Mark 1:2

As It Is Written in the Prophets

KJV Reading Defended

As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Why the KJV Reading Is Retained

“As it is written in the prophets” is the Greek majority and Byzantine reading. It accurately introduces a composite citation drawn from Malachi and Isaiah and avoids assigning the entire combined quotation to only one prophet. Its broad Greek transmission and reception in the church support the KJV wording.

Disputed unit

Mark 1:2/8–14: “in the prophets” against the two Isaiah forms and two further attributions.

Attribution variantMajority Greek supportPatristic evidenceSyriac evidenceComplex evidence

Evidence assessment

“In the prophets” is carried by Washingtonianus, twenty further named Greek entries, lectionary 547 and the Byzantine reconstructed witness, together with the Harklean and Ethiopic states. Asterius, Germanus, Photius and the Latin transmission of Irenaeus quote it directly. The Isaiah attribution stands in Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Bezae, Koridethi and a large minuscule group, and is quoted by the Greek Irenaeus fragment, Origen, Basil and Epiphanius.

Primary support for the KJV reading

Byzantine reconstructed witness and a broad later Greek group

King James Bible reading

As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Open in Research Desk

Evidence sources

Where the evidence on this page comes from.

Sources used for the witnesses, readings, dates, and notes on this page. Complete citations appear in the References section at the end of the page.

Governing apparatus and count scope

The current digital ECM Mark apparatus, built on full transcriptions of 209 selected Greek manuscripts together with the reconstructed versional and patristic states. Counts below name the entries this apparatus displays.

Full witness information

Earliest KJV-supporting evidence

The earliest reviewed support at a glance.

Fifth century — Codices A and W. These are the earliest identified Greek witnesses for “in the prophets.”

Earliest surviving Greek support: Fifth century — Codices A and W.

Primary support for the KJV reading

Byzantine reconstructed witness and a broad later Greek group

The sections below preserve each supporting, competing, and related record under its proper evidence type.

Majority Text standing

The attribution “in the prophets”

The KJV/TR attribution is the numerical Majority Text reading and the reconstructed Byzantine reading.

Estimated Greek support: Approximately 1,400 to 1,600 Greek manuscripts

This is a conservative working estimate based on the published Majority or Byzantine designation and the approximate number of continuous-text manuscripts that preserve the book. Lacunae and collation scope make the exact denominator vary by verse.

Source scope and denominator

The current digital ECM Mark apparatus, built on full transcriptions of 209 selected Greek manuscripts together with the reconstructed versional and patristic states. Counts below name the entries this apparatus displays.

Greek support in the cited corpus

21 named Greek entries plus a lectionary and the Byzantine reconstructed witness in the ECM Mark selected corpus

Greek competing evidence in the cited corpus

10 named entries for the articled Isaiah form and 27 for the anarthrous Isaiah form

Principal competing witnesses named in the snapshot

Codex Sinaiticus (01)
Codex Vaticanus (03)
Codex Bezae (05)
Codex Koridethi (038)

Evidence represented on this page

Greek manuscripts

Represented

Ancient versions

Represented

Church fathers

Represented

Printed editions

No entry listed

Complete source-scoped roster

Complete roster within the stated source scope.

This roster preserves every named or grouped state recovered in the governing sources, including exact readings, competing readings, corrections, related forms, lacunae, versions, and aggregate traditions. When Maj or Byz appears on the KJV side, it marks the numerically dominant Greek transmission at that unit. The green Majority Text card above supplies the best available passage-specific estimate. The grouped siglum is then retained so it is not mistaken for one individual manuscript.

Apparatus and roster scope

The current digital ECM Mark apparatus, built on full transcriptions of 209 selected Greek manuscripts together with the reconstructed versional and patristic states. Counts below name the entries this apparatus displays.

Greek support in cited scope: 21 named Greek entries plus a lectionary and the Byzantine reconstructed witness in the ECM Mark selected corpus
Greek competing evidence in cited scope: 10 named entries for the articled Isaiah form and 27 for the anarthrous Isaiah form
Evidence classification: Byzantine reconstructed witness and a broad later Greek group

Mark 1:2/8–14 — the prophetic attribution

KJV/TR unit: τοῖς προφήταις

Greek manuscripts

Supports the KJV/TR form

032 13 28 69 124 346 427 543 579 732 788 792r 826 828 837 983 1342 1424 1689 2193A 2542

Grouped evidence: Byz · [791r L60r L387]r

Lectionaries

Supports the KJV/TR form

L547

Versional states

Supports the KJV/TR form

L:Ialt S:Hᵀ Ä

Greek manuscripts

Competing reading

τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ τῷ προφήτῃ

01 03 019r 037 33 222 565 728 892 1241

Greek manuscripts

Competing reading

Ἠσαΐᾳ τῷ προφήτῃ

05 038 1 61 131 152 176r 184 205 209 348 372 555 700r 829 872*V 873 1071r 1243 1279 1579 1582r 2174 2193* 2486 2737 2886

Lectionaries

Competing reading

L844 L2211

Greek manuscripts

Related or qualified evidence

βίβλῳ λόγων Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου

544 1273 2680r

Greek manuscripts

Related or qualified evidence

προφήτῃ

872C

Versional states between the two Isaiah forms

Non-directional evidence

L:DIV S:PHM CPA:CL K:SB Go

Non-extant at the unit

Non-directional evidence

P137 04 011 055 064 0104 0130 0233 733 807 954 2517 2538 L950

Church Fathers and literary witnesses

Precisely located citations and additional names reported by the controlling apparatus are kept separate. An apparatus-level attribution is not presented as an independently verified exact quotation.

Irenaeus

c. AD 180

Against Heresies 3.10.6

Supporting witnessCitation type: Direct quotation

Direct quotation in Against Heresies 3.10.6. Latin transmission.

Locator: SC 211,134.177, INTF 10039

As It Is Written in the Prophets

Mark 1:2 in the King James Bible

Where the evidence on this page comes from.

The earliest reviewed support at a glance.

Byzantine reconstructed witness and a broad later Greek group

Complete roster within the stated source scope.

Mark 1:2/8–14 — the prophetic attribution

Greek manuscripts

Lectionaries

Versional states

Greek manuscripts

Greek manuscripts

Lectionaries

Greek manuscripts

Greek manuscripts

Versional states between the two Isaiah forms

Non-extant at the unit

Church Fathers and literary witnesses

Irenaeus

Irenaeus

Irenaeus

Origen

Origen

Origen

Origen

Asterius the Sophist

Serapion of Thmuis

Titus of Bostra

Basil of Caesarea

Jerome

Severian of Gabala

Epiphanius

Hesychius of Jerusalem

Rufinus's Latin Origen

Anastasius Sinaita

Germanus of Constantinople

Photius

Pseudo-Athanasius

Important distinctions in the evidence.

Why the KJV reading is retained

Evidence types, without turning rows into votes.

Editions and works cited.