Mark 13:32-37 - Revision of the Textus Receptus

The gospel according to Mark

Chapter 13

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32. περι δε της ημερας εκεινης η της[2] ωρας ουδεις οιδεν ουδε οι αγγελοι οι[3] εν ουρανω ουδε ο υιος ει μη ο πατηρ “But of that day or[1] that hour no one knows—not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son[4], but only the Father.

33. βλεπετε αγρυπνειτε και προσευχεσθε ουκ οιδατε γαρ ποτε ο καιρος εστιν Take heed, watch, and pray[5], for you do not know when the time is.

34. ως ανθρωπος αποδημος αφεις την οικιαν αυτου και δους τοις δουλοις αυτου την εξουσιαν εκαστω το εργον αυτου και τω θυρωρω ενετειλατο ινα γρηγορη “It is like a man going on a journey, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, [6] each with his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

35. γρηγορειτε ουν ουκ οιδατε γαρ ποτε ο κυριος της οικιας ερχεται οψε η μεσονυκτιου[7] η αλεκτοροφωνιας η πρωι Watch therefore, for you do not know when the lord of the house is coming—[8] in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning;

36. μη ελθων εξαιφνης ευρη υμας καθευδοντας lest, coming suddenly, he might find you sleeping.

37. α[9] δε υμιν λεγω πασιν λεγω γρηγορειτε And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

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[1] NA-Text, Vg-St, WPF³⁵, P-Text and M-Text read “or” (Latin equivalent: “vel”), which is supported by codex B, the Byzantine manuscripts and Bede. The TR is supported by codices א, D, Θ, the Diatessaron and Theophylact. The conjunction “and” here is probably the result of harmonization to the parallel passage in Matthew 24:36. The Greek text has been adjusted following the NA-Text and M-Text.

[2] M-Text omits the definite article “της”. The inclusion of the article is supported by codices א, B, D, Θ and Theophylact. This article belongs in the text.

[3] NA-Text omits the definite article “οι” after angels.

[4] This is the memorable clause that St. Ambrose suspected to be an Arian interpolation and it is probably because of his powerful influence in the early church that some manuscripts of the vulgate omit it. The omission is supported by codex X, minuscules 983 and 1689. There is absolutely no doubt that this clause is part of the original text in the gospel of Mark.

[5] NA-Text omits “and pray”. The collective witness of the majuscules, the minuscules, the versions and the fathers is overwhelmingly against this omission that may have come about by a scribal error caused by visual homoeoteleuton (αγρυπνειτε και προσευχεσθε, thus missing “and pray”) or a harmonization to the next verse that omits “and prayer” along with the parallel passage in Matthew 24:42.

[6] NA-Text and Vg-St omit “and”, which is supported by codices א, B, D and Θ. The inclusion is supported by the Byzantine manuscripts and Theophylact. Even though the inclusion of the conjunction represents the harder reading, it seems to be too hard in this context, even interrupting the proper flow of the text, which more resembles a scribal addition either by accident or intentional by mimicking the preceding and following clauses introduced by the same conjunction. The conjunction has then been removed, following the NA-text. 

[7] NA-Text reads “μεσονυκτιον” (accusative instead of genitive).

[8] NA-Text adds “or”. This is likely a natural addition to the text, mimicking the placing of “η” before the other adverbs and nouns in the sentence.

[9] NA-Text “ο” (singular instead of plural). 

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Notes:

1. Text in red letters are places where the original reading in the Textus Receptus has been revised and corrected;

2. The English translation used as a reference is the WEB brought to conformity as literal as possible to the Textus Receptus. The end product though is not the WEB or a revised WEB and it should not be called WEB. The content of this post is freely available to everyone and it is not supposed to be copyrighted;

3. TR: Textus Receptus. This text is not copyrighted;

4. NA-Text: Nestle-Aland text commonly known as critical text;

5. M-Text: Majority Text;

6. Vg-St: Vulgate of Stuttgart;  

7. WPF³⁵: Wilbur Pickering-family 35;

8. PT: Patriarchal Text, also known as Patriarchal Greek New Testament, published by the ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

9. The creator of the variant apparatus available in the VarApp kindly gave me permission to freely use the information contained in the material he put together.

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To God all the glory for the preservation of the scriptures! He reigns!