The Gospel of Marcion, Section 1

The Arrival of Jesus at Capernaum

Adv.Marc.iv.7 ; Panarion 42
3:1/4:31 In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar,
Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea,
Jesus descended [out of heaven] into Capernaum, a city in Galilee,
and was teaching [in the synagogue] on the Sabbath days;
And they were astonished at his doctrine,
Adv.Marc.iv.7
for his word was in authority.
33 And in the synagogue there was a man,which had a spirit of an unclean devil,
and cried out with a loud voice, saying,
34 Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus ?
art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
Adv.Marc.iv.7
35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying,
Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
And when the devil had thrown him in the midst,
he came out of him, and hurt him not.
36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying,
What a word is this!
for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits,
and they come out.
37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.

[ 4:38-39 unattested]

Adv.Marc.iv.8
4: 16 And he came to Nazareth,
and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day,
and sat down.
21 And he began to speak to them,
and all wondered at the words which proceeded out of his mouth.
23 And he said unto them,
Ye will surely say unto me this proverb,
Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum,
do also here in thy country.

Zahn omits - relocated to 17:19:

[25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah,
when the heaven was shut up three years and six months,
when great famine was throughout all the land;
26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon,
unto a woman that was a widow.
27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet;
and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.]

28 And they were all filled with wrath in the synagogue,
29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city,
and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built,
that they might cast him down headlong.
30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way.

40 Now when the sun was setting,
all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him;
and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
41 And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying,
Thou art the Son of God.
Adv.Marc.iv.8
[-41c] And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak.
42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place:
Adv.Marc.iv.8
and the people sought him,
and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.
43 And he said unto them,
I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also:
for therefore am I sent.
44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

5: 1 And it came to pass, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake:
but the fishermen were gone out of them,
and were washing their nets.
3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's,
and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land.
And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon,
Launch out into the deep,
and let down your nets for a draught.
5 And Simon answering said unto him,
Teacher, we have toiled all the night,
and have taken nothing:
nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes:
and their net brake.
7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship,
that they should come and help them.
And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying,
Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him,
at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee,
which were partners with Simon.
And Jesus said unto Simon,
Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men alive.
Adv.Marc.iv.9
11 And when they had brought their ships to land,
they forsook all, and followed him.

Adv.Marc.iv.9
12 And it came to pass, behold a man full of leprosy:
who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying,
Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying,
I will: be thou clean.
And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
14 And he charged him to tell no man:
but go, and shew thyself to the priest,
and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded,
that this may be a testimony to you.
Adv.Marc.iv.9; Panarion 42

Zahn omits:

[15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him:
and great multitudes came together to hear,
and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
16 And he was withdrawing himself into the wilderness, and praying .]

Zahn omits:

[17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching,
that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by,
which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem:
and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.]

18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man that was palsied:
Adv.Marc.iv.10
and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
19 And not finding what way they might bring him in
because of the multitude,
they went upon the housetop,
and let him down through the tiles with his couch
into the midst before Jesus.
20 And seeing their faith, he said unto him,
Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying,
Who is this which speaketh blasphemies?
Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
22 But when Jesus perceiving their reasonings, answered and said unto them,
What reason ye in your hearts?
23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee;
or to say, Rise up and walk?
24 But that ye may know that the Son of man
hath authority upon earth to forgive sins,
Adv.Marc.iv.10;Panarion 42
(he said unto the palsied man), I say unto thee,
Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay,
and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God,
and were filled with fear, saying,
We have seen strange things to day.

Adv.Marc.iv.11
27 And after these things he went forth,
and saw a publican, named Levi,
sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him,
Follow me.
28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house:
and there was a great company of publicans and of others
that sat down with them.
30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying,
Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
31 And Jesus answering said unto them,
They that are whole need not a physician;
but they that are sick.
32 I came not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance.
33 And they said unto him,
Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers,
and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees;
but thine eat and drink?
34 And he said unto them,
Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast,
while the bridegroom is with them?
35 But the days will come,
when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them,
and then shall they fast in those days.

Adv.Marc.iv.11
36 And he spake also a parable unto them;
No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old garment;
otherwise both the new maketh a rent,
and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
37 And no man putteth new wine into old wineskins;
else the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be spilled,
and the skins will perish.
38 But new wine must be put into new wine-skins;
and both are preserved.

[ - v.39]

6:1 And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first,
that he went through the corn fields;
and his disciples plucked the ears of corn,
and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.
2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them,
Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?
3 And Jesus answering them said,
Have ye not read so much as this, what David did,
when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
4 How he went into the house of God,
;Panarion 42
and did take and eat the shewbread,
and gave also to them that were with him;
which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.
Adv.Marc.iv.12;Panarion 42
6 And it came to pass also on another sabbath,
that he entered into the synagogue and taught:
and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him,
whether he would heal on the sabbath day;
that they might find an accusation against him.
8 But he knew their reasonings,
and said to the man which had the withered hand,
Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing;
Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil?
to save life, or to destroy it?
10 And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man,
Stretch forth thy hand.
And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
11 And they were filled with madness;
and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

6:12 And it came to pass in those days,
that he went out into a mountain to pray,
and continued all night in prayer to God.
Adv.Marc.iv.13
13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples:
and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
Adv.Marc.iv.13
14 Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother,
James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
and Simon called Zelotes,
16 And Judas the brother of James,
and Judas Iscariot, which also became a traitor.

Panarion 42

17 And he came down among them, and stood in the plain,
and the company of his disciples,
and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem,
and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him,
and to be healed of their diseases;
Adv.Marc.iv.13
18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.
19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him,
and healed them all.

Panarion 42
20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said,
Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
Adv.Marc.iv.14
21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled.
Adv.Marc.iv.14
Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
Adv.Marc.iv.14;2nd occurance for v.21:Adv.Marc.iv.14
22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you,
and when they shall separate you from their company,
and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil,
for the Son of man's sake.
Adv.Marc.iv.14
23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy:
for, behold, your reward is great in heaven:
for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
Adv.Marc.iv.15;Panarion 42
24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
Adv.Marc.iv.15
25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger.
Adv.Marc.iv.15
Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!
for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

27 But I say unto you which hear,
Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Adv.Marc.iv.16
28 Bless them that curse you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other;
and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
30 Give to every man that asketh of thee;
and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
Adv.Marc.iv.16
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
Adv.Marc.iv.16
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye?
for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye?
for sinners also do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye?
Adv.Marc.iv.17
for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again;
and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest:
for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged:
condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:
forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Adv.Marc.iv.17

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you;
good measure, pressed down,
and shaken together, and running over,
shall men give into your bosom.
For with the same measure that ye mete
withal it shall be measured to you again.
39 And he spake a parable unto them,
Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
Adv.Marc.iv.17
40 The disciple is not above his master:
but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye,
but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother,
Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye,
when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye,
and then shalt thou see clearly
to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

Adv.Marc.iv.17

43 For there is no good tree that produceth corrupt fruit;
nor corrupt tree that produceth good fruit.
44 For each tree is known by its own fruit.
For of thorns they do not gather figs,
nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart
bringeth forth that which is good;
and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart
bringeth forth that which is evil:
for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47 Everyone that cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them,
I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man building house, who digged and went deep,
and laid a foundation on a rock:
and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house,
and had no strength to shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not,
is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth;
against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell;
and the ruin of that house was great.

Adv.Marc.iv.18

7: 1 Now when he had ended all his sayings in the ears of the people,
he entered into Capernaum.
2 And a certain centurion's servant was sick, and going to die;
and he was precious to him.
3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him elders of the Jews,
asking him that he would come and heal his servant.
4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying,
That he was worthy for whom he should do this:
5 For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.
6 Then Jesus went with them.
And when he was now not far from the house,
the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him,
Lord, trouble not thyself:
for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:
7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee:
but say in a word, and my boy shall be healed.
8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers,
and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth;
and to another, Come, and he cometh;
and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
9 And when Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned,
and said unto the people that followed him,
I say unto you, not even in Israel I have not found so great faith.
Panarion 42
10 And they that were sent, returning to the house,
found the sick servant whole.

Adv.Marc.iv.18

11 And it came to pass the day after, that he was going into a city called Nain;
and many of his disciples were going with him, and a great multitude.
12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city,
behold, a dead man was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow:
and a considerable multitude of the city was with her.
13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her,
Weep not.
14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still.
And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak.
And he delivered him to his mother.
16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying,
That a great prophet is risen up among us;
and, That God hath visited his people.
17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea,
and throughout all the region round about.

18 And the disciples of John told him of all these things.
And John was scandalized.
Adv.Marc.iv.18
19 And John calling unto him a certain two of his disciples
sent them to Jesus, saying,
Art thou he that cometh? or look we for another?
20 And when the men were come unto him, they said,
John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying,
Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
21 And in that same hour he cured many of infirmities and plagues
and of evil spirits; and unto many blind he gave sight.
22 Then Jesus answering said unto them,
Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard;
how that the blind see, the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
to the poor have good tidings been announced to them.
23 And blessed is he, if he [John] shall not be offended in me.
Panarion 42

24 And when the messengers of John were departed,
he began to speak unto the multitudes concerning John.
What went ye out into the wilderness to gaze at?
A reed shaken with the wind?
25 But what are ye come out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment?
Behold, they which are in gorgeous apparel, and delicacy, are in kings' courts.
26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet?
Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
27 This is he, of whom it is written,
Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,
which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Panarion 42
28 For I say unto you,
Among those that are born of women
a greater prophet than John the Baptist,
there is none:
but he that is least in the kingdom of God
is greater than he.

Zahn omits:

[29 And all the people, when they heard it, and the publicans, justified God,
being baptized with the baptism of John.
30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God unto themselves,
being not baptized of him.
31 And the Lord said,
Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation?
and to what are they like?
32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace,
and calling one to another, and saying,
We have piped unto you, and ye did not dance;
we have mourned to you, and ye did not weep.
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine;
and ye say, He hath a demon.
34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say,
Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber,
a friend of publicans and sinners!
35 And wisdom was justified of all her children].

Adv.Marc.iv.18 ;Panarion 42

36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him.
And he went into the Pharisee's house, and reclined to eat.
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner,
when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee's house,
brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping,
and began to wash his feet with tears,
and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet,
and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it,
he spake within himself, saying,
This man, if he were a prophet,
would have known who and what manner of woman
this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him,
Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee.
And he saith, Teacher, say on.
41 A certain money-lender had two debtors:
the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he forgave them both.
Tell me therefore, which of them will love him more?
43 Simon answered and said,
I suppose that he, to whom he forgave the more.
And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon,
Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house:
water for my feet thou gavest not;
but she hath wetted my feet with tears,
and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 A kiss thou gavest me not:
but she since the time I came in hath not ceased kissing my feet.
Panarion 42

46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint:
but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 For the sake of which I say unto thee,
Her sins which are many are forgiven;
[for she loved much:
but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.]
49 And they that were reclining with him began to say within themselves,
Who is this that even forgiveth sins ?
50 And he said to the woman,
Thy faith hath saved thee; go into peace.

Early Christian Writings is copyright © Peter Kirby <E-Mail>.