Bible - Mark 16:9-20 Scholarship Views

The oldest Bible manuscripts end Mark's Gospel at 16:8. What do Bible scholars say on the extra 12 verses, the 'Longer Ending'?

Two of the oldest, most respected Bible manuscripts, Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus end the Gospel of Mark at 16:8. Yet, the Bible you have ends Mark's Gospel at 16:20.

Today, the majority of Bible scholars agree 12 'longer ending' verses in Mark's Gospel were added by later scribes. A few reasons for this corruption, are given below:

It is almost universally agreed that verses 9-20 were added centuries after the gospel was written Dr. Ralph Earle (1970)

Verses 9-20 are "lacking in many of the oldest and most reliable manuscripts" Dr. Norman L. Geisler and Thomas A. Howe (2008). The Big Book of Bible Difficulties (page 377). Baker Books

"In many ancient Greek manuscripts," Mark's Gospel ends at 16:8 Dr. Larry O. Richards (3)

"Mark 16:9-20 does not appear in many early manuscripts" Jim Levitt, whose M. Div. is from Trinity Divinity School (3)

Mark 16:9-20 is omitted "in very many Greek manuscripts of the Gospel" Wilfrid J. Harrington (4)

"According to the almost unanimous testimony of the oldest Greek manuscripts," Mark ends at 16:8 Dr. Donald Juel (5)

These 12 verses "are found in no early manuscript," Dr. Ernest Findlay Scott (6)

"All major manuscripts end this Gospel at 16:8" David Ewert (6)

Mark 16:9-20 "is contained only in later manuscripts." Dr. Eugene Peterson (7)

Codex Alexandrinus does not contain Mark 16:9-20 Dr. Ron Rhodes (1997) The Complete Book of Bible Answers (8)

Codex D's text of Mark ends at 16:8 G. W. Trompf. New Testament Studies scholarly journal (9)

"It's also a fact that these verses, as I've said a couple of times, really don't have any substantiation until you get to medieval times. Until you get to about 800-900 AD you can't find a manuscript that contains these verses of Scripture." Bob McCartney (10)

Codex W "contains a different ending entirely" Dr. Robert Grant (11)

"A good many of the manuscripts" with Mark 16:9-20 "have marks in the margin (asterisks or obeli) to indicate that the passage is regarded as of doubtful authenticity." Dr. N. T. Wright (12)

"A number of the manuscripts have asterisks or other markings by the text indicating that the copyists thought the longer ending was spurious" Robert Stein (13)

"Many of the ancient manuscripts" contain "scribal notes or markings" to indicate that "the ending is regarded as a spurious addition." James Edwards (13)

"Many of the older manuscripts have asterisks and obeli marking off the Long or Short Endings as spurious or at least doubtful," and, "Later copies contain vv. 9-20, but they are marked off with asterisks or obelisks, warning readers and copyists that these twelve verses are doubtful." Dr. Craig Evans (14)

There verses "were added at least two centuries after Mark first began to circulate" which means, if the Gospel of Mark’s production-date is placed in the mid-60's, that Mark 16:9-20 was attached some time after 260 AD. Dr. Craig Evans (15)

"The earliest and best manuscripts end with Mark 16:8, and the rest hopelessly disagree concerning what follows." Robert H. Gundry (16)

"In some manuscripts,the Shorter Ending is all that follows Mark 16:8" C. F. D. Moule (17)

According to Clement and Origen (two important writers in the early church), Mark's text ends at 16:8 Dr. Philip Wesley Comfort (20)

"Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Ammonius show no knowledge of the existence of these verses." Dr. Bruce Metzger (21)

The text of Mark ends at 16:8 in "about 100 Armenian manuscripts, and the two oldest Georgian manuscripts (written A.D. 897 and A.D. 913)." Dr. Bruce Metzger. A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (29)

"A number of manuscripts of the Ethiopic version" do not contain Mark 16:9-20 Dr. Metzger. The Text of the New Testament, 4th Edition (page 226) (30)

"A number of manuscripts of the Ethiopic version" do not contain Mark 16:9-20 Dr. Bart Ehrman. The Text of the New Testament, 4th Edition (page 226) (30)

"Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Ammonius show no knowledge of the existence of these verses." Dr. Bart Ehrman (21)

The ending at 16:8 is witnessed to by Clement of Alexandria and Origen Robert Stein (22)

"The 2nd century Church Father Cyril of Alexandria" omitted these verses Dr. J. Harold Greenlee (23)

Eusebius and Jerome (two important writers in the early church) "say that the passage was unknown in all copies of Mark to which they had access." Dr. Ralph P. Martin (24)

Mark 16:9-20 was lacking "from all Greek manuscripts known to Eusebius and Jerome" Dr. W. R. Telford (25)

"Eusebius and Jerome both tell us these verses were absent from all Greek copies known to them." Dr. Ben Witherington III (26)

Early commentaries confirm that Mark ends at 16:8, including a commentary "written by Clement of Alexandria (died about AD 101)." Stephen M. Miller (2007) The Complete Guide to the Bible (27)

"Not only do some of the most ancient authorities lack these verses (as NRSV says) – they all do." Dr. Tim Geddert (28)

"A number of manuscripts of the Ethiopic version" do not contain Mark 16:9-20. (or similar) Matt Slick. Online Apologist (31)

Important Ethiopic copies omit Mark 16:9-20 Dr. Eugene Nida (32)

"These verses are absent from the Old Latin manuscripts" Dr. Ron Rhodes (33)

The Old Latin version omits Mark 16:9-20 Dr. James Edwards (33)

Mark 16:9-20 is not in "some manuscripts of the Sahadic Coptic version, manuscripts of the Armenian translation, and some versions of the Georgian translation." James White, Author (34)

Vaticanus and Sinaiticus end the text of Mark at 16:8. "Whether you’re reading a Greek manuscript, a Syriac Bible, or whether you're looking at a Latin Vulgate or whether you're reading a quote from a church father, it is crystal clear that they all had the same thing." Dr. John MacArthur (35)

In most Greek lectionaries, the text of Mark ends at 16:8 Dr. James Brooks (36)

"The earliest Byzantine lectionaries lack" Mark 16:9-20 Dr. Darrell Bock (37)

CREDIT
Authentic: The Case for Mark 16:9-20 by James Snapp https://www.academia.edu/12545835/Authentic_The_Case_for_Mark_16_9-20

Share Article if you found it useful

837 views · 5 days ago | Author: Guest • Updated: 04 Nov 2019

ALL ARTICLES ARE INTENDED FOR GENERAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. ALL INFORMATION IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT, ACCURATE AND TRUTHFUL. YOU ARE ADVISED TO DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. ARTICLES ARE LIVE DOCUMENTS AND MAY BE UPDATED WITH NEW CONTENT AT ANY TIME. WHERE AVAILABLE, SOURCES AND REFERENCES ARE CREDITED. IF YOU SPOT ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR GIVE FEEDBACK KINDLY CONTACT US WITH DETAILS

	Are you a Muslim? 3 mins \| Online Test
	Timeline of Prophets 34830 views · 2 mins ago
	Angels - 41 Angels from the Abrahamic Religions 19100 views · 7 mins ago
	Judaism - Maimonides 13 Principles of Jewish Belief 10118 views · 9 mins ago
	Jesus vs Zeus 29445 views · 14 mins ago
	10 Commandments - Bible vs Quran 21830 views · 15 mins ago

	Torah 5 BOOKS
	Psalms 1 BOOK
	Old Testament 32 BOOKS
	New Testament 27 BOOKS
	Apocrypha 1885 14 BOOKS
	Gospels/Texts 367 BOOKS
	Codex 120 BOOKS
	Quran 1 BOOK
	Hadith 10 BOOKS

Bible - Mark 16:9-20 Scholarship Views

The oldest Bible manuscripts end Mark's Gospel at 16:8. What do Bible scholars say on the extra 12 verses, the 'Longer Ending'?

Submit Article

PROPHETS (44)

ARTICLES

SCRIPTURE

NEWS