When someone tells you that Mark 16:9-20 was not originally in Mark, think about this. Notice a little of the chronology, geography, and variety of early church writers who mention or quote from it. Or as James Snapp, Jr. put it, “From Patrick in Ireland, to Irenaeus in Gaul, to Augustine in North Africa, to Epiphanius in Cyprus, to Aphrahat in Syria, to Eznik in Armenia, the support for these 12 verses is early, abundant, and widespread.” Here are six recognizable names of early church writers, from Mesopotamia to Britain.
- Justin Martyr, Asia Minor. Written circa AD 160. First Apology, Chapter 45.
- Tatian of Adiabene (northern Mesopotamia). Compiled circa AD 170. Diatessaron (a harmony of the Gospels).
- Irenaeus of Lyon (present-day France). Written circa AD 175-185. Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 10.5.
- Hippolytus of Rome (Italy). Written circa AD 220. Apostolic Traditions, 36.1 (allusion to Mark 16:18).
- Augustine of Hippo (North Africa). Lived AD 354 – AD 430. On the Soul and Its Origin, Book 2, Chapters 17, 23; Homily 4 on the First Epistle of John; The Harmony of the Gospels, Book III, Chapter 24.
- Patrick of Ireland (British Isles). Lived probably 4th century AD. Confessions (paragraph 40); Letter to Soldiers of Coroticus (paragraph 20).
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