Mark 1

Mc 1.1Initium Evangeliī Iēsū Chrīstī, Fīliī Deī.

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God.

Note. Mark's opening is a title with no verb. Evangelium is a Greek loanword, 'good news'; in Christian Latin it becomes 'the gospel'. Chrīstus is Greek for 'anointed', the equivalent of the Hebrew 'Messiah'. Iēsū is genitive: Iēsūs has -um in the accusative and -ū in the other oblique cases.

Mc 1.2Sīcut scrīptum est in Isaiā prophētā: "Ecce ego mittō angelum meum ante faciem tuam, quī praeparābit viam tuam ante tē.

Just as it has been written in Isaiah the prophet: "Look, I send my messenger before your face, who will make ready your road before you.

Note. The quotation (in the editors' brackets, here in quotation marks) runs on into the next verse; it combines Malachi 3:1 with Isaiah 40:3, though Mark names only Isaiah. Ecce, 'look!', is very common in Biblical Latin. quī praeparābit: relative clause with a future indicative.

Mc 1.3Vōx clāmantis in dēsertō: Parāte viam Dominī, rēctās facite sēmitās eius."

A voice of one shouting in the desert: Make ready the road of the Lord, make his paths straight."

Note. Vōx clāmantis: 'the voice of one crying out', a present participle used as a noun. Parāte … facite: plural imperatives. rēctās facite sēmitās: the adjective is predicative, 'make the paths straight'.

Mc 1.4Fuit Iōannēs in dēsertō baptizāns, et praedicāns baptismum poenitentiae in remissiōnem peccātōrum.

John was in the desert, baptizing, and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Note. Fuit … baptizāns, et praedicāns: the participles describe what John was doing, almost like a progressive tense ('was baptizing'). poenitentiae: the Clementine spelling of paenitentia. in remissiōnem: in + accusative of purpose, 'for the forgiveness'.

Mc 1.5Et ēgrediēbātur ad eum omnis Iūdaeae regiō, et Ierosolymītae ūniversī, et baptizābantur ab illō in Iordānis flūmine, cōnfitentēs peccāta sua.

And there went out to him all the region of Judea, and the Jerusalem people, all of them, and they were being baptized by him in the river of the Jordan, confessing their sins.

Note. Note the imperfects ēgrediēbātur and baptizābantur: people kept coming. The verb is singular with the nearer subject (omnis Iūdaeae regiō). cōnfitentēs: present participle of the deponent cōnfiteor.

Mc 1.6Et erat Iōannēs vestītus pīlīs camēlī, et zōnā pelliceā circā lumbōs eius, et locustās et mel silvestre edēbat.

And John was clothed with hairs of a camel, and with a belt of skin around his loins, and he was eating locusts and woodland honey.

Note. vestītus pīlīs camēlī: ablative of means, 'clothed with camel's hair'. zōnā pelliceā: still ablative, 'with a leather belt'. John's dress recalls the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8). ēdēbat, from edō, 'eat' (short e), not ēdō 'give out'.

Mc 1.7Et praedicābat dīcēns: Venit fortior mē post mē, cuius nōn sum dignus prōcumbēns solvere corrigiam calceāmentōrum eius.

And he was proclaiming, saying: "There comes one stronger than me after me, of whom I am not worthy, bending down, to loosen the strap of his shoes.

Note. fortior mē: ablative of comparison, 'stronger than I'. cuius … solvere corrigiam calceāmentōrum eius: Latin keeps the Greek pattern of a relative pronoun followed by eius, 'whose sandal-strap … his'. Untying sandals was a slave's task. dignus + infinitive is late; Classical Latin prefers dignus quī + subjunctive.

Mc 1.8Ego baptizāvī vōs aquā, ille vērō baptizābit vōs Spīritū Sānctō.

I baptized you with water, but that one will baptize you with Holy Spirit."

Note. aquā … Spīritū Sānctō: ablatives of means. Spīritus Sānctus is simply spīritus + the adjective sānctus.

Mc 1.9Et factum est: in diēbus illīs vēnit Iēsus ā Nazareth Galilaeae: et baptizātus est ā Iōanne in Iordāne.

And it was done: in those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Note. Et factum est …: 'and it came to pass', a Hebraism that introduces a new episode; the event follows as a separate main clause (vēnit). Nazareth is indeclinable; here ablative after ā.

Mc 1.10Et statim ascendēns dē aquā, vīdit caelōs apertōs, et Spīritum tamquam columbam dēscendentem, et manentem in ipsō.

And at once, going up from the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove coming down, and staying on him.

Note. ascendēns: the participle is nominative, referring to Jesus. vīdit caelōs apertōs: in Christian Latin caelum often has a masculine plural caelī, 'the heavens'. tamquam columbam: 'like a dove'.

Mc 1.11Et vōx facta est dē caelīs: Tū es Fīlius meus dīlēctus, in tē complacuī.

And a voice was made from the heavens: "You are my Son, loved; in you I have been well pleased."

Note. Tū es Fīlius meus dīlēctus: words echoing Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1. dīlēctus is the perfect participle of dīligō, 'beloved'. complacuī in tē: 'I am well pleased in you'; the perfect describes a settled state.

Mc 1.12Et statim Spīritus expulit eum in dēsertum.

And at once the Spirit drove him out into the desert.

Mc 1.13Et erat in dēsertō quadrāgintā diēbus, et quadrāgintā noctibus: et tentābātur ā Satanā: eratque cum bēstiīs, et angelī ministrābant illī.

And he was in the desert for forty days and forty nights, and he was being tested by Satan; and he was with the beasts, and angels were serving him.

Note. quadrāgintā diēbus: an ablative for duration, where Classical Latin would use the accusative. tentābātur: the Clementine spelling of temptābātur. illī: dative with ministrābant, 'served him'.

Mc 1.14Postquam autem trāditus est Iōannēs, vēnit Iēsus in Galilaeam, praedicāns Evangelium regnī Deī,

But after John had been handed over, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom of God,

Note. trāditus est: 'was handed over', i.e. arrested. The same verb trādō is later used of Judas 'betraying' Jesus (3.19).

Mc 1.15et dīcēns: Quoniam implētum est tempus, et appropinquāvit regnum Deī: poenitēminī, et crēdite Evangeliō.

and saying: "Fulfilled is the time, and the kingdom of God has drawn near: repent, and believe the Gospel."

Note. Quoniam implētum est: here quoniam simply introduces the quoted words, like a colon or quotation marks ('recitative' quoniam, copying Greek hoti); do not translate it. poenitēminī: present imperative of the deponent paeniteor, a Late Latin form of paeniteō, 'repent'. crēdite Evangeliō: crēdō takes the dative.

Mc 1.16Et praeteriēns secus mare Galilaeae, vīdit Simōnem, et Andream frātrem eius, mittentēs rētia in mare (erant enim piscātōrēs),

And passing along beside the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and Andrew his brother, sending nets into the sea (for they were fishermen),

Note. secus mare: secus as a preposition with the accusative, 'beside', is late. mittentēs: accusative plural, agreeing with Simōnem et Andream. The 'sea' of Galilee is a large freshwater lake.

Mc 1.17et dīxit eīs Iēsus: Venīte post mē, et faciam vōs fierī piscātōrēs hominum.

and Jesus said to them: "Come after me, and I will make you become fishermen of people."

Note. Venīte post mē: 'come after me', i.e. follow me. faciam vōs fierī: faciō + accusative and infinitive, 'I will make you become', a construction rare in Classical Latin.

Mc 1.18Et prōtinus relictīs rētibus, secūtī sunt eum.

And at once, the nets having been left, they followed him.

Note. relictīs rētibus: ablative absolute, 'their nets having been left'. secūtī sunt: perfect of the deponent sequor.

Mc 1.19Et prōgressus inde pusillum, vīdit Iacōbum Zebedaeī, et Iōannem frātrem eius, et ipsōs compōnentēs rētia in nāvī:

And having gone forward from there a little, he saw James of Zebedee, and John his brother, and them too putting nets in order in the ship;

Note. Iacōbum Zebedaeī: 'James (son) of Zebedee'; the genitive of the father's name is a regular way to say 'son of'. ipsōs: 'them too', i.e. like Simon and Andrew.

Mc 1.20et statim vocāvit illōs. Et relictō patre suō Zebedaeō in nāvī cum mercēnāriīs, secūtī sunt eum.

and at once he called them. And, their father Zebedee having been left in the ship with the hired men, they followed him.

Mc 1.21Et ingrediuntur Capharnaum: et statim sabbatīs ingressus in synagōgam, docēbat eōs.

And they go into Capernaum; and at once, on the sabbaths, having gone into the synagogue, he was teaching them.

Note. ingrediuntur: a historic present; Mark often shifts into the present for vividness. sabbatīs: the plural is used of a single Sabbath, following Greek usage. Capharnaum is indeclinable.

Mc 1.22Et stupēbant super doctrīnā eius: erat enim docēns eōs quasi potestātem habēns, et nōn sīcut scrībae.

And they were stunned at his teaching; for he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes.

Note. quasi potestātem habēns: 'as one having authority'. The scribes were experts in the Law of Moses who taught by citing earlier authorities.

Mc 1.23Et erat in synagōgā eōrum homō in spīritū immundō: et exclāmāvit,

And there was in their synagogue a man in an unclean spirit; and he shouted out,

Note. homō in spīritū immundō: 'a man in (the power of) an unclean spirit', a Hebraic use of in.

Mc 1.24dīcēns: Quid nōbīs et tibi, Iēsū Nazarēne? vēnistī perdere nōs? sciō quī sīs, Sānctus Deī.

saying: "What to us and to you, Jesus the Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."

Note. Quid nōbīs et tibi?: literally 'What (is there) to us and to you?', a Hebrew idiom meaning 'What have we to do with each other? Leave us alone.' sciō quī sīs: indirect question with the subjunctive. Sānctus Deī: 'the Holy One of God'.

Mc 1.25Et comminātus est eī Iēsus, dīcēns: Obmūtēsce, et exī dē homine.

And Jesus threatened him, saying: "Become silent, and go out from the man."

Note. comminātus est: comminor in the Gospels means 'rebuke sternly'. Obmūtēsce: inceptive verb, 'become silent'.

Mc 1.26Et discerpēns eum spīritus immundus, et exclāmāns vōce magnā, exiit ab eō.

And the unclean spirit, tearing him and shouting out with a great voice, went out from him.

Note. discerpēns eum: the spirit 'tearing' the man, i.e. throwing him into a fit.

Mc 1.27Et mīrātī sunt omnēs, ita ut conquīrerent inter sē dīcentēs: Quidnam est hoc? quaenam doctrīna haec nova? quia in potestāte etiam spīritibus immundīs imperat, et obēdiunt eī.

And all were amazed, so that they were asking among themselves, saying: "What ever is this? What ever is this new teaching? Because with power he gives orders even to the unclean spirits, and they obey him."

Note. ita ut conquīrerent: result clause. quia in potestāte …: quia, 'for, because'. obēdiunt: Clementine spelling of oboediunt; oboediō takes the dative (eī).

Mc 1.28Et prōcessit rūmor eius statim in omnem regiōnem Galilaeae.

And the talk about him went out at once into every region of Galilee.

Mc 1.29Et prōtinus ēgredientēs dē synagōgā, vēnērunt in domum Simōnis et Andreae, cum Iacōbō et Iōanne.

And at once, going out from the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

Mc 1.30Dēcumbēbat autem socrus Simōnis febricitāns: et statim dīcunt eī dē illā.

But the mother-in-law of Simon was lying in bed, feverish; and at once they speak to him about her.

Note. socrus, -ūs is a feminine fourth-declension noun. dīcunt: historic present again. Simon (Peter) was therefore married.

Mc 1.31Et accēdēns ēlevāvit eam, apprehēnsā manū eius: et continuō dīmīsit eam febris, et ministrābat eīs.

And approaching, he raised her, her hand having been grasped; and at once the fever let her go, and she was serving them.

Note. apprehēnsā manū eius: ablative absolute, 'her hand having been taken'. ministrābat eīs: 'she began to serve them' (inceptive imperfect).

Mc 1.32Vespere autem factō cum occidisset sōl, afferēbant ad eum omnēs male habentēs, et daemonia habentēs:

But evening having come, when the sun had set, they were bringing to him all having it badly, and having demons;

Note. Vespere factō: ablative absolute, 'evening having come'. The Sabbath ended at sunset, after which people could carry the sick. male habentēs: 'those who were unwell' (habeō + adverb = 'be in a certain condition').

Mc 1.33et erat omnis cīvitās congregāta ad iānuam.

and the whole town was gathered at the door.

Mc 1.34Et cūrāvit multōs, quī vexābantur variīs languōribus, et daemonia multa ēiiciēbat, et nōn sinēbat ea loquī, quoniam sciēbant eum.

And he cured many who were being troubled with various sicknesses, and many demons he was throwing out, and he was not allowing them to speak, since they knew him.

Note. nōn sinēbat ea loquī: sinō + accusative and infinitive, 'he did not allow them to speak'. ēiiciēbat: the Clementine spelling ēiiciō for ēiciō.

Mc 1.35Et dīlūculō valdē surgēns, ēgressus abiit in dēsertum locum, ibique ōrābat.

And very early at dawn, rising, having gone out he went away into a deserted place, and there he was praying.

Mc 1.36Et prōsecūtus est eum Simōn, et quī cum illō erant.

And Simon pursued him, and those who were with him.

Mc 1.37Et cum invēnissent eum, dīxērunt eī: Quia omnēs quaerunt tē.

And when they had found him, they said to him: "Everyone is seeking you."

Note. Quia omnēs quaerunt tē: another 'recitative' quia introducing direct speech; leave it untranslated.

Mc 1.38Et ait illīs: Eāmus in proximōs vīcōs, et cīvitātēs, ut et ibi praedicem: ad hoc enim vēnī.

And he says to them: "Let us go into the nearest villages and towns, so that there too I may proclaim; for to this end I came."

Note. Eāmus: hortatory subjunctive, 'let us go'. ad hoc enim vēnī: 'for this (purpose) I came'.

Mc 1.39Et erat praedicāns in synagōgīs eōrum, et in omnī Galilaeā, et daemonia ēiiciēns.

And he was proclaiming in their synagogues, and in all Galilee, and throwing out demons.

Mc 1.40Et vēnit ad eum leprōsus dēprecāns eum: et genū flexō dīxit eī: Sī vīs, potes mē mundāre.

And a leper comes to him, pleading with him; and with knee bent he said to him: "If you are willing, you are able to make me clean."

Note. genū flexō: ablative absolute, 'with knee bent'. Sī vīs: 'if you are willing'; vīs is from volō, not the noun vīs.

Mc 1.41Iēsus autem misertus eius, extendit manum suam: et tangēns eum, ait illī: Volō: mundāre.

But Jesus, having taken pity on him, stretched out his hand; and touching him, he says to him: "I am willing: be made clean."

Note. misertus eius: misereor takes the genitive. Volō: 'I do want to'. mundāre: here the present passive imperative, 'be made clean', identical in form to the infinitive.

Mc 1.42Et cum dīxisset, statim discessit ab eō lepra, et mundātus est.

And when he had spoken, at once the leprosy went away from him, and he was made clean.

Mc 1.43Et comminātus est eī, statimque ēiēcit illum,

And he spoke sternly to him, and at once threw him out,

Mc 1.44et dīcit eī: Vidē nēminī dīxerīs: sed vāde, ostende tē prīncipī sacerdōtum, et offer prō ēmundātiōne tuā, quae praecēpit Mōysēs in testimōnium illīs.

and he says to him: "See you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the chief of the priests, and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

Note. Vidē nēminī dīxerīs: 'see that you tell no one'; nē + perfect subjunctive is the regular prohibition, and here vidē simply introduces it. The law of Leviticus 14 required a healed leper to be inspected by a priest and to offer sacrifice. in testimōnium illīs: 'as evidence for them'.

Mc 1.45At ille ēgressus coepit praedicāre, et diffāmāre sermōnem, ita ut iam nōn posset manifestē introīre in cīvitātem, sed forīs in dēsertīs locīs esset, et conveniēbant ad eum undique.

But that man, having gone out, began to proclaim and to spread about the account, so that he was now not able to go openly into a town, but was outside in deserted places; and they were coming together to him from all sides.

Note. coepit praedicāre: 'began to proclaim'. ita ut … nōn posset … sed … esset: result clause. diffāmāre sermōnem: 'spread the story abroad'.