Mark 14:24a
WH NU τὸ αἷμα μου τῆς διαθήκης
“my blood of the covenant”
א B C D L Θ
Ψ 565 it
nkjvmg rsv nrsv esv nasb niv tniv neb reb njb nab nlt hcsb net
variant/TR το αιμα μου της καινης διαθηκης
“my blood of the new covenant”
A f,13 Maj syr
kjv nkjv rsvmg nrsvmg esvmg nivmg tnivmg nltmg hcsbmg netmg
The addition of “new” to “covenant” is a late, Byzantine expansion,
borrowed from the liturgical texts, Luke 22:20 and 1 Cor 11:25. (See note on
Matt 26:28.)
Mark 14:24b
After the expression εκχυννομενον υπερ πολλων (“poured out for
many”), a few scribes (W f) added εις αφεσιν αμαρτιων (“for the forgiveness of
sins”)—transported verbatim from Matt 26:28. Several manuscripts (D W Δ Θ f13 565 syr) omit πολλων (“many”) in the expression, “poured out
for many”—probably in an effort to solve the problem of why Jesus would die for
“many” and not “all.” In Isa 53:11–12, Qumran usage, and rabbinic teaching, the
word “many” is a key word that refers to the chosen people in God’s kingdom.
(Philip W. Comfort, New Testament Text and Translation Commentary:
Commentary on the Variant Readings of the Ancient New Testament Manuscripts and
How They Relate to the Major English Translations [Carol Stream, Ill.:
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2008], 149)
Mark 14:24
τῆς διαθήκης
He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured
out for many.
Most early manuscripts have “of the covenant” but one early manuscript
and related later witnesses have “of the new covenant.” When “new” is present,
the status of the covenant is more explicit. Further, when “new” is present,
the phrasing is like that found in parallel passages in Luke 22:20 and 1 Cor
11:25, and may be reflective of harmonization. (Rick Brannan
and Israel Loken, The Lexham Textual
Notes on the Bible, Lexham Bible Reference Series [Bellingham, Wash.:
Lexham Press, 2014], Logos Bible Software edition)
