Mark

The Gospel according to Mark narrates the good news of Jesus Christ. It is action-packed and moves quickly.

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Commands, Spirituality, Miracles


SUMMARY

AUTHOR. Technically Mark’s Gospel is anonymous since it does not name its author.

The title “according to Mark” was added later by a scribe some time before 125 AD.

However, sufficient evidence is available from early church tradition (external evidence) and from information within the Gospel itself (internal evidence) to identify the author.

The unanimous testimony of the early church fathers is that Mark, an associate of the Apostle Peter, was the author.

RECIPIENTS. The almost universal testimony of early church fathers is that Mark’s Gospel was written in Rome primarily for Gentile Roman Christians.

DATE. The question of date remains problematic. The New Testament provides no clear evidence. And the available external evidence conflicts.

There are two main theories:

  • Between 67-69 AD, based on it being written after the deaths of Peter and Paul.
  • Prior to 64-68 AD, based on it being written during Peter’s lifetime.

PURPOSE. The Christians in Rome had already heard and believed the good news of God’s saving power in Jesus Christ.

But they needed to hear it again with a new emphasis to catch afresh its implications for their lives. They needed to understand the nature of discipleship — what it meant to follow Jesus — in light of who Jesus is and what he had done and would keep doing for them.

Mark achieved this through his portraits of Jesus and the 12 disciples with whom he expected his readers to identify.

DETAILS. The Gospel of Mark has 16 chapters and 678 verses.

 


OUTLINE

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1. PREPARATION FOR PUBLIC MINISTRY

Mark 1:1. The beginning of the Good News

Mark 1:2-8. John baptizes in the Jordan River

Mark 1:9-11. John baptizes Jesus

Mark 1:12-13. Jesus is in the desert for forty days

2. EARLY MINISTRY IN GALILEE

Mark 1:14a. Jesus hears that John was Arrested

Mark 1:14b-15. Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee

Mark 1:16-20. Jesus calls his first disciples

Mark 1:21-28. Jesus casts out a demon

Mark 1:29-31. Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law

Mark 1:32-34. Jesus heals many people

Mark 1:35-39. Jesus departs Capernaum

Mark 1:40-45. Jesus heals a man of leprosy

Mark 2:1-12. Jesus heals a paralyzed man

Mark 2:13-17. Jesus calls Matthew the tax collector to be his disciple

Mark 2:18-22. Jesus is questioned about fasting

Mark 2:23-28. Jesus is questioned about the Sabbath

Mark 3:1-6. Jesus heals a man with a withered hand

3. LATER MINISTRY IN GALILEE

Mark 3:7-12. A great multitude gathers at the seashore

Mark 3:13-19. Jesus sends the Twelve on a mission

Mark 3:20-22. The scribes accuse Jesus of working with Satan

Mark 3:23-27. Binding the strong man

Mark 3:28-30. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

Mark 3:31-35. The true family of Jesus

Mark 4:1-9. The parable of the sower

Mark 4:10-12. Jesus uses parables to obfuscate his message

Mark 4:13-20. Jesus explains the parable of the sower

Mark 4:21-25. Don’t hide your light under a basket

Mark 4:26-29. Seed grows by itself

Mark 4:30-32. The parable of the mustard seed

Mark 4:33-34. Jesus keeps using parables

Mark 4:35-41. Jesus calms the storm

Mark 5:1-20. Jesus frees a man from demonic possession

Mark 5:21-24. Jairus begs Jesus to heal his daughter

Mark 5:25-34. A woman is healed by her own faith

Mark 5:35-43. Jesus restores Jairus’ daughter to life

Mark 6:1-6. The people of Nazareth reject Jesus

4. EXPANDING BEYOND GALILEE

Mark 6:7-13. Jesus sends the twelve on a mission

Mark 6:14-16. Herod opines about Jesus

Mark 6:17-29. Herod executes John the Baptist

Mark 6:30-33. The twelve return from their mission

Mark 6:34-44. Jesus feeds more than five thousand people

Mark 6:45-52. Jesus walks on water

Mark 6:53-56. Jesus heals the sick at Gennesaret

Mark 7:1-23. The disciples violate the traditions of the elders

Mark 7:24-30. Jesus casts a demon out of a Gentile woman’s daughter

Mark 7:31-37. Jesus heals a man who was Deaf

Mark 8:1-10. Jesus feeds four thousand people

Mark 8:11-12. The Pharisees demand a miraculous sign

Mark 8:13-21. Beware hypocrisy

Mark 8:22-26. Jesus heals a man who was blind

Mark 8:27-30. Peter says Jesus is the Christ

5. JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM

Mark 8:31-33. Jesus predicts his own death and resurrection

Mark 8:34-9:1 – Take up your cross and follow Jesus

 

Mark 9:1. Jesus predicts his own death and resurrection, continued

Mark 9:2-8. Jesus is transfigured

Mark 9:9-13. Elijah has returned

Mark 9:14-29. Jesus casts out a demon

Mark 9:30-32. Jesus again predicts his death and resurrection

Mark 9:33-37. Who is the greatest in the kingdom?

Mark 9:38-41. Other exorcists

Mark 9:42-50. Overcoming temptation

Mark 10:1-12. Jesus is questioned about divorce

Mark 10:13-16. Jesus welcomes little children

Mark 10:17-31. A rich young man asks Jesus about eternal life

Mark 10:32-34. Jesus again predicts his death and resurrection

Mark 10:35-37. James and John make a selfish request

Mark 10:38-45. Are we baptized into suffering?

Mark 10:46-52. Jesus heals blind Bartimaeus

6. MINISTRY IN THE JERUSALEM AREA

Mark 11:1-11. Jesus triumphantly arrives in Jerusalem

Mark 11:12-14. Jesus curses a fig tree

Mark 11:15-19. Jesus purges the temple

Mark 11:20-26. Learn from the fig tree

Mark 11:27-33. The scribes challenge the authority of Jesus

Mark 12:1-12. Parable of the wicked tenants

Mark 12:13-17. Must we pay taxes?

Mark 12:18-27. Is there a resurrection?

Mark 12:28-34. The most important commandments

Mark 12:35-37. The Messiah is David’s Lord

Mark 12:38-40. Beware of religious leaders

Mark 12:41-44. A widow offers the most

Mark 13:1-2. Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple

Mark 13:3-8. The signs of the End of Days

Mark 13:9-13. The coming persecution

Mark 13:14-23. The great tribulation

Mark 13:24-27. The return of the Son of Man

Mark 13:28-31. Learn from the fig tree

Mark 13:32. No human knows when Jesus Christ will return

Mark 13:33-37. Be vigilant

7. SUFFERING AND DEATH

Mark 14:1-2. The plot to kill Jesus

Mark 14:3-9. Jesus is anointed at Bethany

Mark 14:10-11. Judas is paid to betray Jesus

Mark 14:12-16. Preparation for the Passover

Mark 14:17-21. The betrayer

Mark 14:22-26. The Last Supper

Mark 14:27-31. Jesus predicts Peter’s denial

Mark 14:32-42. Jesus prays in Gethsemane

Mark 14:43-52. Jesus is betrayed and arrested

Mark 14:53-65. Jesus stands before the council

Mark 14:66-72. Peter denies Jesus

Mark 15:1. They bring Jesus before Pilate

Mark 15:2-5. Jesus stands before Pilate

Mark 15:6-15. Pilate sentences Jesus to death

Mark 15:16-20. The soldiers mock Jesus

Mark 15:21-24. The soldiers torture Jesus

Mark 15:25-32. Jesus is crucified

Mark 15:33-41. Jesus dies

Mark 15:42-47. The body of Jesus is buried

8. RESURRECTION

Mark 16:1-8. Jesus rises from the tomb

Mark 16:9-11. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene

Mark 16:12-13. Jesus appears on the Road to Emmaus

Mark 16:14. Jesus appears to the Eleven

Mark 16:15-18. Our mission begins

Mark 16:19-20. Jesus is taken up

 


MEMORIZE

Mark 1:15. “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”

Mark 1:35. Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.

Mark 2:17. When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Mark 3:27. But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder, unless he first binds the strong man; and then he will plunder his house.

Mark 4:19. and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Mark 6:34. Jesus came out, saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.

Mark 7:15. There is nothing from outside of the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.

Mark 9:23. Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

Mark 10:45. For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Mark 12:24. Jesus answered them, “Isn’t this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God?

Mark 12:38. In his teaching he said to them, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces,

Mark 12:39. and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts:

Mark 12:40. those who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

Mark 13:12. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.

Mark 13:13. You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end, the same will be saved.

Mark 13:31. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Mark 13:32. But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Mark 16:15. He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.”

Mark 16:16. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.

Great verses to memorize from the entire Bible

 


COMMANDS

Mark 1:15. and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”

Mark 1:17. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”

Mark 3:35. For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother.

Mark 7:15. There is nothing from outside of the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.

Mark 8:15. He warned them, saying, “Take heed: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”

Mark 8:34. He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mark 8:35. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.

Mark 8:38. For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in his Father’s glory, with the holy angels.”

Mark 9:23. Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

Mark 9:35. He sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.”

Mark 9:37. “Whoever receives one such little child in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”

Mark 9:39. But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me.

Mark 9:43. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire,

Mark 9:45. If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched—

Mark 9:47. If your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out. It is better for you to enter into God’s Kingdom with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire,

Mark 9:50. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Mark 10:9. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

Mark 10:14. But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said to them, “Allow the little children to come to me! Don’t forbid them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these.

Mark 11:22. Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.

Mark 11:23. For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says.

Mark 11:24. Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.

Mark 11:25. Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions.

Mark 12:17. Jesus answered them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” They marveled greatly at him.

Mark 12:29. Jesus answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one:

Mark 12:30. 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.’ This is the first commandment.

Mark 12:31. The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Mark 13:5. Jesus, answering, began to tell them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.

Mark 13:7. “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be troubled. For those must happen, but the end is not yet.

Mark 13:9. But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them.

Mark 13:10. The Good News must first be preached to all the nations.

Mark 13:11. When they lead you away and deliver you up, don’t be anxious beforehand, or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

Mark 13:21. Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ don’t believe it.

Mark 13:23. But you watch. “Behold, I have told you all things beforehand.

Mark 13:28. “Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender, and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near;

Mark 13:29. even so you also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that it is near, at the doors.

Mark 13:33. Watch, keep alert, and pray; for you don’t know when the time is.

Mark 13:35. Watch therefore, for you don’t know when the lord of the house is coming, whether at evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning;

Mark 13:37. What I tell you, I tell all: Watch.”

Mark 16:15. He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.”

Commands of Jesus Christ

 


SPIRITUALITY

The spirituality of the Gospel of Mark is the spirituality of Action. Let your faith motivate you to do things for yourself, for others, and for the world.

John Mark was the nephew of Peter. Like Matthew, young Mark is Jewish. Like young people everywhere, Mark is drawn to action.

More than any of the other Gospel writers, Mark notices how action-packed the life and ministry of Jesus the Christ really was. Whereas Matthew notes the thinking behind the actions, Mark notes the action itself.

The things that Mark observes and writes will make his Gospel appealing to certain people: DOERS. If activity is your thing, if work or action or accomplishment lights your fire, if you’re into concrete real things and taking practical steps, then Mark is for you.

If the four Gospel writers were likened to the parts of a body, we see Mark as the hands.

The spirituality of the Gospel of Mark is Action-Faith. Let your faith motivate you to actually do things for yourself, for others, for the church and the world.

If this is you, you are motivated toward charitable works, social action, good deeds, and charitable giving. You likely volunteer your time and talent to assist people who are not as fortunate as yourself. You probably volunteer for ministry at your local church. You’re a practical person.

Those are the spiritualities of doing.

God once prompted Moses along these lines:

Exodus 14:15. Quit praying and get the people moving! Forward, march! (The Living Bible)

And the ever-practical St. James says this:

James 2:17b. Faith without works is dead. (NKJV)

Mother Teresa of Calcutta represents this action-spirituality of the Gospel of Mark. And so does Dorothy Day and Mohandas Gandhi.

If the spirituality of Mark is you, you’ll want to read things that inspire you to action.

If the people of action spirituality have a weakness, it’s due to the fact that they are doers. Most of them do not read or study extensively. Few are prone to reading the Bible each day or investing an hour for Contemplative Prayer each day.

And in the midst of achieving their many goals each day, they’re often not known for being loving and kind. Think of Martha running around while Mary sat before Jesus. Martha got so out of sorts that she rebuked the Lord Jesus Christ!

THE FOUR GOSPEL SPIRITUALITIES: MatthewMark, Luke, John

 


MIRACLES

When the Lord Jesus encounters a problem, he speaks directly to it. He commands the problem itself. The Gospel of Mark has many such narratives:

Mark 1:25. Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”

Mark 1:41. Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.”

Mark 2:11. “I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house.”

Mark 3:5. When he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored as healthy as the other.

Mark 4:39. He awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Mark 5:8. For he said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

Mark 5:13. At once Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea.

Mark 5:41. Taking the child by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha cumi!” which means, being interpreted, “Girl, I tell you, get up!”

Mark 6:41. He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves, and he gave to his disciples to set before them, and he divided the two fish among them all.

Mark 7:29. He said to her, “For this saying, go your way. The demon has gone out of your daughter.”

Mark 7:34. Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”

Mark 8:7. They had a few small fish. Having blessed them, he said to serve these also.

Mark 9:25. When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!”

Mark 10:52. Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus on the way.

Mark 11:14. Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” and his disciples heard it.

Mark 11:23. For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says.

 


MARK

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Commands, Spirituality, Miracles

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.