Mark wrote his Gospel in ancient Greek. Which in fact is the language of the entire New Testament. Today, few people can read or understand ancient Greek. Even its alphabet is unlike ours. So quite naturally, most rely on translations. But when one language is translated into another, interpretations of specific words or phrases can vary.

It is comforting to know that the original Greek has survived intact, because it is the one version whose authenticity is absolute. For many, to see or hear Mark’s actual and original words – even without understanding them – is like standing on holy ground.

Below is the opening of the Gospel of Mark (Verses 1 and 2) in both the original Greek and in English translation. By clicking on the audio, you can hear first the English and then Mark’s original Greek – just as he wrote it more than twenty centuries ago.