Gospel Parallels: Prologues

Mark 1:1 || Matthew 1:1 || Luke 1:1-2 || John 1:1-18

Parallel is from Aland’s Synopsis of the Four Gospels, parallel #1

Mark

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark 1.1 NET)

Matthew

This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1.1 NET)

Luke

Now many have undertaken to compile an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, like the accounts (Luke 1.1–2 NET)

John

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.

A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name —he has given the right to become God’s children —children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.

Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. John testified about him and shouted out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’” For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known. (John 1.1–18 NET)

The previous translation is from the NET Bible translation. Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.