Mark, Gospel according to

The Gospel according to Mark is the second book of the New Testament and, by most modern assessments, the earliest of the four Gospels, probably written in Rome in the late 50s or early 60s A.D. It is the shortest and most action-oriented Gospel, characterized by rapid narrative movement (the Greek word euthys, meaning immediately, appears some forty times), vivid eyewitness detail, and an emphasis on Jesus's deeds rather than his teaching. The Gospel opens with John the Baptist's ministry, moves directly to Jesus's baptism and temptation, and sustains an urgent pace through healing, exorcism, and controversy until the extended Passion narrative that occupies roughly a third of the book.

Ancient tradition from Papias (quoted by Eusebius) states that Mark recorded Peter's preaching accurately though not in strict chronological order, which accounts for both its immediacy and its selective coverage. The Gospel's ending at 16:8, with the women fleeing the empty tomb in fear, is textually supported as the original conclusion — the longer endings (16:9–20) are widely regarded as later additions. Mark's portrait of Jesus centers on his authority as the Son of God and suffering Son of Man.