Gospel - wikipedia Gospel This article is about books written about the life of Jesus. For the Good News of salvation through Jesus, The gospel. For other uses, see Gospel music, Gospel ( disambiguation ), or The Four Gospels ( disambiguation ). The first page of the Gospel of Mark in Armenian, by Sargis Pitsak, 14th century. Gospel ( / ˈɡɒspəl / ) is the Old English translation of Greek εὐαγγέλιον, evangelion, meaning `` good news ''. It originally meant the Christian message itself, but in the 2nd century it came to be used for the books in which the message was set out. The four gospels of the New Testament -- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John -- are the main source of information on the life of Jesus. For various reasons modern scholars are cautious of relying on them uncritically, but nevertheless they do provide a good idea of the public career of Jesus, and critical study can attempt to distinguish the original ideas of Jesus from those of the later authors. Contents 1 Composition of the canonical gospels ( Matthew, Mark, Luke and John ) 1.1 Authors, dates and sources 1.2 Contents 2 Genre and reliability 3 Canonisation and the non-canonical gospels 3.1 Canonisation 3.2 Non-canonical gospels 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 6.1 Citations 6.2 Bibliography 7 External links Composition of the canonical gospels ( Matthew, Mark, Luke and John ) The Synoptics sources : the Gospel of Mark ( the triple tradition ), Q ( the double tradition ), and material unique to Matthew ( the M source ), Luke ( the L source ), and Mark Main articles : Synoptic problem and Oral gospel traditions Authors, dates and sources Main article : Synoptic gospels The four canonical gospels, like the rest of the New Testament, were written in Greek. The Gospel of Mark probably dates from c. AD 66 -- 70, Matthew and Luke around AD 85 -- 90, and John AD 90 -- 110. Despite the traditional ascriptions, all four are anonymous, and none were written by eyewitnesses. In the immediate aftermath of Jesus ' death his followers expected him to return at any moment, certainly within their own lifetimes, and in consequence there was little motivation to write anything down for future generations, but as eyewitnesses began to die, and as the missionary needs of the church grew, there was an increasing demand and need for written versions of the founder 's life and teachings. The stages of this process can be summarised as follows : Oral traditions -- stories and sayings passed on largely as separate self - contained units, not in any order ; Written collections of miracle stories, parables, sayings, etc., with oral tradition continuing alongside these ; Written proto - gospels preceding and serving as sources for the gospels -- the dedicatory preface of Luke, for example, testifies to the existence of previous accounts of the life of Jesus. Gospels formed by combining proto - gospels, written collections and still - current oral tradition. Mark, the first gospel to be written, uses a variety of sources, including conflict stories ( Mark 2 : 1 -- 3 : 6 ), apocalyptic discourse ( 4 : 1 -- 35 ), and collections of sayings, although not the sayings gospel known as the Gospel of Thomas and probably not the Q source used by Matthew and Luke. The authors of Matthew and Luke, acting independently, used Mark for their narrative of Jesus 's career, supplementing it with the collection of sayings called the Q document and additional material unique to each called the M source ( Matthew ) and the L source ( Luke ). Mark, Matthew and Luke are called the synoptic gospels because of the close similarities between them in terms of content, arrangement, and language. The authors and editors of John may have known the synoptics, but did not use them in the way that Matthew and Luke used Mark. There is a near - consensus that this gospel had its origins as a `` signs '' source ( or gospel ) that circulated within the Johannine community ( the community that produced John and the three epistles associated with the name ), later expanded with a Passion narrative and a series of discourses. All four also use the Jewish scriptures, by quoting or referencing passages, or by interpreting texts, or by alluding to or echoing biblical themes. Such use can be extensive : Mark 's description of the Parousia ( second coming ) is made up almost entirely of quotations from scripture. Matthew is full of quotations and allusions, and although John uses scripture in a far less explicit manner, its influence is still pervasive. Their source was the Greek version of the scriptures, called the Septuagint -- they do not seem familiar with the original Hebrew. Contents The gospels are memories of the deeds and words of Jesus. The four narratives share a story in which the earthly career of Jesus culminates in his death and resurrection, an event of crucial redemptive significance. The four are inconsistent in detail. John and the three synoptics relate the same basic story - line, but within this overall framework they present completely different pictures of Jesus ' career. John has no baptism, no temptation, no transfiguration, and lacks the Lord 's Supper and stories of Jesus ' ancestry, birth, and childhood. Jesus 's career in the synoptics takes up a single year while in John it takes three, with the cleansing of the Temple at the beginning of his ministry while in the synoptics it happens at the end, and in the synoptics the Last Supper takes place as a Passover meal, while in John it happens on the day before Passover. Mark, the first gospel, never calls Jesus `` God '' or claims that Jesus existed prior to his earthly life, never mentions a virgin birth ( the author apparently believes that Jesus had a normal human parentage and birth ), and makes no attempt to trace Jesus ' ancestry back to King David or Adam. Crucially, Mark originally had no post-resurrection appearances of Jesus, although Mark 16 : 7, in which the young man discovered in the tomb instructs the women to tell `` the disciples and Peter '' that Jesus will see them again in Galilee, hints that the author may have known of the tradition. Matthew reinterprets Mark, stressing Jesus ' teachings as much as his acts, and making subtle changes to the narrative in order to stress his divine nature -- Mark 's `` young man '' who appears at Jesus ' tomb, for example, becomes a radiant angel in Matthew. The miracle stories in Mark confirm Jesus ' status as an emissary of God ( which was Mark 's understanding of the Messiah ), but in Matthew they demonstrate his divinity. Luke, while following Mark 's plot more faithfully than does Matthew, has expanded on the source, corrected Mark 's grammar and syntax, and eliminated some passages entirely, notably most of chapters 6 and 7, which he apparently felt reflected poorly on the disciples and painted Jesus too much like a magician. The synoptic gospels represent Jesus as an exorcist and healer who preached in parables about the coming Kingdom of God. He preached first in Galilee and later in Jerusalem, where he cleansed the temple. He states that he offers no sign as proof ( Mark ) or only the sign of Jonah ( Matthew and Luke ). In Mark, apparently written with a Roman audience in mind, Jesus is a heroic man of action, given to powerful emotions, including agony. In Matthew, apparently written for a Jewish audience, Jesus is repeatedly called out as the fulfillment of Hebrew prophecy. In Luke, apparently written for gentiles, Jesus is especially concerned with the poor. Luke emphasizes the importance of prayer and the action of the Holy Spirit in Jesus 's life and in the Christian community. Jesus appears as a stoic supernatural being, unmoved even by his own crucifixion. Like Matthew, Luke insists that salvation offered by Christ is for all, and not only for the Jews. The Gospel of John is the only gospel to call Jesus God, and in contrast to Mark, where Jesus hides his identity as messiah, in John he openly proclaims it. It represents Jesus as an incarnation of the eternal Word ( Logos ), who spoke no parables, talked extensively about himself, and did not explicitly refer to a Second Coming. Jesus preaches in Jerusalem, launching his ministry with the cleansing of the temple. He performs several miracles as signs, most of them not found in the synoptics. The Gospel of John ends : ( 21 : 25 ) `` And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. '' Genre and reliability The consensus among modern scholars is that the gospels belong to the ancient genre of bios, or biography. Ancient biographies were concerned with providing examples for readers to emulate while preserving and promoting the subject 's reputation and memory, and so they included both propaganda and kerygma ( preaching ) in their works. Mark, for example, is not biography in the modern sense but an apocalyptic history depicting Jesus caught up in events at the end of time. Despite this, scholars are confident that the gospels do provide a good idea of the public career of Jesus, and that critical study can attempt to distinguish the ideas of Jesus from those of later authors and editors. As Luke 's attempt to link the birth of Jesus to the census of Quirinius demonstrates, there is no guarantee that the gospels are historically accurate. Matthew and Luke have frequently edited Mark to suit their own ends, and the contradictions and discrepancies between John and the synoptics make it impossible to accept both as reliable. In addition the gospels we read today have been edited and corrupted over time, leading Origen to complain in the 3rd century that `` the differences among manuscripts have become great,... ( because copyists ) either neglect to check over what they have transcribed, or, in the process of checking, they make additions or deletions as they please. '' For these reasons modern scholars are cautious of relying on the gospels uncritically, but nevertheless they do provide a good idea of the public career of Jesus, and critical study can attempt to distinguish the original ideas of Jesus from those of the later authors. Canonisation and the non-canonical gospels Main articles : Development of the New Testament canon and New Testament apocrypha Further information : Gnostic gospels Canonisation The creation of a Christian canon was probably a response to the career of the heretic Marcion ( c. 85 -- 160 ), who established a canon of his own with just one gospel, the gospel of Luke, which he edited to fit his own theology. The Muratorian canon, the earliest surviving list of books considered ( by its own author at least ) to form Christian scripture, included Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Irenaeus of Lyons went further, stating that there must be four gospels and only four because there were four corners of the Earth and thus the Church should have four pillars. Non-canonical gospels Epiphanius, Jerome and other early church fathers preserve in their writings citations from Jewish - Christian gospels. Most modern critical scholars consider that the extant citations suggest at least two and probably three distinct works, at least one of which ( possibly two ) closely parallels the Gospel of Matthew. The Gospel of Thomas is mostly wisdom without narrating Jesus 's life. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church says that the original may date from c. 150. It may represent a tradition independent from the canonical gospels, but that developed over a long time and was influenced by Matthew and Luke. While it can be understood in Gnostic terms, it lacks the characteristic features of Gnostic doctrine. It includes two unique parables, the parable of the empty jar and the parable of the assassin. It had been lost but was discovered, in a Coptic version dating from c. 350, at Nag Hammadi in 1945 -- 46, and three papyri, dated to c. 200, which contain fragments of a Greek text similar to but not identical with that in the Coptic language, have also been found. The Gospel of Peter was likely written in the first half of the 2nd century. It seems to be largely legendary, hostile toward Jews, and including docetic elements. It is a narrative gospel and is notable for asserting that Herod, not Pontius Pilate, ordered the crucifixion of Jesus. It had been lost but was rediscovered in the 19th century. The Gospel of Judas is another controversial and ancient text that purports to tell the story of the gospel from the perspective of Judas, the disciple who is usually said to have betrayed Jesus. It paints an unusual picture of the relationship between Jesus and Judas, in that it appears to interpret Judas 's act not as betrayal, but rather as an act of obedience to the instructions of Jesus. The text was recovered from a cave in Egypt by a thief and thereafter sold on the black market until it was finally discovered by a collector who, with the help of academics from Yale and Princeton, was able to verify its authenticity. The document itself does not claim to have been authored by Judas ( it is, rather, a gospel about Judas ), and is known to date to at least 180 AD. The Gospel of Mary was originally written in Greek during the 2nd century. It is often interpreted as a Gnostic text. It consists mainly of dialog between Mary Magdalene and the other disciples. It is typically not considered a gospel by scholars since it does not focus on the life of Jesus. The Gospel of Barnabas was a gospel which is claimed to be written by Barnabas, one of the apostles. It contradicts the ministry of Jesus in cannonical New Testament, but has clear parallels with the Islamic faith, by mentioning Muhammad as Messenger of God. It also strongly deny Pauline doctrine, and Jesus testified himself as a prophet, not the son of God. Marcion of Sinope, c. 150, had a much shorter version of the gospel of Luke, differing substantially from what has now become the standard text of the gospel and far less oriented towards the Jewish scriptures. Marcion is said to have rejected all other gospels, including those of Matthew, Mark and especially John, which he allegedly rejected as having been forged by Irenaeus. Marcion 's critics alleged that he had edited out the portions he did not like from the then canonical version, though Marcion is said to have argued that his text was the more genuinely original one. A genre of `` Infancy gospels '' ( Greek : protoevangelion ) arose in the 2nd century, and includes the Gospel of James, which introduces the concept of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary, and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas ( not to be confused with the absolutely different sayings Gospel of Thomas ), both of which related many miraculous incidents from the life of Mary and the childhood of Jesus that are not included in the canonical gospels. Another genre is that of the gospel harmony, in which the four canonical gospels are combined into a single narrative, either to present a consistent text or to produce a more accessible account of Jesus ' life. The oldest known harmony, the Diatessaron, was compiled by Tatian around 175, and may have been intended to replace the separate gospels as an authoritative text. It was accepted for liturgical purposes for as much as two centuries in Syria, but eventually developed a reputation as being heretical and was suppressed. Subsequent harmonies were written with the more limited aim of being study guides or explanatory texts. They still use all the words and only the words of the four gospels, but the possibility of editorial error, and the loss of the individual viewpoints of the separate gospels, keeps the harmony from being canonical. See also Book : Gospel Christianity portal Acts of the Apostles Agrapha Apocalyptic literature The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ Bodmer Papyri The gospel Gospel ( liturgy ) Gospel harmony Gospel in Islam Gospel of Marcion Infancy gospel Jesusism Jewish - Christian gospels List of gospels Notes Jump up ^ For gospel as the Christian message see the article The Gospel. Jump up ^ The priority of Mark is accepted by most scholars, but there are important dissenting opinions : see the article Synoptic problem. Jump up ^ The debate over the composition of John is too complex to be treated adequately in a single paragraph ; for a more nuanced view see Aune 's entry on the Gospel of John in the `` Westminster Dictionary of New Testament and Early Christian Literature '', pages 243 - 245. References Citations Jump up ^ Woodhead 2004, p. 4. ^ Jump up to : Cross & Livingstone 2005, p. 697. ^ Jump up to : Tuckett 2000, p. 523. ^ Jump up to : Reddish 2011, pp. 21 -- 22. ^ Jump up to : Sanders 1995, pp. 4 -- 5. Jump up ^ Honoré 1986, pp. 95 -- 147. Jump up ^ Porter 2006, p. 185. Jump up ^ Perkins 1998, p. 241. Jump up ^ Reddish 2011, pp. 108, 144. Jump up ^ Lincoln 2005, p. 18. Jump up ^ Reddish 2011, p. 42. Jump up ^ Reddish 2011, p. 17. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, pp. 124 -- 25. Jump up ^ Martens 2004, p. 100. Jump up ^ Boring 2006, pp. 13 -- 14. Jump up ^ Levine 2009, p. 6. Jump up ^ Goodacre 2001, p. 1. Jump up ^ Perkins 2012, p. unpaginated. Jump up ^ Burge 2014, p. 309. Jump up ^ Allen 2013, p. 43 - 44. Jump up ^ Edwards 2002, p. 403. Jump up ^ Beaton 2005, p. 122. Jump up ^ Lieu 2005, p. 175. Jump up ^ Allen 2013, p. 45. Jump up ^ Johnson 2010, p. 23. Jump up ^ Hurtado 2005, p. 587. Jump up ^ Ehrman 2005, p. 215. ^ Jump up to : Burkett 2002, p. 217. Jump up ^ Anderson 2011, p. 52. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, p. 158. Jump up ^ Parker 1997, p. 125. Jump up ^ Telford 1999, p. 149. Jump up ^ Beaton 2005, p. 117. Jump up ^ Morris 1986, p. 114. Jump up ^ Beaton 2005, p. 123. Jump up ^ Aune 1987, p. 59. Jump up ^ Johnson 2010, p. 48. Jump up ^ Funk, Robert W., Roy W. Hoover, and the Jesus Seminar. The five gospels. HarperSanFrancisco. 1993. ^ Jump up to : Harris, Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto : Mayfield. 1985 ^ Jump up to : Cross, F.L., ed. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. New York : Oxford University Press. 2005, article Luke, Gospel of St Jump up ^ Ehrman 2005, p. 143. Jump up ^ St. Matthew, `` The Thompson Chain - Reference Study Bible New King James Version '', ( B.B. Kirkbride Bible Co. Inc., 1997 ) p. 1258 verse 12 : 21, p. 1274, verse 21 : 43. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, p. 214. Jump up ^ Lincoln 2004, p. 133. Jump up ^ Dunn 2005, p. 174. Jump up ^ Donahue 2005, p. 15. Jump up ^ Ehrman 2005, p. 7, 52. Jump up ^ Ehrman 2005, p. 34. Jump up ^ Ehrman 2005, p. 35. Jump up ^ Philipp Vielhauer in Schneemelcher 's New Testament Apocrypha Vol. 1 ( 1971 ) English revised edition R. Wilson, of Neutestamentliche Apokryphen 1964 Hennecke & Schneemelcher ^ Jump up to : `` Thomas, Gospel of ''. Cross, F.L., ed. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. New York : Oxford University Press. 2005 Jump up ^ Funk, Robert W., Roy W. Hoover, and the Jesus Seminar. The five gospels. HarperSanFrancisco. 1993. `` The Gospel of Thomas '', pp. 471 -- 532. ^ Jump up to : `` Peter, Gospel of St. ''. Cross, F.L., ed. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. New York : Oxford University Press. 2005 Jump up ^ Ehrman, Bart ( 2003 ). The Lost Christianities. New York : Oxford University Press. p. xi. ISBN 978 - 0 - 19 - 514183 - 2. Jump up ^ Achtemeier, Paul J., Th. D., Harper 's Bible Dictionary, ( San Francisco : Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc. ; 1985 ). Jump up ^ Andrew E. Bernhard, Other Early Christian Gospels : A Critical Edition of the Surviving Greek Manuscripts, Library of New Testament Studies 315 ( London - New York : T & T Clark, 2006 ), p. 2. ISBN 0 - 567 - 04204 - 9. Jump up ^ Wiegers, G. ( 1995 ). `` Muhammad as the Messiah : A comparison of the polemical works of Juan Alonso with the Gospel of Barnabas ''. Biblitheca Orientalis Jump up ^ The church has made a point of supporting four separate gospels, `` equally authoritative and worth preserving as distinct witnesses. '' Gabel at 210. See also Metzger at 117 ; Gamble at 30 - 35. Bibliography Allen, O. Wesley ( 2013 ). Reading the Synoptic Gospels. Chalice Press. ISBN 9780827232273. Anderson, Paul N. ( 2011 ). The Riddles of the Fourth Gospel : An Introduction to John. Fortress Press. ISBN 9781451415551. Aune, David E. ( 2003 ). `` John, Gospel of ''. The Westminster Dictionary of New Testament and Early Christian Literature and Rhetoric. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664219178. Aune, David E. ( 1987 ). The New Testament in its literary environment. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 664 - 25018 - 8. Beaton, Richard C. ( 2005 ). `` How Matthew Writes ''. In Bockmuehl, Markus ; Hagner, Donald A. The Written Gospel. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 521 - 83285 - 4. Boring, M. Eugene ( 2006 ). Mark : A Commentary. Presbyterian Publishing Corp. ISBN 978 - 0 - 664 - 22107 - 2. Burge, Gary M. ( 2014 ). `` Gospel of John ''. In Evans, Craig A. Routledge Encyclopedia of the Historical Jesus. Routledge. ISBN 9781317722243. Burkett, Delbert ( 2002 ). An introduction to the New Testament and the origins of Christianity. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 521 - 00720 - 7. Burridge, R.A. ( 2006 ). `` Gospels ''. In Rogerson, J.W. ; Lieu, Judith M. The Oxford Handbook of Biblical Studies. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199254255. Charlesworth, James H. ( 2008 ). The Historical Jesus : An Essential Guide. Abingdon Press. ISBN 9780687021673. Cross, Frank Leslie ; Livingstone, Elizabeth A. ( 2005 ). The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780192802903. Donahue, John ( 2005 ). The Gospel of Mark. Liturgical Press. ISBN 9780814659656. Duling, Dennis C. ( 2010 ). `` The Gospel of Matthew ''. In Aune, David E. The Blackwell Companion to the New Testament. Wiley - Blackwell. ISBN 9781444318944. Dunn, James D.G. ( 2005 ). `` The Tradition ''. In Dunn, James D.G. ; McKnight, Scot. The Historical Jesus in Recent Research. Eisenbrauns. ISBN 9781575061009. Edwards, James R. ( 2015 ). The Gospel according to Luke. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 9780802837356. Edwards, James R. ( 2002 ). The Gospel according to Mark. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 9780851117782. Ehrman, Bart D. ( 2005 ). Misquoting Jesus. Harper Collins. Ehrman, Bart D. ( 2005 ). Lost Christianities. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195182491. Ehrman, Bart D. ( 1999 ). Jesus : Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199839438. Gabel, John ( et al. ) ( 1996 ). The Bible as Literature. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0 - 19 - 509285 - 6. Gamble, Harry ( 1985 ). The New Testament Canon : Its Making and Meaning. Fortress Press. ISBN 0 - 8006 - 0470 - 9. Goodacre, Mark ( 2001 ). The Synoptic Problem : A Way Through the Maze. A&C Black. ISBN 9780567080561. Harrington, Daniel J. ( 1991 ). The Gospel of Matthew. Liturgical Press. ISBN 9780814658031. Hatina, Thomas R. ( 2014 ). `` Gospel of Mark ''. In Evans, Craig A. Routledge Encyclopedia of the Historical Jesus. Routledge. ISBN 9781317722243. Honoré, A.M. ( 1986 ). `` A statistical study of the synoptic problem ''. Novum Testamentum. 10 ( 2 / 3 ) : 95 -- 147. doi : 10.2307 / 1560364. JSTOR 1560364. Hurtado, Larry W. ( 2005 ). Lord Jesus Christ : Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 9780802831675. Johnson, Luke Timothy ( 2010 ). The New Testament : A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199745999. Levine, Amy - Jill ( 2009 ). `` Introduction ''. In Levine, Amy - Jill ; Allison, Dale C. Jr. ; Crossan, John Dominic. The Historical Jesus in Context. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9781400827374. Johnson, Luke Timothy ( 2010 ). The Writings of the New Testament -- An Interpretation, 3rd ed. Fortress Press. ISBN 9781451413281. Lincoln, Andrew ( 2004 ). `` Reading John ''. In Porter, Stanley E. Reading the Gospels Today. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802805171. Lieu, Judith ( 2005 ). `` How John Writes ''. In Bockmuehl, Markus ; Hagner, Donald A. The Written Gospel. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 521 - 83285 - 4. Lincoln, Andrew ( 2005 ). Gospel According to St John. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781441188229. Martens, Allan ( 2004 ). `` Salvation Today : Reading Luke 's Message for a Gentile Audience ''. In Porter, Stanley E. Reading the Gospels Today. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802805171. Mckenzie, John L. ( 1995 ). The Dictionary of the Bible. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780684819136. McMahon, Christopher ( 2008 ). `` Introduction to the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles ''. In Ruff, Jerry. Understanding the Bible : A Guide to Reading the Scriptures. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780884898528. McNichol, Allan J. ( 2000 ). `` Gospel, Good News ''. In Freedman, David Noel ; Myers, Allen C. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Eerdmans. ISBN 9789053565032. Metzger, Bruce ( 2003 ). The New Testament : Its Background, Growth, and Content. Abingdon. ISBN 978 - 068 - 705 - 2639. Morris, Leon ( 1986 ). New Testament Theology. Zondervan. ISBN 978 - 0 - 310 - 45571 - 4. Nolland, John ( 2005 ). The Gospel of Matthew : A Commentary on the Greek Text. Eerdmans. O'Day, Gail R. ( 1998 ). `` John ''. In Newsom, Carol Ann ; Ringe, Sharon H. Women 's Bible Commentary. Westminster John Knox. ISBN 9780281072606. Parker, D.C. ( 1997 ). The Living Text of the Gospels. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521599511. Perkins, Pheme ( 1998 ). `` The Synoptic Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles : Telling the Christian Story ''. In Barton, John. The Cambridge companion to biblical interpretation. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 521 - 48593 - 7. Perkins, Pheme ( 2009 ). Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802865533. Perkins, Pheme ( 2012 ). Reading the New Testament : An Introduction. Paulist Press. ISBN 9780809147861. Porter, Stanley E. ( 2006 ). `` Language and Translation of the New Testament ''. In Rogerson, J.W. ; Lieu, Judith M. The Oxford Handbook of Biblical Studies. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199254255. Powell, Mark Allan ( 1998 ). Jesus as a Figure in History : How Modern Historians View the Man from Galilee. Eerdmans. ISBN 978 - 0 - 664 - 25703 - 3. Reddish, Mitchell ( 2011 ). An Introduction to The Gospels. Abingdon Press. ISBN 9781426750083. Sanders, E.P. ( 1995 ). The Historical Figure of Jesus. Penguin UK. ISBN 9780141928227. Senior, Donald ( 1996 ). What are they saying about Matthew ?. PaulistPress. ISBN 978 - 0 - 8091 - 3624 - 7. Telford, W.R. ( 1999 ). The Theology of the Gospel of Mark. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521439770. Tuckett, Christopher ( 2000 ). `` Gospel, Gospels ''. In Freedman, David Noel ; Myers, Allen C. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Eerdmans. ISBN 9789053565032. Woodhead, Linda ( 2004 ). Christianity : A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199687749. External links Quotations related to Gospel at Wikiquote Wikisource has the text of the 1905 New International Encyclopedia article Gospel. A detailed discussion of the textual variants in the gospels -- covering about 1200 variants on 2000 pages. Greek New Testament -- the Greek text of the New Testament : specifically the Westcott - Hort text from 1881, combined with the NA26 / 27 variants. Synoptic Parallels A web tool for finding corresponding passages in the Gospels Books of the Bible Principal divisions Hebrew Bible / Old Testament Protocanon Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 -- 2 Samuel 1 -- 2 Kings 1 -- 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Deuterocanon and Apocrypha Catholic Orthodox Tobit Judith Additions to Esther 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees Wisdom Sirach Baruch / Letter of Jeremiah Additions to Daniel Susanna Song of the Three Children Bel and the Dragon Orthodox only 1 Esdras 2 Esdras Prayer of Manasseh Psalm 151 3 Maccabees 4 Maccabees Odes Tewahedo Orthodox Enoch Jubilees 1, 2, and 3 Meqabyan Paralipomena of Baruch Broader canon Syriac Letter of Baruch Psalms 152 -- 155 New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation Subdivisions Chapters and verses Pentateuch Wisdom Major prophets / Minor prophets Gospels Synoptic Epistles Pauline Johannine Pastoral Catholic Apocalyptic literature Development Old Testament canon New Testament canon Antilegomena Jewish canon Christian canon Manuscripts Dead Sea Scrolls Samaritan Pentateuch Septuagint Targum Diatessaron Muratorian fragment Peshitta Vetus Latina Masoretic Text New Testament manuscript categories New Testament papyri New Testament uncials See also Biblical canon Luther 's canon Authorship English Bible translations Other books referenced in the Bible Pseudepigrapha list New Testament apocrypha Studies Synod of Hippo Textual criticism Category Portal WikiProject Book History of Christianity Centuries 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 21st Early History Origins and Apostolic Age Background Jesus Ministry Crucifixion Resurrection Great Commission Holy Spirit Apostles Paul the Apostle Council of Jerusalem Split with Judaism New Testament Gospels Acts Pauline epistles General epistles Revelation Ante - Nicene Period Justin Martyr Ignatius Persecution Fathers Irenaeus Marcionism Canon Tertullian Montanism Origen Late antiquity Great Church Constantine Monasticism Councils Nicaea I Nicene Creed Athanasius Jerome Augustine Constantinople I Ephesus I Chalcedon Diversity Chalcedonianism Arianism Donatism Biblical canon Eastern Christianity Eastern Orthodoxy Church of the East Oriental Orthodoxy Chrysostom Nestorianism Iconoclasm Great Schism Fall of Constantinople Armenia Georgia Greece Egypt Syria Ethiopia Bulgaria Ottoman Empire Russia America Middle Ages Pelagianism Gregory I Celtic Germanic Scandinavian Kievan Rus ' Investiture Anselm Abelard Bernard of Clairvaux Bogomils Bosnian Church Cathars Apostolic Brethren Dulcinian Crusades Waldensians Inquisition Scholasticism Dominic Francis Bonaventure Aquinas Wycliffe Avignon Papal Schism Bohemian Reformation Hus Conciliarism Catholicism Primacy development Papacy Timeline Lateran IV Trent Counter-Reformation Thomas More Leo X Guadalupe Jesuits Jansenists Xavier Monastery dissolution Wars Teresa Vatican I Vatican II Modernism Reformation and Protestantism General Erasmus Five solae Eucharist Calvinist -- Arminian debate Arminianism Dort Wars Lutheranism Martin Luther 95 Theses Diet of Worms Melanchthon Orthodoxy Eucharist Book of Concord Calvinism Zwingli Calvin Presbyterianism Scotland Knox TULIP Dort Three Forms of Unity Westminster Anglicanism Timeline Henry VIII Cranmer Settlement 39 Articles Common Prayer Puritans Civil War Anabaptism Radical Reformation Grebel Swiss Brethren Müntzer Martyrs ' Synod Menno Simons Smyth 1640 -- 1789 Revivalism English denominations Baptists Congregationalism First Great Awakening Methodism Millerism Pietism Neo - and Old Lutherans 1789 -- present Camp meeting Holiness movement Independent Catholic denominations Second Great Awakening Restoration Movement Jehovah 's Witnesses Mormonism Seventh - day Adventist Adventism Third Great Awakening Azusa Revival Fundamentalism Ecumenism Evangelicalism Jesus movement Mainline Protestant Pentecostalism Charismatics Liberation theology Christian right Christian left Genocide by ISIL Timeline Missions Martyrs Theology Eastern Orthodoxy Oriental Orthodoxy Protestantism Catholicism Christianity Jesus Christ Jesus in Christianity Virgin birth Crucifixion Resurrection Son of God Bible Books Canon Old Testament New Testament Foundations Church Creed Gospel New Covenant Tradition Theology God Trinity Father Son Holy Spirit Apologetics Baptism Christology Ecclesiology History of theology Mission Salvation History Mary Apostles Peter Paul Fathers Early Constantine Ecumenical councils Augustine East -- West Schism Crusades Aquinas Reformation Luther Denominations ( List ) Western Adventist Anabaptist Anglican Baptist Calvinist Catholic Charismatic Evangelical Holiness Lutheran Methodist Pentecostal Protestant Eastern Eastern Orthodox Oriental Orthodox ( Miaphysite ) Assyrian Church of the East ( `` Nestorian '' ) Eastern Catholic Churches Nontrinitarian Jehovah 's Witnesses Latter Day Saint movement Oneness Pentecostalism Related topics Art Criticism Culture Ecumenism Liturgy Music Other religions Prayer Sermon Symbolism Category Christianity portal Jesus Historicity Chronology of Jesus Genealogy of Jesus Historical Jesus Quest for the historical Jesus portraits sources Josephus on Jesus Tacitus mention Mara bar Serapion letter Historicity Gospels race and appearance Life events Birth Nativity Mary Joseph Flight into Egypt Childhood Unknown years Baptism Temptation Apostles selecting Great Commission Ministry Sermon on the Mount / Plain Beatitudes Prayers Lord 's Prayer Parables Miracles Transfiguration Homelessness Last Supper Passion arrest trial Crucifixion sayings on the cross Tomb Resurrection Ascension New Testament Gospels Matthew Mark Luke John Gospel harmony Oral gospel traditions Life of Jesus in the New Testament Historical background of the New Testament New Testament places associated with Jesus Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament Culture Language of Jesus Bibliography Films Christianity Christ Christianity Christology Depictions of Jesus art Jesus in Christianity pre-existence incarnation Relics associated with Jesus Scholastic Lutheran Christology Second Coming Session of Christ Other views Brothers of Jesus Holy Family Jesuism Jesus in comparative mythology Christ myth theory Jesus in Islam Ahmadiyya Jesus in Scientology Judaism 's view of Jesus in the Talmud Master Jesus Religious perspectives on Jesus Criticism NDL : 01123931 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gospel&oldid=865554562 '' Categories : 1st - century Christian texts 2nd - century Christian texts Gospels Christian genres Christian terminology Greek - language books Hidden categories : Articles containing Ancient Greek - language text Wikipedia articles with NDL identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Afrikaans Alemannisch አማርኛ Аҧсшәа ܐܪܡܝܐ অসমীয়া Asturianu Avañe'ẽ Авар Azərbaycanca বাংলা Bân - lâm - gú Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Български Boarisch Bosanski Brezhoneg Català Cebuano Čeština Corsu Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Føroyskt Français Frysk Furlan Gaeilge Galego 𐌲𐌿𐍄𐌹𐍃𐌺 गोंयची कोंकणी / Gõychi Konknni 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hornjoserbsce Hrvatski Ido Bahasa Indonesia Interlingua Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa ქართული Қазақша Kiswahili Kongo Kreyòl ayisyen Лакку Latina Latviešu Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Ligure Limburgs Lingála Livvinkarjala Lumbaart Magyar Македонски Malagasy മലയാളം მარგალური مصرى مازِرونی Bahasa Melayu Mìng - dĕ̤ng - ngṳ̄ Nederlands 日本 語 Нохчийн Norsk Norsk nynorsk Nouormand Occitan Oromoo Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча پښتو Picard Plattdüütsch Polski Português Română Rumantsch Runa Simi Русский Sardu Shqip Sicilianu Simple English سنڌي Slovenčina Slovenščina Словѣньскъ / ⰔⰎⰑⰂⰡⰐⰠⰔⰍⰟ Soomaaliga کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் Taqbaylit Татарча / tatarça తెలుగు ไทย Türkçe Українська اردو Vepsän kel ' Tiếng Việt Walon 文言 Winaray 吴语 Yorùbá 粵語 中文 117 more Edit links This page was last edited on 24 October 2018, at 16 : 58 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: which four books of the new testament are the gospels
Answer: Matthew