministry in Jerusalem Activity, preaching, trials of apostles, the Hellenists; Stephen’s trial and martyrdom

9:51–19:27 Journey to Jerusalem Three mentions of Jerusalem shape narrative (9:51–17:10); last stage of journey to arrival (17:11–19:27)

8:1b–12:25 Missions in Samaria and Judea Dispersal from Jerusalem; Philip and Peter in Samaria; Philip and Ethiopian eunuch; Saul to Damascus, then Jerusalem and Tarsus; Peter in Lydda, Joppa, Caesarea (clean foods/Gentile inclusion); Jerusalem, Antioch, Herod’s persecution, Peter’s departure

19:28–21:38 Ministry in Jerusalem Entry, activities in Temple area, eschatological discourse

13:1–15:35 Gentile Mission (Barnabas and Saul) , Jerusalem Approves Journey 1: Antioch church sends Barnabas and Saul to Cyprus and SE Asia Minor; Jerusalem conference and approval; return to Antioch

22:1–23:56 Passion Narrative Conspiracy against Jesus, Last Supper; prayer and arrest on Mount of Olives, Jewish (priests and Herod) and Roman trials; way of cross, crucifixion and burial

15:36–28:31 Mission of Paul to the Ends of the Earth Journey 2: Antioch through Asia Minor to Greece and return; Journey 3: Antioch to Ephesus and Greece, return to Caesarea; arrest in Jerusalem, imprisonment in Caesarea; Journey 4: to Rome as prisoner; under house arrest there

24:1-53 Resurrection Appearances Scene at empty tomb; appearance on road to Emmaus; appearance in Jerusalem and ascension to heaven

Author The title “According to Luke” was added to manuscripts in the latter half of the 2nd century. The actual author was likely an educated Greek-speaker and skilled writer who was not an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry. He does not appear to be from Palestine, and may even be a convert to Judaism; at any rate, he is very familiar with Jewish tradition and the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures), from which he not only quotes but also borrows a narrative style. Late 2nd century traditions attribute this gospel to Luke the companion of Paul, a man mentioned in Phlm 24; Col 4:14; 2 Tim 4:11 as a fellow worker and beloved physician. But there is really no way to verify that, and discrepancies between details about Paul in Acts and in Paul’s own letters raise doubts that the author was a companion of Paul (despite the “we” passages in Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1–28:16). A prologue to a late 2nd century manuscript of Luke suggests he may have been a Syrian from Antioch. 8 The material in this summary is adapted (particularly the Acts outline) from Raymond E. Brown, “The Gospel according to Luke” and “The Acts of the Apostles,” in An Introduction to the New Testament (Anchor Bible Reference Library; New York: Doubleday, 1997) 225-332.


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Probable Audience The emphasis on the inclusion of the Gentiles suggests an audience of Gentile Christians; the prominence of Paul in Acts suggests that the implied audience may have been the communities visited by Paul in Greece or Syria. Such a Hellenistic setting is also recommended by the conventions the author borrows from Hellenistic biography (genealogy, accounts of Jesus’ youth), and the author’s reluctance to attribute emotion or suffering to Jesus. The gospel and Acts provide assurance to the audience of a reliable tradition traced to eyewitnesses and that the conversion of the whole Roman world is part of the plan of salvation history, extending back to creation.

Date 85 CE, give or take some years on either side. The gospel would have been written after Mark (68–73 CE) had time to circulate; it would have been written by 100 CE. Its focus on Jerusalem as a Christian center does not match the outlook one finds in 2nd century Christian literature. Moreover, the simple structure of presbyters in Asia seems earlier than Ignatius’ reference to a bishop in each church in 110 CE. Finally, the author of Acts seems unaware of the letters of Paul, which while written in the 50s and 60s, were not gathered as a collection until the early 2nd century.


� Jesus is portrayed as Savior in Luke—a title used of and by Roman Emperors—to present Jesus as the true savior of the world. The political term had both material and theological connotations (see Mary’s canticle 1:46-55 and Jesus’ inaugural sermon, Lk 4:17-22).

� Jesus is the Davidic messiah (Lk 2:1-7) and God’s saving eschatological prophet, the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy and history (see Zechariah’s canticle 1:67-79 and the speeches in Acts).

� Jesus is God’s son (1:35; 2:49; 3:22-23); frequent prayer signals ongoing communion with God. � There is a kind of Moses Christology in Luke, but it is harder to see than in Matthew. The

placement of the genealogy between infancy and ministry parallels where Moses’ genealogy is placed in Exodus 6:14-26, and only in Luke does Jesus speak with Moses and Elijah at his transfiguration about “his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem” (9:30-31). But the theme is more prominent in Acts.

� Baptism is in the name of Jesus in Acts 2:38-41, indicating the reverence for and power of Jesus in the early Lukan community.

Ecclesiology � In giving us the story of the early church, Luke clearly emphasizes the importance of the

church. We see a community that confesses Jesus as Lord, and that joyfully expresses its gratitude by sharing life, prayer, possessions, and the good news with the world (koinonia, the common life). The cost is persecution and sometimes death, but even in these the testimony to Jesus renders the suffering witness of conviction and gratitude.

� Luke has a redactional interest in the proper distribution of possessions (e.g., 3:10-14; 10:29-37; 16:19-31), which links to his emphasis on the redemption of the lowly and the humbling of the mighty, and thus the year of favor that Jesus inaugurates (1:17, 68-79; 2:10-14; 4:19).

� There is more mention made of women in Luke’s gospel. Some take this to illustrate the favor for the lowly, but Luke makes the female followers of Jesus wealthier (8:1-3), putting them and thus Jesus above reproach. Other women are portrayed in typical domestic tasks, so the passages are not necessarily “liberating.”

� The church is first “the way,” indicating its evangelical motion outward, and then “Christians,” indicating the group’s fidelity to Jesus as the Christ.

� The Spirit is the principle of continuity across salvation history, filling John the Baptist at his meeting with Jesus (in utero), filling Jesus at his baptism, and filling the church at Pentecost. Jesus prays before major decisions, as does the early Jerusalem church.

� The church includes Gentiles; salvation is universalized (Jesus’ genealogy goes back to Adam, the father of all humans; and the story of Acts is about the inclusion of the Gentiles, an innovation made under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28, see 10:1–11:18 and 15:8).

Eschatology � Luke has a complex notion of the kingdom of God. Is it kingship or kingdom? Has it already

come, or has it come to some extent, and will it come soon (9:27)? Does his two-volume portrait of the sweep of salvation history represent a shift away from eschatological speculation toward a realized eschatology (Acts 1:7)?


Manuscript Evidence There are two different manuscript traditions of Luke–Acts that differ significantly from each other. The first is referred to as the Western text . This is actually a family of manuscripts (mss) attested by the 5th-century Codex Bezae (D), some fragmentary papyri, some marginal notes in Syriac mss, the African Old Latin ms h, and citations by Cyprian and Augustine. The second tradition is called the Alexandrian text . It too is a family of manuscripts whose witnesses include some of the earliest papyrus fragments and some of the earliest complete mss (e.g., 4th-century mss Sinaiticus and Vaticanus, and 5th-century mss Alexandrinus and Ephraimi Rescriptus). The NAB and NRSV largely follow the Alexandrian text for the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles.

Gospel of Luke The Western family of mss, which are generally fuller than other text types, are not fuller when it comes to Luke. They omit verses found in the Alexandrian (and other) families of mss at the following points:

Passage Alexandrian Western Lk 22:19b-20 19Then he took the bread, said the blessing,

broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” 20And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.” {cup vv17-18, bread, cup}

19Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body.” {cup vv.17-18, bread}

24:3b 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; 3but when they entered, they did not find the body.

24:6a 6”He is not here, but he has been raised. Re-member what he said to you while he was still in Galilee…”

6” Re-member what he said to you while he was still in Galilee…”

24:12 12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened.

{missing}

24:36b 36While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

36While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst.

24:40 40And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.

{missing}

24:51b 51As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven.

51As he blessed them he parted from them.

24:52a 52They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and they were continually in the temple praising God.

52They returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and they were continually in the temple glorifying God.

Mt 27:49 49But the rest said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him, but another took a lance and pierced his side, and out came water and blood.”

49But the rest said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.”

The NRSV and NAB follow the Alexandrian tradition for all the Luke verses, but follow the Western tradition for Matt 27:49 on the argument that the added material is an interpolation based on John 19:34.


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Acts of the Apostles In contrast to the situation in the Gospel of Luke, the Western text of Acts is nearly one-tenth longer than the Alexandrian text, adding color and detail to the more straightforward—and at times obscure—Alexandrian tradition. In this case, text critics judge the extra material in the Western text to be later additions (the alternative would be to view the Alexandrian short forms as later deletions), persuaded by the nature of the four types of changes (one sample of each type is provided below):9 Type of Change Passage Alexandrian Original Western Addition

Emphasis exaggerated 6:10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

But they could not withstand the wisdom that was in him and the holy spirit with which he spoke, because they were confuted by him with all boldness. Being unable therefore to confront the truth,

Religious formulae introduced

9:40 Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, rise up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.

Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, rise up, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” She immediately opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.

Simpler title for Jesus replaced with later and more theological title

13:33 32”We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you that what God promised our ancestors 33he has brought to fulfillment for us, [their] children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm ‘You are my son; this day I have begotten you.’

32We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you that what God promised our ancestors 33he has brought to fulfillment for us, [their] children, by raising up the Lord Jesus Christ, as it is written in the second psalm ‘You are my son; this day I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you Gentiles for your inheritance, and for your possession the ends of the earth.’” {adds Ps 2:8 as well as titles}

Emphasis on inspiration of words and actions

19:1 While Apollos was in Corinth, having traveled through the interior of the country Paul came to Ephesus where he found some disciples.

And although Paul wished, according to his own plan, to go to Jerusalem, the Spirit told him to return to Asia. And having traveled through the interior of the country he comes to Ephesus where he found some disciples.

In general, text critics tend to favor the Alexandrian text for both Luke and Acts, but there are occasions when they judge the Western text to preserve the earlier form of the text.

9 T. E. Page, “Blass’s Edition of the Acts,” Classical Review 11 (1897) 317-20.


Gospel of John

The Gospel of John is like no other in the canon. Rather than the brief episodes that characterize the synoptic gospels, John is arranged into long narrative units that consist of sustained monologues of Jesus or dialogues between Jesus and other characters.10 Rather than the parables and simple metaphors drawn from daily life that one finds in the synoptic gospels, John layers symbolism as the narrative progresses, so that the crucifixion and resurrection become not only the climax of the plot but the culminating symbol that manifests the truths to which John attests. Nor is that language of “manifesting” and “attesting” accidental: John is gradually revealing Jesus’ identity in a profoundly rich way, and both the narrator/implied author and other characters in the story “testify” to this so that the entire narrative reads like an extended trial of Jesus—or rather of those who do not recognize him. Like the Gospel of Matthew, this gospel has some of the most anti-Jewish passages, and like Matthew, it is also one of the most Jewish gospels, with major events set on days in the Jewish festival calendar that add an important symbolic dimension to the stories. Brown notices other unique features: the extensive use of irony and parenthetical remarks directed to persons “in the know,” an emphasis on the “truth” and its misunderstanding,11 conscious allusions and transitions that link episodand es, poetic format and discourse.

Structure 1:1-18 Prologue 1:19–12:50 The Book of Signs

1:19–2:11 Initial days of revelation of Jesus to disciples (using different titles) 2–4 Two Cana signs bookend cleansing of Temple, Nicodemus,

Samaritan woman at well, healing of royal official’s son 5–10 Old Testament feasts replaced; themes of light and life: Sabbath

(new Moses, rest), Passover (bread of life), Tabernacles (water and light), Dedication (Jesus as temple)

11–12 Raising of Lazarus, Sanhedrin plan to execute Jesus in place of nation; coming of hour signaled by arrival of Gentiles

13:1–20:31 The Book of Glory 13–17 Last Supper/Last Discourse 18–19 Passion and death 20:1-29 Resurrection (four scenes in Jerusalem), gospel conclusion (20:30-31)

21:1-25 Epilogue: Galilean resurrection appearances; second conclusion

Author Many have since Irenaeus (c.180 CE) connected the beloved disciple who appears in the passion narrative with the disciple John son of Zebedee who is numbered among the Twelve. But Irenaeus’ tradition is late, and few would put much weight on it now. In fact, because of the heavy theologizing of Jesus that one finds in this gospel, most believe that the author was not even an eyewitness from the time period of Jesus’ life, but rather collected traditions of both fact and interpretation. If the beloved disciple was indeed one Jesus’ followers, that needn’t mean he was the author (despite 21:20, 24); in any case, he is most likely not one of the Twelve, because the synoptics don’t mention him and because the Gospel of John speaks of him as distinct from the spare references to that group (6:67-71; 20:24).

Probable Audience The author is accurate in some interesting details about Judea and Palestine and about Jewish festivals, which suggests that his audience is deeply familiar with Jewish tradition. But this gospel also presents Jesus and his adherents in constant debates and controversies with other Jews, who are often castigated by the generic term “Jews” as if the Judeans (where the word “Jew” comes from) were by now considered a separate group from the author’s audience. Brown offers a possible history of this audience on pp. 374-6 which is speculative but interesting, for it explains in part the particular debates unique to John’s gospel (Jesus as Mosaic prophet and preexistent Christ and new

10 The material in this summary is adapted from Raymond E. Brown, “The Gospel according to John,” in An Introduction to the New Testament (Anchor Bible Reference Library; New York: Doubleday, 1997) 333-82.

11 Both of these characteristics overlap with later gnostic concerns, and led some to believe John was too close to gnosticism to be included in the canon.


14

Temple; the role of the Gentiles in prompting the hour of Jesus’ glorification; the divinization of Jesus vs. the human life and its ethical implications, the integration with the larger church symbolized by the Peter-beloved disciple dynamics).

Date Brown suggests a final redaction date of perhaps 100-110 C.E.


� This gospel exhibits the highest Christology of any of the canonical gospels; Jesus is a “stranger from heaven” who preexists this world and is even the Word of God through whom it was created.

� Jesus is the way to God for those living in darkness; he saves by being the eternal Word incarnate in whom followers believe (but the saving moment is already realized; one doesn’t make it real by the act of faith). The incarnation is the salvific moment; the crucifixion and resurrection merely its culminating act.

� The emphasis on long monologues of Jesus emphasizes what is clear in the prologue: Jesus is divine wisdom incarnate.

� John layers levels of symbolism onto the figure of Christ through the many “I am” sayings and discourses (bread of life [6:25-40]; light of the world [8:12; 9:1-12]; sheepgate and good shepherd [10:1-18], resurrection and life [11:17-27], way-truth-life [14:1-7], true vine [15:1-11], at arrest [18:1-6]).

Ecclesiology � The church is those who leave the darkness to follow the light. � There is a clear sense that followers of the beloved disciple are somehow closer to the truth of

Jesus’ wisdom than followers of other disciples, like Peter, though Peter is reconciled to Jesus in the resurrection scenes in both endings of the gospel.

Eschatology � The judgment is not a future event for this gospel. Instead, the gospel itself is the trial, one’s

reaction to Jesus the judgment. Characters “testify” throughout this gospel to the truth; and when, in the final trial with Pilate, the “Jews” are made to say “We have no king but Caesar,” they have judged themselves (thus Jesus’ trial is really more their trial).


The Lectionary Cycle The Lectionary for Mass was revised after Vatican II to afford Catholics a much wider exposure to scripture. The Sunday and feast day readings are broken into a three-year cycle, with each year fea-turing one of the synoptic gospels and with John well represented during the special seasons and feast days, as well as Year B (the Mark year, since Mark is a relatively short gospel). The Catholic Study Bible includes an excellent article and tables introducing the complete lectionary cycle, and of course the lectionary itself includes the schedule of readings. Since our course focuses on the four gospels and Acts, and since most Catholics who attend Mass do so on Sundays rather than weekdays, the tables below present the readings only from the gospels and Acts, and only for Sundays and feast days. The first table is arranged by lectionary year, while the second table is organized by biblical passage. The third table lists those passages in each gospel and Acts that a Sunday worshipper will not hear. All tables presume the longer reading if there is a longer and shorter version. Table 1: Gospels–Acts for Sundays and Feast Days by Liturgical Year

Sunday or Feast Year A Year B Year C

1st Sunday of Advent Matt 24:37-44 Mark 13:33-37 Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 2nd Sunday of Advent Matt 3:1-12 Mark 1:1-8 Luke 3:1-6

3rd Sunday of Advent Matt 11:2-11 John 1:6-8, 19-28 OR Luke 1:46-50, 53-54 Luke 3:10-18

4th Sunday of Advent Matt 1:18-24 Luke 1:26-38 Luke 1:39-45 Christmas: Vigil Acts 13:16-17, 22-25 Christmas: Vigil Matt 1:1-25 Christmas: Midnight Luke 2:1-14 Christmas: Dawn Luke 2:15-20 Christmas: Daytime John 1:1-18 Sunday in Octave of Christmas: Holy Family Matt 2:13-15, 19-23 Luke 2:22-40 Luke 2:41-52

Jan. 1: Mary, Mother of God Luke 2:16-21

2nd Sunday after Christmas John 1:1-18

The Epiphany of the Lord Matt 2:1-12 Sunday after Epiphany: Baptism of the Lord Acts 10:34-38

Sunday after Epiphany: Baptism of the Lord Matt 3:13-17 Mark 1:7-11 Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

1st Sunday of Lent Matt 4:1-11 Mark 1:12-15 Luke 4:1-13 2nd Sunday of Lent Matt 17:1-9 Mark 9:2-10 Luke 9:28b-36

3rd Sunday of Lent John 2:13-25 OR Luke 13:1-9 OR John 4:5-42

4th Sunday of Lent John 3:14-21 OR Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 OR John 9:1-41

5th Sunday of Lent John 12:20-33 OR John 8:1-11 OR John 11:1-45

Passion Sunday: Procession of Palms Matt 21:1-11 Mark 11:1-10 OR

John 12:12-16 Luke 19:28-40

Palm Sunday Matt 26:14–27:66 Mark 14:1–15:47 Luke 22:14–23:5 Holy Thursday: Chrism Mass Luke 4:16-21


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Sunday or Feast Year A Year B Year C Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s Supper John 13:1-15

Good Friday: The Passion of the Lord John 18:1–19:42

Easter Vigil Matt 28:1-10 Mark 16:1-8 Luke 24:1-12 Easter Sunday Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Easter Sunday John 20:1-9 OR John 20:1-9 OR John 20:1-9 OR Matt 28:1-10 OR Mark 16:1-8 OR Luke 24:1-12 OR Luke 24:13-35 Luke 24:13-35 Luke 24:13-35

2nd Sunday of Easter Acts 2:42-47 Acts 4:32-35 Acts 5:12-16 2nd Sunday of Easter John 20:19-31 3rd Sunday of Easter Acts 2:14, 22-33 Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41 3rd Sunday of Easter Luke 24:13-35 Luke 24:35-48 John 21:1-19 4th Sunday of Easter Acts 2:14a, 36-41 Acts 4:8-12 Acts 13:14, 43-52 4th Sunday of Easter John 10:1-10 John 10:11-18 John 10:27-30 5th Sunday of Easter Acts 6:1-7 Acts 9:26-31 Acts 14:21-27 5th Sunday of Easter John 14:1-12 John 15:1-8 John 13:31-33a, 34-35

6th Sunday of Easter Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 Acts 15:1-2, 22-29

6th Sunday of Easter John 14:15-21 John 15:9-17 John 14:23-29 Ascension of the Lord Acts 1:1-11 Ascension of the Lord Matt 28:16-20 Mark 16:15-20 Luke 24:46-53 7th Sunday of Easter Acts 1:12-14 Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26 Acts 7:55-60 7th Sunday of Easter John 17:1-11a John 17:11b-19 John 17:20-26 Pentecost Sunday: Vigil John 7:37-39 Pentecost Sunday Acts 2:1-11 Pentecost Sunday John 20:19-23 2nd Sunday in OT John 1:29-34 John 1:35-42 John 2:1-11 3rd Sunday in OT Matt 4:12-23 Mark 1:14-20 Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21 4th Sunday in OT Matt 5:1-12a Mark 1:21-28 Luke 4:21-30 5th Sunday in OT Matt 5:13-16 Mark 1:29-39 Luke 5:1-11 6th Sunday in OT Matt 5:17-37 Mark 1:40-45 Luke 6:17, 20-26 7th Sunday in OT Matt 5:38-48 Mark 2:1-12 Luke 6:27-38 8th Sunday in OT Matt 6:24-34 Mark 2:18-22 Luke 6:39-45 9th Sunday in OT Matt 7:21-27 Mark 2:23–3:6 Luke 7:1-10 10th Sunday in OT Matt 9:9-13 Mark 3:20-35 Luke 7:11-17 11th Sunday in OT Matt 9:36–10:8 Mark 4:26-34 Luke 7:36–8:3 12th Sunday in OT Matt 10:26-33 Mark 4:35-41 Luke 9:18-24 13th Sunday in OT Matt 10:37-42 Mark 5:21-43 Luke 9:51-62 14th Sunday in OT Matt 11:25-30 Mark 6:1-6 Luke 10:1-12, 17-20 15th Sunday in OT Matt 13:1-23 Mark 6:7-13 Luke 10:25-37


Sunday or Feast Year A Year B Year C

16th Sunday in OT Matt 13:24-43 Mark 6:30-34 Luke 10:38-42 17th Sunday in OT Matt 13:44-52 John 6:1-15 Luke 11:1-13 18th Sunday in OT Matt 14:13-21 John 6:24-35 Luke 12:13-21 19th Sunday in OT Matt 14:22-33 John 6:41-51 Luke 12:32-48 20th Sunday in OT Matt 15:21-28 John 6:51-58 Luke 12:49-53 21st Sunday in OT Matt 16:13-20 John 6:60-69 Luke 13:22-30 22nd Sunday in OT Matt 16:21-27 Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Luke 14:1, 7-14 23rd Sunday in OT Matt 18:15-20 Mark 7:31-37 Luke 14:25-33 24th Sunday in OT Matt 18:21-35 Mark 8:27-35 Luke 15:1-32 25th Sunday in OT Matt 20:1-16a Mark 9:30-37 Luke 16:1-13 26th Sunday in OT Matt 21:28-32 Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 Luke 16:19-31 27th Sunday in OT Matt 21:33-43 Mark 10:2-16 Luke 17:5-10 28th Sunday in OT Matt 22:1-14 Mark 10:17-30 Luke 17:11-19 29th Sunday in OT Matt 22:15-21 Mark 10:35-45 Luke 18:1-8 30th Sunday in OT Matt 22:34-40 Mark 10:46-52 Luke 18:9-14 31st Sunday in OT Matt 23:1-12 Mark 12:28b-34 Luke 19:1-10 32nd Sunday in OT Matt 25:1-13 Mark 12:38-44 Luke 20:27-38 33rd Sunday in OT Matt 25:14-30 Mark 13:24-32 Luke 21:5-19 34th Sunday in OT: Christ the King Matt 25:31-46 John 18:33b-37 Luke 23:35-43

Sunday after Pentecost: Holy Trinity John 3:16-18 Matt 28:16-20 John 16:12-15

Thursday after Trinity Sunday: Body & Blood of Christ

John 6:51-58 Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 Luke 9:11b-17

Friday after 2nd Sun after Pentecost: Sacred Heart Matt 11:25-30 John 19:31-37 Luke 15:3-7


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Table 2: Gospels–Acts for Sundays and Feast Days by Biblical Book

Book Ch:Vs Sunday or Feast Yr No

Mark 1:1-8 2nd of Advent B 5 Mark 1:7-11 Baptism of the

Lord (Sun after Epiphany)

B 21

Mark 1:12-15 1st of Lent B 23 Mark 1:14-20 3rd in OT B 69 Mark 1:21-28 4th in OT B 72 Mark 1:29-39 5th in OT B 75 Mark 1:40-45 6th in OT B 78 Mark 2:1-12 7th in OT B 81 Mark 2:18-22 8th in OT B 84 Mark 2:23–3:6

9th in OT B 87

Mark 3:20-35 10th in OT B 90 Mark 4:26-34 11th in OT B 93 Mark 4:35-41 12th in OT B 96 Mark 5:21-43 13th in OT B 99 Mark 6:1-6 14th in OT B 102 Mark 6:7-13 15th in OT B 105 Mark 6:30-34 16th in OT B 108 Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

22nd in OT B 126

Mark 7:31-37 23rd in OT B 129 Mark 8:27-35 24th in OT B 132 Mark 9:2-10 2nd of Lent B 26 Mark 9:30-37 25th in OT B 135 Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

26th in OT B 138

Mark 10:2-16 27th in OT B 141 Mark 10:17-30

28th in OT B 144

Mark 10:35-45

29th in OT B 147

Mark 10:46-52

30th in OT B 150

Mark 11:1-10 (opt. 1)

Passion Sunday: Procession of Palms

B 37

Mark 12:28b-34

31st in OT B 153

Mark 12:38-44

32nd in OT B 156

Mark 13:24-32

33rd in OT B 159

Mark 13:33-37 1st of Advent B 2 Mark 14:1–15:47

Palm Sunday B 38

Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

Body & Blood of Christ (Thurs after Trinity Sunday)

B 169

Mark 16:1-8 Easter Vigil B 42 Mark 16:1-8 (opt. 2)

Easter B 43


Mark 16:15-20

Ascension of the Lord

B 59

Matt 1:1-25 Christmas: Vigil A 13 Matt 1:1-25 Christmas: Vigil B 13 Matt 1:1-25 Christmas: Vigil C 13 Matt 1:18-24 4th of Advent A 10 Matt 2:1-12 The Epiphany of

the Lord A 20

Matt 2:1-12 The Epiphany of the Lord

B 20

Matt 2:1-12 The Epiphany of the Lord

C 20

Matt 2:13-15, 19-23

day in Octave of Christmas: Holy Family

A 17

Matt 3:1-12 2nd of Advent A 4 Matt 3:13-17 Sunday after

Epiphany: Baptism of the Lord

A 21

Matt 4:1-11 1st of Lent A 22 Matt 4:12-23 3rd in OT A 68 Matt 5:1-12a 4th in OT A 71 Matt 5:13-16 5th in OT A 74 Matt 5:17-37 6th in OT A 77 Matt 5:38-48 7th in OT A 80 Matt 6:24-34 8th in OT A 83 Matt 7:21-27 9th in OT A 86 Matt 9:9-13 10th in OT A 89 Matt 9:36–10:8

11th in OT A 92

Matt 10:26-33 12th in OT A 95 Matt 10:37-42

13th in OT A 98

Matt 11:2-11 3rd of Advent A 7 Matt 11:25-30 14th in OT A 101 Matt 11:25-30 Sacred Heart

(Fri after 2nd Sun after Pentecost)

A 171

Matt 13:1-23 15th in OT A 104 Matt 13:24-43 16th in OT A 107 Matt 13:44-52 17th in OT A 110 Matt 14:13-21 18th in OT A 113 Matt 14:22-33 19th in OT A 116 Matt 15:21-28 20th in OT A 119 Matt 16:13-20 21st in OT A 122 Matt 16:21-27 22nd in OT A 125 Matt 17:1-9 2nd of Lent A 25 Matt 18:15-20 23rd in OT A 128 Matt 18:21-35 24th in OT A 131 Matt 20:1-16a 25th in OT A 134



Matt 21:1-11 Passion Sunday: Procession of Palms

A 37

Matt 21:28-32 26th in OT A 137 Matt 21:33-43 27th in OT A 140 Matt 22:1-14 28th in OT A 143 Matt 22:15-21 29th in OT A 146 Matt 22:34-40

30th in OT A 149

Matt 23:1-12 31st in OT A 152 Matt 24:37-44

1st of Advent A 1

Matt 25:1-13 32nd in OT A 155 Matt 25:14-30

33rd in OT A 158

Matt 25:31-46 34th in OT: Christ the King

A 161

Matt 26:14–27:66

Palm Sunday A 38

Matt 28:1-10 Easter Vigil A 42 Matt 28:1-10 (opt. 2)

Easter A 43

Matt 28:16-20


A 59

Matt 28:16-20

Holy Trinity (Sunday after Pentecost)

B 166

Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

3rd in OT C 70

Luke 1:26-38 4th of Advent B 11 Luke 1:39-45 4th of Advent C 12 Luke 1:46-50, 53-54 (opt. 2)

3rd of Advent B 8

Luke 2:1-14 Christmas: Midnight

A 14


B 14


C 14

Luke 2:15-20 Christmas: Dawn A 15 Luke 2:15-20 Christmas: Dawn B 15 Luke 2:15-20 Christmas: Dawn C 15 Luke 2:16-21 Jan. 1: Mary,

Mother of God A 18

Luke 2:16-21 Jan. 1: Mary, Mother of God

B 18

Luke 2:16-21 Jan. 1: Mary, Mother of God

C 18

Luke 2:22-40 Sunday in Octave of Christmas: Holy Family

B 17

Luke 2:41-52 Sunday in Octave of Christmas: Holy Family

C 17

Luke 3:1-6 2nd of Advent C 6 Luke 3:10-18 3rd of Advent C 9


Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Baptism of the Lord (Sunday after Epiphany)

C 21

Luke 4:1-13 1st of Lent C 24 Luke 4:14-21 see 3rd in OT C 70 Luke 4:16-21 Holy Thursday:

Chrism Mass A 39

Luke 4:16-21 Holy Thursday: Chrism Mass

B 39

Luke 4:16-21 Holy Thursday: Chrism Mass

C 39

Luke 4:21-30 4th in OT C 73 Luke 5:1-11 5th in OT C 76 Luke 6:17, 20-26

6th in OT C 79

Luke 6:27-38 7th in OT C 82 Luke 6:39-45 8th in OT C 85 Luke 7:1-10 9th in OT C 88 Luke 7:11-17 10th in OT C 91 Luke 7:36–8:3 11th in OT C 94 Luke 9:11b-17 Body & Blood of

Christ (Thurs after Trinity Sunday)

C 170

Luke 9:18-24 12th in OT C 97 Luke 9:28b-36

2nd of Lent C 27

Luke 9:51-62 13th in OT C 100 Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

14th in OT C 103

Luke 10:25-37 15th in OT C 106 Luke 10:38-42

16th in OT C 109

Luke 11:1-13 17th in OT C 112 Luke 12:13-21 18th in OT C 115 Luke 12:32-48 19th in OT C 118 Luke 12:49-53 20th in OT C 121 Luke 13:1-9 3rd of Lent C 30 Luke 13:22-30 21st in OT C 124 Luke 14:1, 7-14

22nd in OT C 127

Luke 14:25-33 23rd in OT C 130 Luke 15:1-32 24th in OT C 133 Luke 15:3-7 Sacred Heart (Fri

after 2nd Sun after Pentecost)

C 173

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 (opt. 1)

4th of Lent C 33

Luke 16:1-13 25th in OT C 136 Luke 16:19-31 26th in OT C 139 Luke 17:5-10 27th in OT C 142 Luke 17:11-19 28th in OT C 145 Luke 18:1-8 29th in OT C 148 Luke 18:9-14 30th in OT C 151 Luke 19:1-10 31st in OT C


20


Luke 19:28-40

Passion Sun-day: Procession of Palms

C

Luke 20:27-38

32nd in OT C

Luke 21:5-19 33rd in OT C Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

1st of Advent C

Luke 22:14–23:5

Palm Sunday C

Luke 23:35-43 34th in OT: Christ the King

C

Luke 24:1-12 Easter Vigil C Luke 24:1-12 (opt. 2)

Easter C

Luke 24:13-35 3rd of Easter A Luke 24:13-35 (opt. 3)

Easter A

Luke 24:13-35 (opt. 3)

Easter B

Luke 24:13-35 (opt. 3)

Easter C

Luke 24:35-48

3rd of Easter B

Luke 24:46-53


C

John 1:1-18 Christmas Day A John 1:1-18 2nd after

Christmas A

John 1:1-18 Christmas Day B John 1:1-18 2nd after

Christmas B

John 1:1-18 Christmas Day C John 1:1-18 2nd after

Christmas C

John 1:6-8, 19-28 (opt. 1)

3rd of Advent B

John 1:29-34 2nd in OT A John 1:35-42 2nd in OT B John 2:1-11 2nd in OT C John 2:13-25 (opt. 1)

3rd of Lent B

John 3:14-21 (opt. 1)

4th of Lent B

John 3:16-18 Holy Trinity (Sunday after Pentecost)

A

John 4:5-42 3rd of Lent A John 4:5-42 (opt. 2)

3rd of Lent B

John 6:1-15 17th in OT B John 6:24-35 18th in OT B John 6:41-51 19th in OT B John 6:51-58 Body & Blood of

Christ (Thursday after Trinity Sunday)

A


John 6:51-58 20th in OT B John 6:60-69 21st in OT B John 7:37-39 Pentecost Vigil A John 7:37-39 Pentecost Vigil B John 7:37-39 Pentecost Vigil C John 8:1-11 (opt. 1)

5th of Lent C

John 9:1-41 4th of Lent A John 9:1-41 (opt. 2)

4th of Lent B

John 9:1-41 (opt. 2)

4th of Lent C

John 10:1-10 4th of Easter A John 10:11-18 4th of Easter B John 10:27-30 4th of Easter C John 11:1-45 5th of Lent A John 11:1-45 (opt. 2)

5th of Lent B

John 11:1-45 (opt. 2)

5th of Lent C

John 12:12-16 (opt. 2)

Passion Sun-day: Procession of Palms

B

John 12:20-33 (opt. 1)

5th of Lent B

John 13:1-15 Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s Supper

A


B


C

John 13:31-33a, 34-35

5th of Easter C

John 14:1-12 5th of Easter A John 14:15-21 6th of Easter A John 14:23-29 6th of Easter C John 15:1-8 5th of Easter B John 15:9-17 6th of Easter B John 16:12-15 Holy Trinity

(Sunday after Pentecost)

C

John 17:1-11a 7th of Easter A John 17:11b-19 7th of Easter B John 17:20-26 7th of Easter C John 18:1–19:42

Good Friday: The Passion of the Lord

A

John 18:1–19:42


B

John 18:1–19:42


C

John 18:33b-37

34th in OT: Christ the King

B



John 19:31-37 Sacred Heart (Fri after 2nd Sun after Pentecost)

B

John 20:1-9 (opt. 1)

Easter B

John 20:1-9 (opt. 1)

Easter C

John 20:1-9 (opt.1)

Easter A

John 20:19-23 Pentecost A John 20:19-23 Pentecost B John 20:19-23 Pentecost C John 20:19-31 2nd of Easter A John 20:19-31 2nd of Easter B John 20:19-31 2nd of Easter C John 21:1-19 3rd of Easter C Acts 1:1-11 Ascension of the

Lord A

Acts 1:1-11 Ascension of the Lord

B

Acts 1:1-11 Ascension of the Lord

C

Acts 1:12-14 7th of Easter A Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26

7th of Easter B

Acts 2:1-11 Pentecost A Acts 2:1-11 Pentecost B Acts 2:1-11 Pentecost C Acts 2:14, 22-33

3rd of Easter A

Acts 2:14a, 36-41

4th of Easter A

Acts 2:42-47 2nd of Easter A Acts 3:13-15, 17-19

3rd of Easter B

Acts 4:8-12 4th of Easter B


Acts 4:32-35 2nd of Easter B Acts 5:12-16 2nd of Easter C Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41

3rd of Easter C

Acts 6:1-7 5th of Easter A Acts 7:55-60 7th of Easter C Acts 8:5-8, 14-17

6th of Easter A

Acts 9:26-31 5th of Easter B Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48

6th of Easter B

Acts 10:34-38 Baptism of the Lord (Sun after Epiphany)

A


B


C

Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Easter A

Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Easter B

Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Easter C

Acts 13:14, 43-52

4th of Easter C

Acts 13:16-17, 22-25

Christmas Vigil A

Acts 13:16-17, 22-25

Christmas Vigil B

Acts 13:16-17, 22-25

Christmas Vigil C

Acts 14:21-27 5th of Easter C Acts 15:1-2, 22-29

6th of Easter C


22

Table 3: Unused Portions of the Gospels and Acts Mark 2:13-17 3:7-19 4:1-25 5:1-20 6:14-29, 35-56 7:9-13, 16-20, 24-30

8:1-26 9:1, 11-29, 44, 46, 49-50

10:1, 31-34 11:11-33 12:1-27, 35-37 13:1-23 16:9-14

Matthew 2:16-18 4:24-25 6:1-23 7:1-20, 28-29 8:1-34 9:1-8, 14-35 10:9-25, 34-36 11:1, 12-24 12:1-50 13:53-58 14:1-12, 34-36 15:1-20, 29-39 16:1-12, 28 17:10-27 18:1-14 19:1-30 20:17-34 21:12-27, 44-46 22:22-33, 41-46 23:13-39 24:1-36, 45-51 26:1-13 28:11-15

Luke 1:5-25, 51-52, 55-80

3:7-9. 19-20, 23-38

4:31-44 5:12-39 6:1-16, 18-19, 46-49

7:18-35 8:4-56 9:1-10, 25-27, 37-50

10:13-16, 21-24 11:14-54 12:1-12, 22-31, 54-59

13:10-21, 31-35 14:2-6, 15-24, 34-35

16:14-18 17:1-4, 20-37 18:15-43 19:11-27, 41-48 20:1-26, 39-47 21:1-4, 20-24, 29-33, 37-38

22:1-13 23:6-34, 44-56

John 1:43-51 2:12 3:1-13, 22-36 4:1-4, 43-54 5:1-47 6:16-23, 36-40, 59, 70-71

7:1-36, 40-53 8:12-59 10:19-26, 31-42 11:46-57 12:1-11, 16-33 13:16-30, 36-38 14:13-14, 22, 30-31 15:18-27 16:1-11, 16-33 20:10-18 21:20-25

Acts 1:18-19 2:12-13, 15-21, 34-35

3:1-12, 16, 20-26 4:1-7, 13-31, 36-37 5:1-11, 17-26, 33-39, 42

6:8-15 7:1-54 8:1-4, 9-13, 18-40 9:1-25, 32-43 10:1-24, 27-33 11:1-30 12:1-25 13:1-13, 15, 18-21, 26-42

14:1-20, 28 15:3-21, 30-41 16:1–28:31


According to Mark Mark 1:1-19

1 5

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30

The beginning of the good news of Jesus the anointed. Just as it

is written in Isaiah the prophet, “See, I send my messenger before

your face, who will prepare your way; a voice of one crying out

in the wilderness: ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make

straight his paths,’” John came, baptizing in the wilderness and

proclaiming a baptism of conversion for the release of sins. And

the whole Judean region and all the Jerusalemites were going out

to him, and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan river,

confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel’s hair and

a leather belt around his loins, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

He proclaimed, saying, “The one stronger than me is coming after

me, of whom I am not competent to stoop down and untie the

thong of his sandals. I baptized you with water; he will baptize

you in the holy spirit.” And it was in those days that Jesus came

from Nazareth of the Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by

John. And immediately as he was coming up from the water, he

saw the heavens tearing and the spirit like a dove coming down

to him. And a voice was from the heavens, “You are my Son, the

Beloved; in you I am well pleased.” And immediately the spirit

drives him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness

forty days, tempted by the satan; and he was with the wild

beasts; and the angels served him. After the handing over of

John, Jesus came into the Galilee, proclaiming the good news of

God and saying, “The time has been completed and the kingdom

of God is at hand; convert and believe in the good news.” And

passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother

Andrew casting in the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus

said to them, “Come here after me and I will make you become

fishermen of people.” And immediately leaving their nets they

followed him. And going forward a little, he saw James son of

Zebedee and his brother John, and they were in the boat

mending the nets,


24

Mark 1:19–39

1

5

10

15

20

25

30

and immediately he called them. And leaving their father

Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, they followed after him.

They entered into Capernaum, and immediately on the sabbath

he entered into the synagogue and taught. And they were

amazed at his teaching, for he taught them as one having

authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in

their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he shrieked,

saying, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have

you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of

God.” And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silenced, and come out

from him!” And attacking him and screaming with a loud voice,

the unclean spirit came out of him. And they were all amazed, so

that they questioned one another, saying, “What is this? A new

teaching—with authority! And he orders the unclean spirits, and

they obey him.” And the word of it went out immediately

everywhere in the whole region around the Galilee. And

immediately upon leaving the synagogue they entered into the

house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s

mother-in-law was lying down with a fever, and immediately

they told him about her. And he came and raised her, taking her

by the hand; and the fever left her, and she served them. When

evening came—when the sun had set—they brought to him all

who were sick or demon-possessed. And the whole city was

gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick

with various diseases, and he cast out many demons; and he

would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Early in the day, while it was still very dark, rising he went out

and departed to a wilderness place, and there he prayed. And

Simon and those with him pursued him, and finding him, they say

to him, “Everyone is seeking you.” And he says to them, “Let us

go elsewhere into the neighboring villages, so that I may

proclaim there also; for I came out for this.” And he went

proclaiming into their synagogues in


Mark 1:39–2:12 1

5

10

15

20

25

30

all the Galilee and casting out demons. And a leper comes

towards him imploring him and kneeling and saying to him, “If

you choose, you can cleanse me.” And moved with pity,

stretching out his hand he touched and says to him, “I choose; be

cleansed!” And immediately the leprosy departed from him, and

he was cleansed. And admonishing him immediately he drove

him out and says to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but

go, show yourself to the priest, and bring for your cleansing what

Moses commanded, as a witness to them.” But going out he

began to proclaim freely and to spread the word, so that he could

no longer enter into a town openly, but was out in the wilderness

places; and they came to him from everywhere. And entering

back into Capernaum after some days, it became known that he is

in the house. And many gathered so that there was no longer any

room, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the

word to them. And they come bearing to him a paralyzed man,

taken up by four. And unable to bring to him because of the

crowd, they unroofed the roof where he was; and after digging

they lower the mattress where the paralytic was lying. And Jesus,

seeing their faith, says to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are

released.” Now some of the scribes were there, sitting and

considering in their hearts, “Why does this man speak in this way?

He blasphemes; who is able to release sins but the one God?” And

immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they were

pondering in this way among themselves, says to them, “Why do

you ponder these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to

the paralytic, ‘Your sins are released,’ or to say, Rise and take up

your mat and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of

Man has authority to release sins on earth”—he says to the

paralytic— “I say to you, rise, take up your mat and go to your

home.” And he arose, and immediately took up the mat and went

out before all, so that they were all astounded and praised God,


26

Mark 2:12-26 1

5

10

15

20

25

30

saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” And he went out

again alongside the sea, and all the crowd came toward him, and

he taught them. And as he was passing by, he saw Levi (or James)

son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he says to him,

“Follow me.” And rising, he followed him. And he is reclining for

a meal in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were

reclining with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many, and

they followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, seeing that

he eats with sinners and tax collectors, were saying to his

disciples, “He eats with tax collectors and sinners.” And having

heard, Jesus says to them, “The healthy do not have need of a

doctor, but those who are sick; I have not come to call the

righteous but sinners.” And John’s disciples and the Pharisees

were fasting; and they come and say to him, “Why do John’s

disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples

do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “The sons of the bridal

chamber cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can

they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they

cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken

away from them, and then they will fast in that day. No one sews

a patch of unshrunken cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the

fullness takes up from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear

occurs. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise,

the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the wine-

skins; but new wine into new wineskins.” One sabbath he was

going through the grainfields; and his disciples began to make the

way picking heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to

him, “Look, why are they doing what is not permitted on the

sabbath?” And he says to them, “Have you never read what

David did when he and those with him had need and hungered,

how he entered into the house of God, when Abiathar was high

priest, and ate the loaves of the Presence, which it is not


Mark 2:26–3:17 1

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10

15

20

25

30

permitted to eat except for the priests, and also he gave to those

who were with him?” And he said to them, “The sabbath was

made for the person, and not the person for the sabbath; for this

reason the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” And he

entered again into the synagogue. And a man was there who had

a withered hand. They watched him to see whether he will cure

him on the sabbath, so that they might denounce him. And he

says to the man having the withered hand, “Rise to the middle.”

And he says to them, “Is it permitted on the sabbath to do good or

to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And

looking around at them with anger, grieved at the hardness of

their hearts, he says to the man, “Stretch out the hand.” And he

stretched out his hand and it was restored. And going out, the

Pharisees immediately gave council with the Herodians against

him, how they would kill him. And Jesus withdrew with his

disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from the Galilee

followed him, and from Judea and from Jerusalem and from the

Idumea and on the other side of the Jordan and around Tyre and

Sidon a great multitude, hearing what he was doing, came toward

him. And he spoke to his disciples so that a small boat would be

ready for him because of the crowd, lest they press upon him; for

he had healed many, so that whoever had diseases fell upon him

so that they might touch him. And the unclean spirits, whenever

they saw him, fell down before him and shrieked, saying, “You are

the Son of God!” And he censured them strongly so that they

would not make him manifest. He went up to the mountain and

called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And

he made twelve, whom he also named apostles, so that they

would be with him, and so that he could send them out to

proclaim and to have authority to cast out demons. And he made

the twelve and gave the name “Rock” to Simon, and James the

son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, and to them he


28

Mark 3:17–4:1 1

5

10

15

20

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30

gave the names “Boanerges,” that is, “sons of thunder”; and

Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and

Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and

Simon the Canaanean, and Judas Iscariot, who handed him over.

And he comes home; and the crowd comes together again, so that

it was not possible for them any longer to eat bread. And when

his family (or friends?) heard it, they went out to take control of

him, for they were saying, “He has lost his senses.” But the scribes

who came down from Jerusalem said that “He has Beelzebul,” and

that “by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” And

summoning them, he spoke to them in parables: “How is Satan

able to cast out Satan? And if a kingdom is divided against itself,

that kingdom is not able to stand. And if a house is divided

against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if the

satan rose up against himself and was divided, he is not able to

stand, but has an end. But no one is able, having entered a strong

man’s house, to plunder his property unless first he binds the

strong man; and then he will plunder the house. Truly I say you,

all the sins and all the blasphemies that might be blasphemed will

be released for the sons of men; but whoever blasphemes against

the holy spirit does not have release for the ages, but is guilty of

an eternal sin”—for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

And his mother comes and his brothers; and standing outside,

they sent out to him, calling him. And a crowd was sitting around

him, and they say to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers

and your sisters outside are seeking you.” And answering them he

says, “Who is my mother and my brothers?” And looking around

at those seated in a circle around him, he says, “Look—my mother

and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, this one is

my brother and sister and mother.” And again he began to teach

alongside the sea. And the largest crowd gathers around him, so

that having embarked in a boat he sits on the sea, and all the


Mark 4:1-20 1

5

10

15

20

25

30

crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them

many things in parables, and in his teaching he was saying to

them: “Listen! See, the sower went out to sow. And it happened

in the sowing that some seed fell alongside the way, and the birds

came and ate it up. And other seed fell on rocky ground, where it

did not have much earth, and it sprang up immediately, since it

did not have depth of soil; and when the sun rose, it was burned

up; and since it did not have root, it was dried up. And other seed

fell into the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it

did not produce fruit. And other seeds fell into the good earth

and produced fruit, coming up and increasing and bearing

thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who

has ears to hear, hear!” And when he was alone, those around

him together with the twelve asked him about the parables. And

he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom

of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables, so

that ‘those looking may look, and not see, and those hearing may

hear, and not understand, lest they turn around and it be released

for them.’“ And he says to them, “Do you not know this parable,

and how will you understand any of the parables? The sower

sows the word. These are the ones alongside the way: wherever

the word is sown and whoever hears, the satan immediately

comes and seizes the word sown in them. And these are the ones

sown on rocky ground: those who hear the word and immediately

receive it with joy, and do not have roots in themselves, but are

short-lived; then, when tribulation or persecution arises because

of the word, immediately they are led into sin. Others are those

sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the

word, but the anxieties of the present age, and the deception of

wealth, and the cravings for the other things come in and choke

the word, and it becomes fruitless. And those are the ones sown

on the good earth, those who hear the word and receive and


30

Mark 4:20-39 1

5

10

15

20

25

30

bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he

said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel

basket, or under the bed, and not so that it might be placed on the

lampstand? For it is not hidden, except to be made manifest; nor

is anything made hidden but to come to manifestation. If one has

ears to hear, hear!” And he said to them, “Consider what you

hear. By the measure you measure, it will be measured to you

and added to you. For to the one who has it will be given, and

from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken

away from him.” And he said, “With regard to the kingdom of

God, it is as if a man would cast the seed on the earth, and would

sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow

long, he does not know how. The earth bears fruit by itself, first

the grass, then the head, then the full grain in the head. Then

when the fruit permits, immediately he sends out the sickle,

because the harvest time has come.” And he said, “How shall we

compare the kingdom of God, or what parable should we propose

for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown on the earth, is

the smallest of all the seeds on the earth; and when it is sown it

comes up and becomes the greatest of all herbs, and makes large

branches, so that the birds of the air can roost in its shade.” With

many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able

to hear; he did not speak to them except in parables, but privately

he explained everything to his own disciples. And he says to them

on that day, when evening had come, “Let us go across to the

other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with

them in the boat, just as he was, and other boats were with him.

And a great windstorm begins, and the waves beat into the boat,

so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the

stern, sleeping on the cushion. And they wake him and say to

him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And

having been awakened he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,


Mark 4:39–5:16 1

5

10

15

20

25

30

“Silence! Be muzzled!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a

great calm. He said to them, “Why are you timid? Do you not

yet have faith?” And they were profoundly frightened and said to

one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea

obey him?” And they came to the other side of the sea, to the

region of the Gerasenes. And when he came out of the boat,

immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit

accosted him, who made his dwelling among the tombs; and not

even with a chain could anyone any longer bind him, for he had

often been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains were

torn apart by him, and the shackles were shattered; and no one

was strong enough to tame him; and continually night and day

among the tombs and in the mountains he was shrieking and

cutting himself up with stones. When he saw Jesus from a

distance, he ran and prostrated himself before him; and shrieking

with a great cry he says, “What have you to do with me, Jesus,

Son of the Most High God? I beg you by God, do not torture

me!” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, the

unclean spirit!” And he asked him, “What is your name?” And he

says to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he

implored him earnestly so that he would not send them out of the

region. Now there on the hillside a large herd of pigs was grazing;

and they implored him, saying, “Send us into the pigs, so that we

might enter them.” And he permitted them. And the unclean

spirits came out and entered into the pigs; and the herd, about

two thousand, rushed down the cliff into the sea, and were

drowned in the sea. And those herding them fled and reported it

in the city and among the farms; and they came to see what it is

that had happened, and they come to Jesus and see the demon-

possessed man sitting, clothed and in his right mind, the very man

who had had the legion and they were frightened. And those who

had seen what had happened to the demon-possessed man and


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10

15

20

25

30

concerning the pigs described it to them. And they began to

implore him to depart from their region. And as he was getting

into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons

implored him that he might be with him. And Jesus did not

release him, but says to him, “Go to your home to yours, and

report to them how much the Lord has done for you, and how

much he has shown mercy to you.” And he went away and began

to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus did for him; and

everyone was amazed. And after Jesus had crossed again in the

boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he

was alongside the sea. And one of the synagogue leaders named

Jairus comes and seeing him falls at his feet and implores him

repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come so

that you might lay the hands on her, so that she may be made

well and live.” And he went with him. And a large crowd follow-

ed him and pressed in on him. And a woman is hemorrhaging for

twelve years and suffering much under many healers and had

spent all that she had and had gained nothing but rather was

worse off, and having heard about Jesus and having come up from

behind in the crowd touched his cloak; for she said, “If I but touch

his clothes, I will be made well.” And immediately the spring of

her blood dried up; and she knew in body that she had been

healed of her scourge. And immediately Jesus, knowing within

himself that power had gone forth from him, turned around in

the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples

said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you, and you say,

‘Who touched me?’“ And he looked all around to see who had

done this. Now the woman, frightened and trembling, knowing

what had happened to her, came and fell before him, and told him

the whole truth. So he said to her, “Daughter, your belief has

made you well; go in peace, and be healed from your scourge.”

While he was still speaking, they came from the synagogue


Mark 5:35–6:8 1

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leader’s saying, “Your daughter has died. Why still trouble the

teacher?” But Jesus, overhearing the news they were speaking,

says to the synagogue leader, “Do not fear, only believe.” And he

allowed no one to follow together with him except the Rock and

James and John the brother of James. And they come into the

house of the synagogue leader, and he sees a commotion, and

weeping and much keening, and entering he says to them, “Why

do you make a commotion and weep? The child has not died but

sleeps.” And they laughed at him. Then he cast them all out, and

took the father of the child and the mother and those who were

with him, and went in where the child was. And seizing the child’s

hand he says to her, “Talitha cum,” which is translated, “Girl, I say

to you, rise!” And immediately the girl arose and walked about;

for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were

profoundly astonished. And he ordered them strongly that no

one should know this, and said to give her something to eat. And

he went out from there and comes to his home town, and his

disciples follow him. And when the sabbath came he began to

teach in the synagogue, and many hearing were thunderstruck,

saying, “Where did this guy get these things, and what is the

wisdom that has been given to this guy, and the deeds of power

such as these being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter,

the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and

Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they were

scandalized by him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not

without honor, except in his hometown, and among his relatives,

and in his house.” And he was unable to do any deed of power

there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured

them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. And he went around

the villages in a circuit, teaching. And he calls the twelve to

himself and began to send them forth two by two, and gave them

authority over the unclean spirits, and he ordered them that they


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should take nothing on the way except a staff alone; no bread, no

bag, no money in the belt; but to put on sandals and “you are not

to put on two tunics.” And he said to them, “Wherever you enter

a house, stay there until you leave from there. And if any place

does not welcome you and does not listen to you, as you leave

from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet as a witness

against them.” And they went out and proclaimed that all should

convert, and they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil

many sick people and cured them. King Herod heard of it, for his

name had become known, and they were saying, “John the

baptizer has been raised from the dead, and because of this the

powers are at work in him.” But others were saying, “It is Elijah”;

and others were saying, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets.”

But when Herod heard, he said, “The one whom I beheaded, John,

this one has been raised.” For he—that is Herod--sent forth and

seized John and bound him in prison on account of Herodias, the

wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. For John

had said to Herod, “It is not permitted for you to have the wife of

your brother.” And Herodias had a grudge against him, and

wanted to kill him, but she was unable; for Herod feared John,

knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and he protected

him, and when he heard him, he was very much at a loss, and yet

he listened to him gladly. And a suitable time came when Herod

on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and commanders

and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came

in and danced, she pleased Herod and those reclining at the table.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will

give it to you.” And he swore to her much, “Whatever you ask

me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” And she went out

and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The

head of John the baptizer.” And immediately she came in with

haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want at once for you to


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give me on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was

deeply grieved, yet he did not want to refuse her because of the

oaths and the recliners. And immediately the king sent forth a

soldier, commanding him to bring his head. And he went and

beheaded him in the prison and brought his head on a platter, and

gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. And when

his disciples heard, they came and took his body and laid it in a

tomb. And the apostles gathered around Jesus, and reported to

him all that they did and that they taught. And he says to them,

“Come here, you as I, by yourselves, to a wilderness place and rest

a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no

suitable time even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a

wilderness place by themselves. And many saw them going and

found out, and they ran there together by land from all the towns

and arrived ahead of them. As he disembarked, he saw a great

crowd; and he was moved with pity for them, because they were

like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many

things. And when much time had already passed, his disciples

came to him and said, “The place is a wilderness, and much time

already (has passed); dismiss them so that they may go into the

surrounding country and villages and buy themselves something

to eat.” But answering he said to them, “You give them to eat.”

And they say to him, “Are we to go and buy bread for two

hundred denarii and give to them to eat?” But he says to them,

“How many loaves do you have? Go see.” And when they found

out, they say, “Five, and two fish.” Then he ordered them to have

everyone recline in groups on the green grass. And they sat down

group by group by hundreds and fifties. And taking the five

loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he blessed and

broke the loaves into pieces, and gave to his disciples to set before

them; and he divided the two fish among all. And all ate and

were filled; and they took up pieces the fullness of twelve


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baskets, and of the fish. And those eating the loaves were five

thousand men. And immediately he compelled his disciples to

embark in the boat and go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida,

while he dismisses the crowd. And after saying farewell to them,

he went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came,

the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the

land. And when he saw them harassed in the rowing, for there

was a wind against them, he came towards them around the

fourth watch of the night walking on the sea, and he wanted to

pass them by. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they

thought it was a ghost and shrieked; for all saw him and were

terrified. But immediately he spoke with them and says to them,

“Be courageous, it is I; do not fear.” And he went up toward them

into the boat and the wind ceased, and they were profoundly

astonished beyond measure within themselves; for they did not

understand about the loaves, but their heart was hardened. And

when they had crossed over to the land, they came into

Gennesaret and dropped anchor. When they got out of the boat,

they recognized him immediately, and ran around that whole

region and began to carry about the sick on mattresses to

wherever they heard that he was. And wherever he entered, into

villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces,

and begged him that they might touch even the tassel of his

cloak; and those who touched it were healed. And the Pharisees

and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered

around him. And when they see some of his disciples, that they

are eating with common hands, that is, unwashed—for the

Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash the hands

with a fist, adhering to the tradition of the elders; and they do not

eat from the marketplace unless they baptize; and there are many

other traditions that they adhere to: the baptizing of cups and

pitchers and bronze vessels and couches—and the Pharisees and


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the scribes ask him, “Why do your disciples not behave according

to the tradition of the elders, but eat the bread with common

hands?” He said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you

hypocrites, as it is written that ‘This people honors me with lips,

but their heart is far distant from me; in vain do they worship me,

teaching as teachings the commands of humans.’ Abandoning the

commandment of God, you adhere to human tradition.” And he

said to them, “Well do you annul the commandment of God in

order to maintain your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your

father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or

mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a person tells the father

or the mother, “Corban (that is, gift) is whatever support you

might have had from me”’—you no longer permit to do anything

for the father or the mother, voiding the word of God through

your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many similar

things such as this.” And he called the crowd back and said to

them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing

outside a person that can defile him going into him, but the things

that come out of a person are what defile a person.” And when he

entered into a house from the crowd, his disciples asked him the

parable. And he says to them, “Then are you also senseless? Do

you not understand that everything that goes into a person from

outside is unable to defile him, since it does not enter in his heart

but in the stomach, and goes out in the toilet (thus declaring all

foods clean)?” And he said that, “What goes out from the person,

that defiles the person. For from within, from the heart of the

person, that evil thoughts go out: fornications, thefts, murders,

adulteries, desires to have more, evil [acts], treachery, indecency,

an evil eye, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evil things go

out from within, and defile the person.” And rising from there he

went out to the region of Tyre. And entering into a house, he

wanted no one to know, but he was not able to escape notice;


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but immediately, a woman who had heard about him, whose little

daughter had an unclean spirit, came and fell at his feet. Now the

woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by nationality; and she

asked him to cast out the demon from her daughter. And he said

to her, “First let the children be satisfied, for it is not fitting to

take the bread of the children and throw it to the dogs.” But

answering she says to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table

eat from the crumbs of the children.” And he said to her, “For this

word, you may go—the demon has gone out from your

daughter.” And going out to her house, she found the child lying

on the bed, and the demon had gone out. And going back out

from the region of Tyre, he went through Sidon towards the Sea

of Galilee, through the region of Decapolis. And they bring to him

a deaf man who was speaking with difficulty; and they beg him to

lay the hand on him. And taking him away from the crowd by

himself, he put his fingers into his ears, and spitting, touched his

tongue, and looking up to the heavens he groaned and says to

him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened,

and the chain on his tongue was released, and he spoke properly.

And he ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered

them, the more abundantly they proclaimed it. And amazed

beyond all measure, they were saying, “He has done everything

well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the speechless to speak.”

In those days when there was again a great crowd and it did not

have anything to eat, he called the disciples and says to them,

“I have compassion for the crowd, because they are with me now

three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away

hungry to their home, they will become exhausted on the way—

and some of them have come from a great distance.” His disciples

answered him, “From where will someone be able to feed these

with bread in the desert?” And he asked them, “How many loaves

do you have?” They said, “Seven.” And he orders the crowd to sit


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down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, and after

giving thanks, he broke and gave to his disciples so that they

would distribute; and they distributed to the crowd. And they

had a few small fish; and after blessing them, he said that

distribute these also. They ate and were filled; and they took up

leftovers of fragments—seven baskets. Now there were about

four thousand. And he sent them away. And immediately he got

into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of

Dalmanutha. And the Pharisees came out and began to argue

with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, testing him. And

groaning from his spirit, he says, “Why does this generation seek a

sign? Truly I tell you, if a sign be given to this generation [may

God do x to me (Semitic phrasing)].” And he left them, and

embarking again, he went across to the other side. And they had

forgotten to bring bread; and they did not have bread except one

[loaf] with them in the boat. And he gave instructions to them,

saying, “Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the

yeast of Herod.” They discussed with one another, because they

have no bread. And knowing, he says to them, “Why are you

discussing that you do not have bread? Do you not yet perceive

or understand? Do you have your hearts hardened? Having eyes,

you do not see? And having ears, and you do not hear? And do

you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five

thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?”

They say to him, “Twelve.” “When the seven for the four

thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?”

And they say to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not

yet understand?” And they come to Bethsaida. They bring a blind

man to him and beg him to touch him. And taking hold of the

hand of the blind man, he led him out of the village; and after

spitting in his eyes and laying hands on him, he asked him, “Do

you see anything?” And the man looked up and said, “I see men


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like trees, that I see walking.” Then he laid his hands on his eyes

again; and he saw clearly and was restored, and he saw

everything clearly. And he sent him away to his home, saying,

“Do not even enter the village.” Jesus went out, and his disciples,

to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his

disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?” They

spoke to him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and

still others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who

do you say that I am?” Answering, Peter says to him, “You are the

Messiah.” And he rebuked them to tell no one about him. And he

began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly, and

be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be

killed, and after three days rise up. He said the thing quite

openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But

turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and says,

“Get behind me, Satan! For you are not committed to the things

of God but to the things of man.” And calling the crowd with his

disciples, he said to them, “If any want to follow behind me, let

him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For

whoever wants to save their life will lose it, and whoever would

lose their life for me, and for the gospel, will save it. For what

does it benefit man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?

Indeed, what can a man exchange for his life? For whoever is

ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful

generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he

comes in the glory of his father with the holy angels.” And he said

to them, “Truly I say to you, that there are some of those standing

here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God

coming in power.” Six days later, Jesus takes along Peter and

James and John, and leads them up in a high mountain apart,

alone. And he was transfigured before them, and his outer

garment became glistening intensely white, such as no bleacher


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on earth could thus bleach them. And Elijah appeared to them

with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter says to

Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three

dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” For he

did not know what to reply, for they were terrified. And there

was a cloud overshadowing them, and there was a voice from the

cloud, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly,

looking around, they saw no one any more, but only Jesus with

them. And as they were coming down the mountain, he ordered

them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son

of Man had risen from the dead. And they kept the matter to

themselves, questioning what is the rising from the dead. And

questioning him, they say, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah

must come first?” He said to them, “Elijah is coming first to

restore all things. How then is it written about the Son of Man,

that he is to suffer many things and be treated with contempt?

Well, I say to you that Elijah has come, and they did to him what

they wished, as it is written about him.” When they came to the

disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes

questioning them. And immediately, when the whole crowd saw

him, they became very agitated, and running forward they

greeted him. And he asked them, “What are you questioning

about with them?” And one from the crowd answered him,

“Teacher, I brought my son to you having a mute spirit; and

whenever it seizes him, it throws him down; and he foams at the

mouth and grinds the teeth and withers/stiffens; and I asked your

disciples to cast it out, but they did not have the power.”

Answering them he says, “Faithless generation, how long will I be

among you? How long must I endure you? Bring him to me.”

And they brought him to him. And seeing him, the spirit

immediately convulsed him, and falling to the ground he rolled,

foaming at the mouth. And he asked his father, “How much time


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is it since this has been happening to him?” And he said, “From

childhood. And many times it even cast him into fire and into

water, to destroy him; but if you are able, have pity on us and

help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you can?!—All things can be done

for the one who believes.” Immediately crying out, the father of

the little child said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Jesus, seeing

that a crowd came running together, rebuked the unclean spirit,

saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out

of him, and never enter him again!” And crying out and

convulsing him greatly, it came out, and he became like a corpse,

so that the many said that “He is dead.” But Jesus, taking his

hand, and raised him up, and he rose. And when he had entered a

house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why were we unable to

cast it out?” And he said to them, “By no means can this kind

come out except through prayer.” And going out from there they

passed through the Galilee, and he did not want anyone to know;

for he was teaching his disciples, and said to them that “The Son

of Man is to be handed over into human hands, and they will kill

him, and three days after being killed, he will rise.” They did not

understand the expression and they feared to ask him. And they

came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked

them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they

were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another

who was the greatest. And having sat down, he called the twelve,

and says to them, “Whoever wants to be first shall be last of all

and servant of all.” And taking a little child, he stood him in their

midst, and hugging him said to them, “Whoever welcomes one

such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me

welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” John said to him,

“Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and

we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus

said, “Do not stop him; for there is no one who will do a deed of


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power in my name and be able soon afterward to speak evil of

me. For whoever is not against us is for us. For whoever gives

you a cup of water to drink because you are in the name of [the]

Messiah, truly I say to you, will by no means lose his reward. And

whoever causes one of these little ones who believe [in me] to

stumble, it is better for him if a great donkey-millstone is hung

around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your

hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter

into the life deformed than to have two hands and to go to

gehenna, to the inextinguishable fire. And if your foot causes you

to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into the life

lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into gehenna. And

if your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out; it is better for you

to enter the kingdom of God one-eyed than to have two eyes and

to be thrown into gehenna, where their worm doesn’t die, and the

fire is not quenched. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is

good; but if salt becomes salt-less, with what will you season it?

Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” And

from there he rose and went into the region of Judea and Perea,

and crowds again gathered around him; and, as was his custom,

he again taught them. And Pharisees approached, asking him, “Is

it lawful for a man to divorce a woman?,” testing him.

Answering, he said to them, “What did Moses command you?”

They said, “Moses allowed [a man] to write a notice of divorce

and to divorce her.” Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness

of heart he wrote this commandment for you. From the

beginning of creation, ‘Male and female he created them.’ ‘For

this reason a man will leave his father and the mother and be

joined to his wife, and the two shall be in one flesh,’ so that they

are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has yoked

together, no man shall separate.” And in the house the disciples

questioned him again about this. And he says to them,


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“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery

against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another,

she commits adultery.” And they were bringing little children to

him so that he would touch them; the disciples rebuked them.

When Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the

little children come to me; do not stop them; for the kingdom of

God is to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not

welcome the kingdom of God as a little child will not enter it.”

And hugging [them], he blessed them, putting his hands on them.

And as he was going on a journey, a man ran up and, kneeling

before him, asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit

eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No

one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You

shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not

steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud;

Honor your father and the mother.’“ He said to him, “Teacher, all

these I have kept since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved

him and said to him, “You lack one thing; go—what you own, sell

and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in

heaven; then come, follow me.” Shocked by the statement, he

went away grieving, for he had many possessions. And looking

around, Jesus says to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those

who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples

were amazed at his words. And responding, Jesus says to them

again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is

easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a

rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” They were exceedingly

shocked, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?”

Looking at them, Jesus says, “For men it is impossible, but not for

God; all things are possible for God.” Peter began to say to him,

“Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said,

“Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers


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or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and

for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold

now in this time houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and

children and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come

eternal life. Many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was

going before them, and they were amazed, and those who

followed were afraid. And taking the twelve aside again he began

to tell them what was to happen to him: “See, we are going up to

Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief

priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; and

they will hand him over to the Gentiles and they will mock him

and spit upon him and flog him and kill him, and after three days

he will rise.” And James and John, the sons of Zebedee,

approached him, saying to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for

us whatever we ask of you.” He said to them, “What do you want

[me] to do for you?” They said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at

your right and one at your left, in your glory.” Jesus said to them,

“You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the

cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am

baptized with?” They said to him, “We are able.” Jesus said to

them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism I

am baptized with, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or

left is not mine to give, but for those prepared.” When the ten

heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John. And

calling them to him, Jesus says to them, “You know that those

appearing to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their

great ones exercise authority over them. But it is not so among

you; but whoever wishes to become great among you will be your

servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave

of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and

to give his life a ransom for many.” And they came to Jericho.


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And as he was leaving Jericho and his disciples and a considerable

crowd, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting

by the way. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he

began to shout out and to say, “ Son of David, Jesus, have mercy

on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out

even more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And standing still,

Jesus said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to

him, “Take heart; rise, he calls you.” So throwing off his outer

cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. And responding to him,

Jesus said, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man

said to him, “My master, let me see again.” And Jesus said to him,

“Go; your faith has saved you.” And immediately he saw again

and followed him on the way. And when they draw near to

Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives,

he sends two of his disciples and says to them, “Go into the village

opposite you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt

tied there on which no man has ever sat; untie and bring it. And

if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The lord

needs it and immediately sends it back here.’“ And they went

away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street, and

untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, “What

are you doing, untying the colt?” They told them just as Jesus

said; and they allowed them. And they bring the colt to Jesus and

throw their outer cloaks on it; and he sat on it. And many spread

their outer cloaks on the road, and others leafy branches that

they had cut from the fields. And those going ahead and those

following were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who

comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of

our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” And he entered

Jerusalem and the temple and, when he had looked around at

everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with

the twelve. And on the next day, when they came from


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Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing a fig tree in the distance

having leaves he went, if perhaps he would find anything on it,

and coming to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the

time for figs. And responding, he said to it, “No longer to the ages

will anyone eat fruit from you.” And his disciples heard. And they

come into Jerusalem. And entering the temple he began to cast

out those selling and those buying in the temple, and the tables of

the money changers and the seats of those selling doves he

overturned; and he would not allow anyone to carry any vessel

through the temple. He was teaching and saying to them, “Is it

not written that, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all

the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” And when

the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they were looking for a

way to kill him; for they feared him, because the whole crowd

was amazed by his teaching. And when it became late, they went

out of the city. And when they passed by early in the morning,

they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter

remembered and says to him, “My master, look! The fig tree that

you cursed has withered.” And responding, Jesus says to them,

“Have faith in God. Truly I say to you that if someone says to this

mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if he does

not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will be, it

will be done for him. On account of this I say to you, everything

that you pray for and ask, believe that you have received it, and it

will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, pardon, if you

have anything against anyone; so that your Father who is in the

heavens may also pardon you your offenses.” And they came

again into Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the

chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him and said

to him, “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave

you this authority so that you do these things?” Jesus said to

them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you


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by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John: from

heaven or from man? Answer me.” And they argued with one

another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then

did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’?”—

they feared the crowd, for all took John as truly a prophet. So

answering Jesus, they say, “We do not know.” And Jesus says to

them, “Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a

vineyard, put a fence around it and dug a wine trough, and built a

watchtower; and he leased it out to tenant farmers and went on a

journey. At the (right) time, he sent a slave to the tenants to take

from the tenants from the produce of the vineyard; and taking

him, they beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent

to them another slave; that one they beat over the head and

insulted. And he sent another, and that one they killed—and

many others: some they beat, and others they killed. He had still

one other, a beloved son. He sent him at the end to them, saying,

‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another,

‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be

ours.’ And taking him they killed him, and threw him out of the

vineyard. What then will the master of the vineyard do? He will

come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.

Have you not read this scripture: ‘The stone that the builders

rejected, this one has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has

this occurred, and it is amazing in our eyes’?” And they wanted to

seize him, but they feared the crowd, for they knew that he had

spoken the parable against them. So leaving him, they went

away. And they send to him some of the Pharisees and of the

Herodians so that they might catch him unawares in speech. And

coming, they say to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful,

and you don’t concern yourself with anyone(‘s opinion); for you

do not regard the outer appearance of a person, but teach the


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way of God in truth. Is it permitted to give census to Caesar, or

not? Should we give, or should we not?” But knowing their

hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why do you test me? Bring me a

denarius and let me see it.” They brought. And he says to them,

“Whose image is this, and inscription?” They answered,

“Caesar’s.” Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are

Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were

amazed at him. And Sadducees come to him, who say there is no

resurrection, and asked him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us

that if someone’s brother dies, leaving behind a wife and not

leaving a child, his brother shall take the wife and raise up seed

for his brother. There were seven brothers; and the first took a

wife and, dying, did not leave seed; and the second took her and

died without leaving seed; and the third likewise; and the seven

did not leave seed. At the end of all the woman died. In the

resurrection [when they rise] whose will the woman be? For the

seven had this wife.” Jesus said to them, “Is not this the reason

you err, knowing neither the scriptures nor the power of God?

For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are

married, but are like angels in the heavens. And concerning the

dead that they are raised, have you not read in the book of Moses,

about the bush, how God spoke to him saying, ‘I am the God of

Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob’? He is not God of the

dead, but of the living; you err greatly.” And one of the scribes

approached, hearing them debating, seeing that he answered

them rightly, asked him, “What is the first commandment of all?”

Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, Israel: the Lord our God, the

Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your

heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all

your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as

yourself.’ There is not another commandment greater than

these.” And then the scribe said to him, “Rightly, Teacher, have


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you truly said that ‘he is one, and there is not another except

him’; and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the

understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s

neighbor as oneself,’—is greater than all whole burnt offerings

and sacrifices.” And Jesus, seeing that he answered thoughtfully,

said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no

one any longer dared to question him. And continuing, Jesus

spoke, teaching in the temple: “How can the scribes say that the

Messiah is the son of David? David himself said in the Holy Spirit,

‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right, until I put your

enemies under your feet.”’ David himself calls him Lord; so how

can he be his son?” And a great crowd was listening to him with

pleasure. And in his teaching, he said, “Watch out for the scribes,

who like to walk around in long robes, and greetings in the

market-places, and the best seats in the synagogues and places of

honor at the banquets! They devour the houses of widows and

for the sake of appearance pray long (prayers). They will receive

the greater judgment.” And sitting down opposite the treasury,

he watched how the crowd put metal (coins) into the treasury.

Many rich people put in much. And some poor widow came and

put in two leptas, which is a penny. And calling his disciples he

said to them, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in

more than all those contributing to the treasury. For all of them

have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her lack

has put in everything she had, all of her livelihood.” And when he

is coming out of the temple, one of his disciples says to him,

“Teacher, look what great stones and what great buildings!” And

Jesus said to him, “Do you see these large buildings? Not one

stone will be left here on stone, which will not be thrown down.”

And when he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the

temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him in private, “Tell

us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign that all


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these things are about to be accomplished?” Jesus began to say

to them, “Watch out that no one leads you astray. Many will

come in my name saying that ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many

astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be

alarmed; it must occur, but it is not yet the end. For nation will

rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be

earthquakes in places; there will be famines. These things are the

beginning of the birth pangs. You—watch out for yourselves; for

they will hand you over to councils, and in synagogues you will be

beaten; and before rulers and kings you will stand because of me,

as a testimony to them. And the good news must first be

proclaimed to all the nations. And when they arrest and hand you

over, do not worry beforehand about what you will say; but

whatever is given you at that hour, say this, for it is not you who

speak, but the Holy Spirit. Brother will hand over brother to

death, and a father (his) child, and children will rise against

parents and put them to death; and you will be hated by all

because of my name. But the one who endures to the end, this

one will be saved. But when you see the abomination of

desolation set up where it ought not (to be)—let the reader

understand—then those in Judea will flee to the mountains; the

one on the roof should not go down or enter or take anything

away from his house; the one in the field should not turn back to

get his outer garment. Woe to those who are pregnant and to

those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not

be in winter. For in those days there will be affliction, such as has

not been from the beginning of the creation that God created

until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not shortened

the days, no flesh would be saved; but for the sake of the elect,

whom he chose, he has cut short those days. And at that time if

anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah! Look—there!’—

do not believe. For false messiahs and false prophets


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will appear and give signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible,

the elect. But you watch out; I have told you everything

beforehand. But in those days, after that affliction, ‘the sun will

be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars

will be falling from the heaven, and the powers that are in the

heavens’ will be shaken. And then they will see ‘the son of man

coming in clouds’ with great power ‘and glory.’ And then he will

send out the angels, and gather together [his] elect from the four

winds, from the top of earth to the top of heaven. From the fig

tree learn the parable: when already its branch becomes tender

and puts forth the leaves, you understand that summer is near.

And just so you, when you see these things occurring, you

understand that he is near, at the doors. Truly I say to you that

this generation will not pass away until all these things have

taken place. The heaven and the earth will pass away, but my

words will not pass away. Concerning that day or the hour no one

knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the

Father. Watch out, be alert; for you do not know when the

(right) time is. Just like a man away on a journey leaves his house

and gives his slaves the power, to each his work, and commands

the doorkeeper to keep awake, therefore, keep awake—for you

do not know when the master of the house comes, whether in the

evening or at midnight or at cockcrow or at first (light), lest

coming suddenly he might find you sleeping. What I say to you I

say to all: Keep awake.” It was two days before the Passover and

the Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were

seeking how to seize Jesus by treachery and kill him; for they said,

“Not during the festival, lest there be an uproar among the

people.” And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the

leper, while he was reclining, a woman came holding an alabaster

jar of ointment of nard—genuine, very costly—she smashed the

jar and poured down over him, on his head. Some were indignant


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among each other: “Why was there this waste of ointment? For

this ointment could have been sold for over three hundred denarii

and given to the poor.” And they scoffed at her. But Jesus said,

“Leave her; why do make troubles for her? She has done a good

work for me. For always you have the poor with you, and

whenever you wish you can do good to them; but me you do not

always have. What she was able to do she did; she anticipated to

anoint my body for burial. Truly I say to you, wherever the good

news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be

told in remembrance of her.” And Judas Iscariot, who was one of

the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to hand him over to

them. And when they heard, they rejoiced, and promised to give

him silver. And he sought how he would hand him over

opportunely. And on the first day of the Unleavened Bread, when

they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples say to him, “Where

do you want us to go prepare so that you might eat the

Passover?” And he sends two of his disciples, and says to them,

“Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you;

follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the

house that ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I

may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ And this [man] will

show you a large room upstairs, spread, ready. And there, make

preparations for us.” And the disciples went out and went into

the city, and found just as he told them; and they prepared the

Passover. And when evening came, he came with the twelve. And

when they had reclined and were eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to

you, one of you will hand me over, one who is eating with me.”

They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another,

“Not I?” He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is

dipping with me into the bowl. For the Son of Man goes as it is

written concerning him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of

Man is handed over; it would be good for that man not to have


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been born.” And while they were eating, he took bread; after

blessing he broke and gave to them and said, “Take; this is my

body.” And he took a cup; after giving thanks he gave it to them,

and all drank from it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of

the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I say to you

that I will never again drink of the produce of the vine until that

day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” And after

singing praise, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus

says to them that “You will all stumble, as it is written, ‘I will

strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after

I am raised, I will go before you to the Galilee.” Peter said to him,

“Even if all stumble, but I will not.” And Jesus says to him, “Truly I

say to you that you today, this very night, before twice the cock

crows, three times you will deny me.” He said emphatically, “Even

if I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And all of them said

likewise. And they went to a place called Gethsemane; and he

says to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And taking along

Peter and James and John with him, he began to be agitated and

distressed and says to them, “‘My soul is deeply grieved,’ even to

death; remain here, and stay awake.” And going a little farther,

he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it is possible, the hour

might pass from him, and he said, “Abba, Father, all things are

possible for you; take away this cup from me; but, not what I

want, but what you.” And he comes and finds them sleeping, and

says to Peter, “Simon, you sleep? Are you not strong enough to

keep awake one hour? Be awake and pray, so that you may not

come into the test; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And

again going away he prayed, saying the same word. And again

coming he found them sleeping, for their eyes were weighed

down; and they did not know what to reply to him. And he

comes a third time and says to them, “You sleep indefinitely and

you rest? Received in full; the hour has come; the son of man is


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handed over into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go. See, my

betrayer has drawn near.” And immediately, while he is still

speaking, arrives Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd

with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and

the elders. Now the betrayer had given it a signal, saying to

them, “The one I will kiss is the one; seize him and lead him away

securely.” And coming (and) immediately approaching, he says,

“Master!” and kissed him. They laid hands on him and seized

him. One of those who had been standing near drew the sword

(and) struck the slave of the high priest, and cut off his ear. And

responding Jesus said to them, “As against a bandit have you

come out with swords and clubs to apprehend me? Every day

I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me;

but so that the scriptures be fulfilled.” And leaving him, all fled.

And some young man was following with him, wearing a linen

cloth on his nakedness. They seized him; leaving behind the linen

cloth, he fled naked. And they led Jesus away to the high priest;

and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes are

assembled. And Peter had followed him from a distance, right

inside into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting

with the assistants and warming himself at the light. Now the

chief priests and all the council were looking for testimony

against Jesus to put him to death, and they did not find. For

many gave false testimony against him, and the testimonies were

not the same. And some stood up and gave false testimony

against him, saying that “We heard him saying that ‘I will destroy

this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build

another, not made with hands.’“ And not even so was their

testimony the same. And standing up in the middle the high

priest asked Jesus, saying, “Do you not answer anything? What is

it that they testify against you?” But he was silent and answered

nothing. Again the high priest asked him and says to him, “Are


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you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I am;

and you will see ‘the son of man’ seated at the right of the power,

and ‘coming with the clouds of the heaven.’“ Tearing his outer

garment, the high priest says, “Why do we have further need of

witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy; how does it appear to

you?” All of them pronounced him liable for death. And some

began to spit on him, to cover his face, and to beat him, and to

say to him, “Prophesy!” And assistants also took him with slaps.

While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls

of the high priest came. And seeing Peter warming himself,

gazing at him she says, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.”

But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you

are talking about.” And he went out into the forecourt. [And a

cock crowed.] And the servant-girl, on seeing him, began again to

say to the bystanders that “This one is one of them.” But again he

denied. And after a little while again the bystanders said to Peter,

“Truly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean.” But he began

to curse, and to swear that “I do not know this man of who you

speak.” And immediately a cock crowed for the second time. And

Peter was reminded of the word that Jesus said to him, that

“Before the cock crows twice, three times you will deny me,” and

beating himself and wept. And immediately at first (light), the

chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and

the whole council, and binding Jesus, they led him away, and

handed him over to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, “You are the

King of the Jews?” Answering him, he says, “You say.” And the

chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate again asked him,

saying, “Do you not answer anything? Look how much they

accuse you.” But Jesus answered nothing any further, so that

Pilate was amazed. Now at the festival he used to release a

prisoner for them whom they requested. There was a man called

Barabbas imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder


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during the insurrection. And the crowd came up and began to

demand just as he usually did. Pilate answered them, saying, “Do

you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he

realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had

handed him over. But the chief priests incited the crowd so that

instead he would release Barabbas for them. Answering again,

Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with the King of the

Jews?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” Pilate said to them,

“Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more,

“Crucify him!” So Pilate, wishing to so (something) sufficient for

the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and he handed Jesus over,

after flogging him, to be crucified. Then the soldiers led him into

the courtyard, that is, the (governor’s) palace; and they call

together the whole cohort. And they clothe him in purple; and

after twisting a thorny crown, they put it on him. And they

began to greet him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and they struck his

head with a reed, spat upon him, and kneeling, paid homage to

him. And after they mocked him, they stripped him (of) the

purple and clothed him in his own outer garment. And they lead

him out to crucify him. They requisition some passer-by, Simon

of Cyrene, who was coming in from the countryside, so that he

would carry his cross; the father of Alexander and Rufus. And

they bring him to the place Golgotha, which is translated “place of

(the) skull.” And they gave him wine that had been treated with

myrrh, which he did not take. And they crucify him, and ‘divide

his outer garment among them, casting lots for them,’ who

should take what. It was the third hour when they crucified him.

And there was the inscription of his charge that read, “The King of

the Jews.” And with him they crucify two bandits, one on the

right and one on his left. Those who passed by blasphemed him,

shaking their heads and saying, “Hah! The one who would

destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself, and


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come down from the cross!” And in the same way the chief

priests ridiculing to each other with the scribes, were saying,

“Others he saved; himself he is unable to save. Messiah, the King

of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we will see and

believe.” And those crucified with him also reviled him. And

when it was the sixth hour, darkness came on the whole land until

the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud

voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which is translated, “My

God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And when some of

the bystanders heard, they said, “Listen, he calls Elijah.” And

someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and

gave it to him to drink, saying, “Leave alone—let us see whether

Elijah will come to take him down.” Then Jesus, letting out a loud

cry, breathed out. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two,

from top to bottom. When the centurion, who stood opposite

him, saw that in this way he breathed out, he said, “Truly this man

was a son of God!” And there were women looking on from a

distance; and among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary

mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome, who

when he was in the Galilee followed him and served him; and

many other (women) who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

And as it was already evening, since it was the day of preparation,

that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea came, a

prominent (member) of the council, who was himself looking

forward to the kingdom of God; he dared to go in to Pilate and

demanded the body of Jesus. Pilate was amazed if he were already

dead; and summoning the centurion, asked him whether he had

been dead for some time. And learning from the centurion, he

gave the corpse to Joseph. And having purchased a linen cloth,

and taking down (the body), he wrapped him in the linen cloth,

and put him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock, and

rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and


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Mary the mother of Joses saw where (it) was laid. When the

sabbath had passed, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of

James, and Salome bought spices, so that going they might anoint

him. And very early on the first day of the week, they go to the

tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one

another, “Who will roll away for us the stone from the door to the

tomb?” And looking up, they see that the stone had been rolled

back, for it was very large. Entering into the tomb, they saw a

young man sitting on the right, dressed in a white robe; and they

were alarmed. But he says to them, “Do not be alarmed; (it is)

Jesus you seek, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been

raised; he is not here. Look—the place where they put him. But

go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to the

Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” And going

out, they fled from the tomb, for trembling had them and

amazement; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were

afraid.


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Mark Worksheet Questions for Reading and Reflection

1. How would you characterize the narrative or story of Mark’s gospel? Describe its pace and typical features.

2. What is the climax of the story, and how do you know? Come up with at least 3 clues from the story that point to your chosen climax. (For example, are there scenes that foreshadow or explicitly point to the climax? Is there more time spent on the scene, proportional to the rest of the gospel? Do special revelations accompany the climax?)

Climax:

Clue #1:

Clue #2:

Clue #3:

3. Find two episodes that startle you, either because the wording sounds strange or because Jesus is presented in a way you aren’t accustomed to. Then look up those episodes in a published Bible. Does the published Bible “clean up” the Greek and make the story—or Jesus—sound better?

Make any notes in the margin of the text of Mark on the preceding pages.

4. What are the chief characteristics of the Jesus you meet in Mark’s gospel?


Matthew Worksheet Questions for Reading and Reflection

1. You’ve just finished the Old Testament course; as you read Matthew’s gospel, make a list of the passages where Matthew echoes Old Testament stories.

Matthew ch:vs Matthew’s story Old Testament Story

2. What do we think the context for Matthew’s gospel is? That is, to whom was it written, and what pastoral issues is the gospel addressing? For each idea you come up with, point to at least two passages in the gospel that suggest the audience or pastoral issue.

Audience

Pastoral Issues: Passage

3. On Synopses 1–2 on the following pages, use colored pencils or pens to note what Matthew shares with Mark, and also to signal the differences between the accounts. In the space provided for each synopsis, list the most significant differences.

4. What are the chief characteristics of the Jesus you meet in Matthew’s gospel?


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Synopsis #1: The Baptism of Jesus Trans. C. Murphy Matthew 3:13-17 Mark 1:9-11 Then Jesus arrived from the Galilee to the Jordan, to John to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent him saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and you would come to me?" But answering, Jesus said to him, "Permit it now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted him. And when Jesus was baptized immediately he came up from the water; and see, the heavens were opened [to him] and he saw the spirit of God descend like a dove and come on him; and see, a voice from the heavens saying, "This is my son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased."

And it was in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of the Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. And immediately as he was coming up from the water, he saw the heavens tearing and the spirit like a dove coming down to him. And a voice was from the heavens, “You are my Son, the beloved; in you I am well pleased.”

List of similarities and differences:


Synopsis #2: Sick Healed at Evening Trans. C. Murphy Matthew 8:16-17 Mark 1:32-34 That evening they brought to him many possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and all those having illnesses he healed, in order to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, saying, "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases."

When evening came—when the sun had set—they brought to him all who were sick or demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.



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Luke-Acts Worksheet Questions for Reading and Reflection

1. You’ve read two gospels now, and Luke references that “many” predate his gospel. So why did he need to write another one? As you read Luke’s gospel, make a list of the special “redactional” interests that characterize his version of the story of Jesus. That is, are there strong emphases here that were just minor or modest emphases in the other two gospels—things that Luke is choosing to add or to stress?

2. On Synopses 3–5 on pages 65-68 of your Workbook, use colored pencils or pens to note what Luke shares with Mark and/or Matthew, and also to signal the differences between the accounts. In the space provided for each synopsis, list the most significant differences.

3. Summarize Luke’s story of the growth of the early church in two sentences. This exercise will require you to distill the message into its key themes.

4. What are the chief characteristics of the Jesus you meet in Luke’s gospel, and how do they correlate to the portrait of the church in Acts?


Synopsis #3: John the Baptist Trans. C. Murphy Matthew 3:1-10 Mark 1:2-6 Luke 3:1-14 In those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea [and] saying, “Convert, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.” For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’” This John had his garment of camel’s hair, and a leather belt around his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him, and they were being baptized in the Jordan river by him, confessing their sins. But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism he said to them, “Offspring of snakes, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore make fruit worthy of conversion and do not think

Just as it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “See, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way; a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make straight his paths,’” John came, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of conversion for the release of sins. [see above] [see below] And the whole Judean region and all the Jerusalemites were going out to him, and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his loins, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

In the fifteenth year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate ruled Judea, and Herod ruling as tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother ruling as tetrarch of the Iturea and Trachonitis regions, and Lysanius ruling as tetrarch of Abilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went to all [the] region around the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of conversion for the release of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. All valleys will be filled and all mountains and hills will be leveled, and the crooked will be made straight, and the rough into smooth ways, and all flesh will see the salvation of God.” So he said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “Offspring of snakes, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore make fruits worthy of conversion and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as father.’ For I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise children to Abraham. For already the ax is


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to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as father.’ For I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise children to Abraham. For already the ax is laid to the root of the trees; for every tree that does not make good fruit is cut down and thrown into fire.

laid to the root of the trees; for every tree that does not make good fruit is cut down and thrown into fire.’” And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “So what should we do?” Answering, he said to them, “The one having to cloaks, let him give to the one who does not have, and the one having food should do likewise.” And tax collectors came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is ordered to you.” And also soldiers were questioning him saying, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Take no more money by violence and take no more money by false accusation, and be satisfied with your pay.”

What do all three share in common?

What do Luke and Matthew share in common that is not in Mark?

What terms or ideas predominate in the material unique to Luke?


Synopsis #4: Entry to Jerusalem (adventus) Trans. C. Murphy Matthew 21:1-9 Mark 11:1-10 Luke 19:28-40 And when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Proceed into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tied, and a colt with her; untie and bring them to me. If any one says anything to you, you will say that the lord needs them; immediately he will send them.” This happened in order that what was spoken by the prophet be fulfilled, saying, “Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king comes to you, humble and mounted on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of an ass.” The disciples went and did just as Jesus had directed them; they brought the ass and the colt, and placed their outer cloaks on them, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their own outer cloaks in the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them in the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

And when they draw near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sends two of his disciples and says to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there on which no man has ever sat; untie and bring it. And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The lord needs it and immediately sends it back here.’” And they went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street, and untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They told them just as Jesus said; and they allowed them. And they bring the colt to Jesus and throw their outer cloaks on it; and he sat on it. And many spread their outer cloaks on the road, and others leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those going ahead and those following were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. And it was when he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called [of] Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village opposite; in which as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no man has ever yet sat; and untie and bring it. And if any one asks you, ‘Why are you untying?' you shall say thus, that the lord needs it.’” So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its lords said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The lord needs it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their outer cloaks on the colt they set Jesus on it. And as he went along, they spread out their outer cloaks in the road. As he was now drawing near to the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the one who comes—the king—in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”


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Synopsis #5: Cost of Discipleship Trans. C. Murphy Matthew 10 :37-38 Luke 14:25-26

“He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.

Great crowds accompanied him; and turning around he said to them, “If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he is unable to be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, is not able to be my disciple.



John Worksheet Questions for Reading and Reflection

1. Before you read Murphy’s chapter on John’s gospel, read the gospel yourself, and based on your reading of Mark, Matthew and Luke, make a list of the special themes, emphases, epithets for Jesus, or narrative characteristics that are unique to this gospel.

2. What do we think the context for John’s gospel is? That is, to whom was it written, and what pastoral issues in John’s community is the gospel addressing? Identify a passage that signals the audience or issue for each idea you generate.

Audience

Pastoral Issues: Passage

3. John’s gospel almost didn’t make it into the Bible because some early Church fathers thought it sounded too gnostic. In your Workbook on pp. 68-70, John’s prologue is presented followed by passages from some of the gnostic gospels. As you read the gnostic texts, highlight any similarities and differences that catch your eye.

4. What are the chief characteristics of the Jesus you meet in John’s gospel?


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Gnostic Parallels to John’s Prologue Gospel of Thomas (excerpts) (a Gnostic gospel) Trans. Stephen Patterson and Marvin Meyer

Logion 3: Jesus said, “If your leaders say to you, ‘Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,’ then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, ‘It is in the sea,’ then the fish will precede you. Rather, the (Father’s) kingdom is within you and it is outside you. When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty.”

Logion 29: Jesus said, “If the flesh came into being because of spirit, that is a marvel, but if spirit came into being because of the body, that is a marvel of marvels. Yet I marvel at how this great wealth has come to dwell in this poverty.”

Logion 56: Jesus said, “Whoever has come to know the world has discovered a carcass, and whoever has discovered a carcass, of that person the world is not worthy.”

Logion 70: Jesus said, “If you bring forth what is within you, what you have will save you. If you do not have that within you, what you do not have within you [will] kill you.”

Logion 77: Jesus said, “I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained. Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there.”

Logion 108: Jesus said, “Whoever drinks from my mouth will become like me; I myself shall become that person, and the hidden things will be revealed to him.”

Apocryphon of John (excerpt, the “Pronoia Hymn,” 25-26) (a Gnostic text) Trans. Michael Waldstein and Frederik Wisse

Therefore I, the perfect Pronoia of the All, changed into my seed. For I existed from the first, traveling on every road. For I am the wealth of the light. I am the remembrance of the fullness. I traveled into the vastness of the dark, and I persevered until I entered the midst of the prison. And the foundations of chaos quaked. And I hid myself from them because of their evil, and they did not recognize me.

Again I returned for the second time and I traveled. I came forth into those who belong to the light, which is I, the remembrance of the Pronoia. I entered the midst of the dark and the inside of Hades, seeking to put my household in order. And the foundations of chaos quaked such that (it seemed) they would fall down upon those who dwell in the chaos and destroy them. And again I fled up to my luminous root so that they would not be destroyed before the time was right.

Still for a third time, I who am the light that exists in the light and the remembrance of the Pronoia I traveled in order to enter into the midst of the darkness and the inside of Hades. I filled my countenance with the light of the consummation of their aeon. And I entered the midst of their prison, which is the prison of the body. And I said, “Whoever hears, arise from lethargic sleep!”

And he wept, shedding tears; heavy tears he wiped from himself. And he said, “Who is it who calls my name and from where does this hope come to me who am dwelling in the fetters of the prison?” And I said, “I am the Pronoia of the pure light; I am the thought of


the virginal Spirit, the one who raises you to the place of honor. Arise and remember that you are the one who has heard, and follow your root, which is I, the compassionate. Fortify yourself against the angels of poverty and the demons of chaos and all those who ensnare you, and be watchful of the lethargic sleep and the garment of the inside of Hades.”

And I raised him up and sealed him with the light of the water with five seals so that death would not have power over him from this day on.

And behold, now I shall go up to the perfect aeon.

Gospel of Truth (excerpt) (a Gnostic gospel) Trans. Harold W. Attridge and George W. MacRae

The gospel of truth is joy for those who have received from the Father of truth the grace of knowing him, through the power of the Word that came forth from the pleroma (= “the fullness”), the one who is in the thought and the mind of the Father, that is, the one who is addressed as 'the Savior', (that) being the name of the work he is to perform for the redemption of those who were ignorant of the Father, while in the name of the gospel is the proclamation of hope, being discovery for those who search for him.

When the totality went about searching for the one from whom they had come forth - and the totality was inside of him, the incomprehensible, inconceivable one who is superior to every thought - ignorance of the Father brought about anguish and terror; and the anguish grew solid like a fog, so that no one was able to see. For this reason, error became powerful; it worked on its own matter foolishly, not having known the truth. It set about with a creation, preparing with power and beauty the substitute for the truth.

This was not, then, a humiliation for him, the incomprehensible, inconceivable one, for they were nothing, the anguish and the oblivion and the creature of deceit, while the established truth is immutable, imperturbable, perfect in beauty. For this reason, despise error.

Thus, it had no root; it fell into a fog regarding the Father, while it was involved in preparing works and oblivions and terrors, in order that by means of these it might entice those of the middle and capture them.

The oblivion of error was not revealed. It is not a [...] from the Father. Oblivion did not come into existence from the Father, although it did indeed come into existence because of him. But what comes into existence in him is knowledge, which appeared in order that oblivion might vanish and the Father might be known. Since oblivion came into existence because the Father was not known, then if the Father comes to be known, oblivion will not exist from that moment on.

Through this, the gospel of the one who is searched for, which <was> revealed to those who are perfect, through the mercies of the Father, the hidden mystery, Jesus, the Christ, enlightened those who were in darkness through oblivion. He enlightened them; he showed (them) a way; and the way is the truth which he taught them.

For this reason, error grew angry at him, persecuted him, was distressed at him, (and) was brought to naught. He was nailed to a tree (and) he became fruit of the knowledge of the Father. It did not, however, cause destruction because it was eaten, but to those who ate it, it gave (cause) to become glad in the discovery, and he discovered them in himself, and they discovered him in themselves.


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Trimorphic Protennoia (excerpt) (a Gnostic gospel; the title translates roughly, “the three-form [divine] first thought”) Trans. John D. Turner

I am Protennoia, the Thought that dwells in the Light. I am the movement that dwells in the All, she in whom the All takes its stand, the first-born among those who came to be, she who exists before the All. She (Protennoia) is called by three names, although she dwells alone, since she is perfect. I am invisible within the Thought of the Invisible One. I am revealed in the immeasurable, ineffable (things). I am incomprehensible, dwelling in the incomprehensible. I move in every creature.

I am the life of my Epinoia that dwells within every Power and every eternal movement, and (in) invisible Lights and within the Archons and Angels and Demons, and every soul dwelling in Tartaros, and (in) every material soul. I dwell in those who came to be. I move in everyone and I delve into them all. I walk uprightly, and those who sleep, I awaken. And I am the sight of those who dwell in sleep.

I am the Invisible One within the All. It is I who counsel those who are hidden, since I know the All that exists in it. I am numberless beyond everyone. I am immeasurable, ineffable, yet whenever I wish, I shall reveal myself of my own accord. I am the head of the All. I exist before the All, and I am the All, since I exist in everyone.

I am a Voice speaking softly. I exist from the first. I dwell within the Silence that surrounds every one of them. And it is the hidden Voice that dwells within my, within the incomprehensible, immeasurable Thought, within the immeasurable Silence.

I descended to the midst of the underworld, and I shone down upon the darkness. It is I who poured forth the water. It is I who am hidden within radiant waters. I am the one who gradually put forth the All by my Thought. It is I who am laden with the Voice. It is through me that Gnosis comes forth. I dwell in the ineffable and unknowable ones. I am perception and knowledge, uttering a Voice by means of thought. I am the real Voice. I cry out in everyone, and they recognize it (the voice), since a seed indwells them. I am the Thought of the Father, and through me proceeded the Voice, that is, the knowledge of the everlasting things. I exist as Thought for the All—being joined to the unknowable and incomprehensible Thought—I revealed myself—yes, I—among all those who recognize me. For it is I who am joined with everyone by virtue of the hidden Thought and an exalted <Voice>, even a Voice from the invisible Thought. And it is immeasurable, since it dwells in the Immeasurable One. It is a mystery; it is unrestrainable by the Incomprehensible One. It is invisible to all those who are visible in the All. It is a Light dwelling in Light.

It is we also who alone have separated from the visible world, since we are saved by the hidden wisdom, by means of the ineffable, immeasurable Voice. And he who is hidden within us pays the tributes of his fruit to the Water of Life.

Then the Son who is perfect in every respect -- that is, the Word who originated through that Voice; who proceeded from the height; who has within him the Name; who is a Light -- he revealed the everlasting things, and all the unknowns were known. And those things difficult to interpret and secret, he revealed. And as for those who dwell in Silence with the First Thought, he preached to them. And he revealed himself to those who dwell in darkness, and he showed himself to those who dwell in the abyss, and to those who dwell in the hidden treasuries, he told ineffable mysteries, and he taught unrepeatable doctrines to all those who became Sons of the Light.