MRK 1:1-11

The Mission of John the Baptist

1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. [1:2] As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: 'Look, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way — [1:3] the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' [1:4] John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. [1:5] And all the Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. [1:6] Now John was clothed in camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he was eating locusts and wild honey. [1:7] And he was proclaiming, saying, 'After me comes the one who is mightier than I — the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. [1:8] I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.' [1:9] And it came about in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. [1:10] And immediately, coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens tearing open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. [1:11] And a voice came from the heavens: 'You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.'

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st century, the term (gospel) carried imperial connotations, often referring to proclamations of Roman victories or the emperor’s benefactions. Mark’s use of this term to describe Jesus’ mission would have been striking, subverting Roman claims of ultimate authority. The reference to Isaiah situates John the Baptist within Jewish prophetic tradition, evoking expectations of a Messianic deliverer. John’s baptism in the wilderness, a place associated with both divine encounter and social marginalization, signaled a radical call to repentance. The Jordan River, a site tied to Israel’s history of crossing into the Promised Land, imbued his baptism with eschatological significance. For Jewish listeners, repentance was not merely individual but communal, tied to the restoration of Israel. The crowds from Judea and Jerusalem, including urban elites and rural peasants, flocking to John’s baptism, reflected a widespread yearning for renewal. John’s emphasis on forgiveness of sins resonated with Jewish hopes for divine mercy, particularly in a time of Roman occupation and Temple corruption.

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How other translations render this

MRK 1:1

KJV: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
BSB: This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Koinōnos: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

MRK 1:2

KJV: As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
BSB: As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.”
Koinōnos: As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: 'Look, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way —

MRK 1:3

KJV: The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
BSB: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”
Koinōnos: the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

MRK 1:4

KJV: John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
BSB: John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Koinōnos: John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

MRK 1:5

KJV: And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
BSB: People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Koinōnos: And all the Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

MRK 1:6

KJV: And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;
BSB: John was clothed in camelʼs hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
Koinōnos: Now John was clothed in camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he was eating locusts and wild honey.

MRK 1:7

KJV: And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
BSB: And he proclaimed: “After me will come One more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
Koinōnos: And he was proclaiming, saying, 'After me comes the one who is mightier than I — the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

MRK 1:8

KJV: I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
BSB: I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Koinōnos: I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

MRK 1:9

KJV: And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
BSB: In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
Koinōnos: And it came about in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.

MRK 1:10

KJV: And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
BSB: As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove.
Koinōnos: And immediately, coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens tearing open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

MRK 1:11

KJV: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
BSB: And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Koinōnos: And a voice came from the heavens: 'You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

MRK 1:1

[The] beginning:The word translated 'beginning' here can refer to the absolute start of something, but also to the foundational principle or origin from which something else develops.
gospel:The term translated 'gospel' originally referred to a reward given for bringing good news, or a thank-offering made in response to good tidings, before it came to mean the good news itself.
Christ:The word translated 'Christ' literally means 'anointed one.' It was used for priests and kings who were consecrated through anointing with oil, signifying their special appointment by God.

MRK 1:4

is baptizing:The word translated 'is baptizing' literally means to dip, plunge, or immerse. It implies a complete submersion, often used for dyeing cloth or sinking a ship.