Mark was the traveling companion of both Paul and Peter, and wrote this Gospel from the Roman perspective. He was a seasoned veteran of the Christian walk, well versed in apostolic teaching, and had extensive missionary experience under wise guides. He was the cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10) and participated in early stages of Paul’s first missionary journey. For some reason he did not finish the journey, but went back to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). Later on, Paul would not have Mark on his mission team because of this desertion (Acts 15:38). Yet in later years he and Paul were reconciled (Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24). Paul regarded him as one of the few who were faithful to his ministry to the end (2 Timothy 4:11). There is good evidence that this gospel reflects Peter’s contributions, and that they had close ties (1 Peter 5:13). Tradition holds that Mark wrote primarily for a largely Gentile audience resident in Rome, as he seeks to encourage them to follow and keep following Jesus Christ.
Mark 1
1:1-8 John the Baptist prepares the way
1:9-11 The baptism of Jesus
1:12-13 The temptation of Jesus
1:14-20 Jesus calls four fisherman
1:21-28 Jesus casts out demons
1:29-34 Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law
1:35-39 Jesus on preaching tour
1:40-45 Jesus cleanses a leper
Mark 2
2:1-12 Jesus heals a palsied man
2:13-14 Jesus calls Levi
2:15-17 Jesus eats with sinners
2:18-22 The question about fasting
2:23-28 The purpose of the Sabbath
Mark 3
3:1-6 Jesus heals on the Sabbath
3:7-12 Many healed at the seaside
3:13-21 Jesus chooses his disciples
3:22-30 The unpardonable sin
3:31-35 Jesus’ true kin
Mark 4
4:1-20 The parable of the sower
4:21-25 A candle under a bushel
4:26-29 The parable of the seed
4:30-32 The parable of the mustard seed
4:33-34 Jesus’ use of parables
4:35-41 Jesus quiets the sea
Mark 5
5:1-20 The Gadarene demoniac healed
5:21-43 Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter and heals a woman
Mark 6
6:1-6 Unbelief in Nazareth
6:7-13 Jesus sends the twelve to preach and to heal
6:14-29 John the Baptist is beheaded
6:30-44 Jesus feeds five thousand
6:45-52 Jesus walks on the sea
6:53-56 Jesus heals many at Gennesaret
Mark 7
7:1-23 Jesus explains what defiles
7:24-30 The Syrophoenician woman’s faith
7:31-37 Christ heals a deaf and dumb man
Mark 8
8:1-10 Jesus feeds four thousand
8:11-13 The demand for a sign
8:14-21 The leaven of the Pharisees
8:22-26 Christ heals a blind man
8:27-30 Peter’s confession
8:31-38 Christ foretells his death
Mark 9
9:1-13 The transfiguration
9:14-29 The powerlessness of the disciples
9:30-32 Christ again speaks of his death
9:33-41 Who is the greatest?
9:42-50 Temptations to sin
Mark 10
10:1-12 Jesus on divorce
10:13-16 Christ blesses children
10:17-31 The rich young ruler
10:32-34 Christ again speaks of his death
10:35-45 The request of James and John
10:46-52 Blind Bartimeus receives sight
Mark 11
11:1-11 The triumphal entry into Jerusalem
11:12-14 Christ curses a fig tree
11:15-19 Christ cleanses the temple
11:20-26 The lesson from the withered fig tree
11:27-33 Christ’s authority questioned
Mark 12
12:1-12 The parable of the wicked husbandmen
12:13-17 The question of tribute to Caesar
12:18-27 The question about the resurrection
12:28-34 The great commandment
12:35-37 The question of David’s son
12:38-40 Christ denounces the scribes
12:41-44 The widow’s offering
Mark 13
13:1-23 Signs of the end
13:24-37 The coming of the Son of man
Mark 14
14:1-2 The chief priests plot against Jesus
14:3-9 Christ anointed at Bethany
14:10-11 The conspiracy of Judas
14:12-25 Jesus Christ eats the passover with his disciples
14:26-31 Peter’s denial foretold
14:32-42 Gethsemane
14:43-52 The betrayal and arrest of Christ
14:53-65 Christ before the high priest
14:66-72 Peter denies Jesus
Mark 15
15:1-5 Jesus Christ before Pilate
15:6-19 Christ sentenced to die
15:20-41 The crucifixion
15:42-47 The burial of Jesus
Mark 16
16:1-8 The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
16:9-13 Christ appears to his disciples
16:14-18 Christ commissions the eleven
16:19-20 The ascension
