Textual variant
The longer ending of Mark
Manuscripts of Mark differ on how the Gospel ends. Some conclude at 16:8, with the women fleeing from the tomb and saying nothing to anyone. Others continue with verses 9-20, reporting appearances of the risen Jesus, a commission, and signs. Other endings of differing length are also attested in the tradition.
Variant, not contradiction
Variant unit
Manuscript- Unit
- Mark 16:9-20
- Readings recorded
- 3
Text as seeded
TextThe passage text CodexTrace holds, in the seeded translation.
And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
Readings
ManuscriptEnding at 16:8
The Gospel closes with the women fleeing the tomb in fear and saying nothing to anyone.
Translation: Modern translations typically mark verses 9-20 with a bracket or a note; some print them in a separate section.
The longer ending, 16:9-20
Twelve further verses reporting appearances to Mary Magdalene and others, a commission, and accompanying signs.
Translation: The King James Version prints these verses continuously with no marking.
Other endings
The tradition also attests endings of different length. CodexTrace has not curated their texts or their distribution.
Witness evidence
ManuscriptManuscripts, versions and citations supporting each reading, with the source each entry came from.
Research pending. CodexTrace has not curated a witness list for this variant unit, and does not approximate one — an unverified siglum is indistinguishable from a verified one to most readers. Curating this requires attaching witness rows, each with its own source record.
Translation and interpretive impact
InterpretationTranslation impact
The passage a reader encounters depends on the translation and edition in hand, and on whether that edition marks the verses.
Interpretive impact
The ending affects how Mark presents the resurrection appearances, and is cited in discussion of the resurrection accounts and of the signs described in verses 17-18.
Manuscript resources
ManuscriptCodex Sinaiticus
א · Fourth century
Codex Vaticanus
B · Fourth century
Linked contradiction records
AnalysisClaims whose tension may be explained, in whole or part, by this variant.
Sources
Source- [1]
CodexTrace. "CodexTrace editorial research". licence: CC-BY-4.0
Critical / scholarlyotherCC-BY-4.0 - [2]
King James Version (Authorised Version)
"King James Version (Authorised Version)". licence: public-domain-us
Primarytranslationpublic-domain-usLink unverified
Community
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