Bible Matters 523: Mark Gospel of Love – ESV

The bible lessons for this ministry have been taken from the 1611 King’s James Version (KJV).  Many say it is hard to read.  From experience, the later translations will remove complete verses and the meaning of the verse may change.  In this study, I simply compare the verses from Bible Matters 498 Mark Gospel of Love between the KJV 1611 version and the ESV (English Standard Version.)  If the ESV version does not change the meaning, the ESV verse will be highlighted in green.  Errors or omissions between the versions are highlighted in red. 

As you study the New Testament using the preponderance of evidence standard, you can see the doctrine from the books align.  This is to be expected as the eight witnesses talked to each other.  Mark was not one of the original twelve apostles, but is believed to have walked with Jesus as one of his disciples.  The man that wore the linen cloth and fled naked after they pulled the cloth to cover Jesus, during his walk with the cross, is believed to have been Mark,

KJV – Mark 14:51-52 – And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

ESV – Mark 14:51-52 – And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Paul had high regard for Mark’s doctrine.  Mark was profitable for the ministry. 

KJV – 2 Timothy 4:11 – Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

ESV – 2 Timothy 4:11 – Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.

Matthew, Mark and Luke wrote similar gospels of Jesus’s walk on earth.  They were similar, but different enough to lead you to believe that the gospels were not copied.  Paul had high required for Mark’s doctrine and there is no doubt that Mark was one of God’s dedicated historians that effectively captured God’s gospel of Love.   God wanted all three of these gospels to be recorded in the New Testament. 

Let’s review Mark’s testimony on God’s gospel of Love. 

• Believe in one God – When you believe in the one true God, you believe the gospel and have faith in God.

KJV – Mark 12:29 – And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

ESV – Mark 12:29 – Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Missing statement as first commandment.

KJV – Mark 12:32 – And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

ESV – Mark 12:32 – And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.

KJV – Mark 4:11 – And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

ESV – Mark 4:11 – And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables,

KJV – Mark 10:27 – And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

ESV – Mark 10:27 – Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

KJV – Mark 10:6 – But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.

ESV – Mark 10:27 – Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

KJV – Mark 11:22 – And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

ESV – Mark 11:22 – And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 

• Repent of your sins and surrender to God – Your walk with God begins when you turn from your sinful past, are converted and live the gospel.  Do not let sin rule your life.

KJV – Mark 1:15 – And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

ESV – Mark 1:15 – and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

KJV – Mark 2:17 – When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

ESV – Mark 2:17 – And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. (Missing to repentance.)

KJV – Mark 11:25-26 – And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

ESV – Mark 11:25-26 – And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. (Missing verse 26)

KJV – Mark 4:12 – That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

ESV – Mark 4:12 – so that “‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven. (Turn vs converted.)

KJV – Mark 9:47 – And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

ESV – Mark 9:47 – And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 

• Judge no one – Judge your pure walk against God’s word.  All things are possible with God.  If someone doesn’t receive you, the walk away.  

KJV – Mark 10:27 – And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

ESV – Mark 10:27 – Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

KJV – Mark 6:11 – And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.

ESV – Mark 6:11 – And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them. Missing warning

• Love God – Pray, do good and turn from sin.  Your walk will be your testimony.

KJV – Mark 12:30 – And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

ESV – Mark 12:30 – And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  (Missing the first commandment)

KJV – Mark 12:33 – And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

ESV – Mark 12:33 – And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

• Love your Neighbor – Your rewards by showing love of neighbor will earn you more than all your religious works.

KJV – Mark 12:31 – And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

ESV – Mark 12:31 – The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

KJV – Mark 12:32-33 – And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:  And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

ESV – Mark 12:32-33 – And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.  And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

• Do the will of God unto eternal life.  Heaven is real.  Your brothers and sisters are those that do the will of God.  Eternal life is available to those that follow the doctrine of love delivered by the prophets.

KJV – Mark 3:31-35 – There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.  And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.  And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?  And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!  For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

ESV – Mark 3:31-35 – And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him.  And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.”  And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”  And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!  For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

KJV – Mark 10:17,21 – And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lack: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

ESV – Mark 10:17,21 – And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

KJV – Mark 10:29-31 – And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,  But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.  But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

ESV – Mark 10:29-31 – Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,  who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

KJV – Mark 13:13 – And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

ESV – Mark 13:13 – And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Mark recognized that only God can forgive sins.

KJV – Mark 2:7 – Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

ESV – Mark 2:7 – “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Believe that God has a plan for you.  Have faith and worship only God.  Do not let any man, any church or any church leader, lead you into believing the Jesus did it all and you do not have to show your faith by doing God’s will.  Do not be deceived.  God is looking for you to go live God’s gospel of Love.    

Summary:

As you can, bible translations are not equal.  The ESV appears to be light on repentance.  It may not seem like much, but was you leave out verses, the preponderance of evidence testimony may not be confirmed.  If we search Mark in the ESV translation for repent, you find 3 verses.

Mark 1:4 ESV – John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Mark 1:15 ESV – and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Mark 6:12 ESV – So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.

Remember that you will be judged by God. God’s commandments are important.  Forgive those that have crossed you.  Repent, be converted to a child of God and turn from your sins.  Repentance is mandatory to be with God, when you pass from this earth.  

As for me, I will continue my lessons from the 1611 KJV translation. 

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.