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In Greek, what is the longest uninterrupted verbatim, word-for-word agreement between Matthew and Mark?

Follow-up question: What is the longest almost uninterrupted word-for-word agreement?

This seems like it should be on the internet somewhere, but I just can't find it.

Thanks!

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    Re the Vote To Close the question, I suggest synoptic problem questions are in scope even if not tied to an individual passage, and the question should remain open. The comparison of verbatim agreements in the Synoptic Gospels is highly relevant to solving the Synoptic Problem. Commented Jan 31, 2022 at 2:44
  • @HoldToTheRod - perhaps, but this is just looking for a text. Besides, the "synoptic" problem is not a problem to all! Further, even if we answered this question, it would add nothing to solving the synoptic problem.
    – Dottard
    Commented Jan 31, 2022 at 9:02
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    I am told that all of Mark is included within Matthew, save fifty five verses. But I have not seen this categorically proved. The person who told me had studied Mark in depth and read it many times, possibly hundreds. Personally, I am convinced that Mark read Matthew and saw that there was another book within it - another aspect of Jesus Christ that could be highlighted, merely by editing. But that is just my own view. (Up-voted +1.)
    – Nigel J
    Commented Jan 31, 2022 at 10:52
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    I'd agree with HTTR - it's not a "searching for a text" case in the traditional sense, 'where in the Bible does it say X?' - this is more of a synoptics question, which is tightly scoped enough to be answerable but does have enough freedom for a variety of answers. It's on-topic enough that I've got no concerns.
    – Steve can help
    Commented Feb 2, 2022 at 12:18
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    @NigelJ it would be fair to say that all of the stories in Mark are also included in Matthew, save approx. 55 verses...but Mark adds in lots of detail to those stories. Matthew shares lots of concise stories + long sermons. Mark shares no long sermons and far fewer stories, but gives (on average) more detail per story. It appears as if an eyewitness gave a discourse based on Matthew, and filled in lots of vivid detail about the events from memory, and that discourse (or discourses) became the Gospel of Mark Commented Apr 27, 2022 at 18:36

1 Answer 1

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31 words

This question is somewhat complicated by textual variants & minor changes in inflection, but a pretty safe answer would be the agreement found discussing the fates of the disciples in Matthew 10:21-22 & Mark 13:12-13. The first two words are different, after that the two texts are identical for 31 words:

Matthew 10:

21 παραδωσει δε αδελφος αδελφον εις θανατον και πατηρ τεκνον και επαναστησονται τεκνα επι γονεις και θανατωσουσιν αυτους

22 και εσεσθε μισουμενοι υπο παντων δια το ονομα μου ο δε υπομεινας εις τελος ουτος σωθησεται

Mark 13:

12 και παραδωσει αδελφος αδελφον εις θανατον και πατηρ τεκνον και επαναστησονται τεκνα επι γονεις και θανατωσουσιν αυτους

13 και εσεσθε μισουμενοι υπο παντων δια το ονομα μου ο δε υπομεινας εις τελος ουτος σωθησεται

A table of agreements for 16 or more sequential words is found on p. 320 here


Almost uninterrupted sequences becomes a bit more subjective -- the way this is generally analyzed is by comparing the % of agreement in wording across a long string of text. See an example of this on pp. 21-22 here.

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