Mark 9:44 and Mark 9:46

Their Worm Dieth Not

KJV Reading Defended

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Why the KJV Reading Is Retained

Modern editions often omit the repeated verses 44 and 46 while retaining the wording in Mark 9:48.

Disputed unit

Two independent verse units, Mark 9:44/2–22 and Mark 9:46/2–22, each carrying ὅπου ὁ σκώληξ αὐτῶν οὐ τελευτᾷ καὶ τὸ πῦρ οὐ σβέννυται.

Short omitted phraseMajority Greek supportLatin supportSyriac supportLectionary supportScant evidence against KJV

Evidence assessment

Both verses are carried by Codex Bezae, Koridethi, Family 13, twenty further named Greek entries, lectionary 950 and the Byzantine reconstructed witness, with the Latin D/I/V states, Philoxenian, Ethiopic and Gothic. Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Ephraemi, Regius, Washingtonianus, Sangallensis and Athous Lavrensis omit both. The two verses have separate rosters.

Primary support for the KJV reading

Byzantine reconstructed witness with Latin, Syriac and Gothic support

King James Bible reading

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

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.

c. AD 350 — Gothic version. Both verses were present in a fourth-century translation.

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

Primary support for the KJV reading

Byzantine reconstructed witness with Latin, Syriac and Gothic support

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

Majority Text standing

Presence of verses 44 and 46

Both repeated sayings are the overwhelming numerical Majority Text reading in Greek.

Estimated Greek support: More than 1,500 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

20 named Greek entries at 9:44 and 19 at 9:46, plus the Byzantine reconstructed witness

Greek competing evidence in the cited corpus

29 named Greek entries at 9:44 and 34 at 9:46

Lectionary evidence

Lectionaries contain verses 44 and 46

Principal competing witnesses named in the snapshot

Codex Sinaiticus (01)
Codex Vaticanus (03)
Codex Ephraemi (04)
Codex Washingtonianus (032)

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: 20 named Greek entries at 9:44 and 19 at 9:46, plus the Byzantine reconstructed witness
Greek competing evidence in cited scope: 29 named Greek entries at 9:44 and 34 at 9:46
Evidence classification: Byzantine reconstructed witness with Latin, Syriac and Gothic support

Mark 9:44/2–22

KJV/TR unit: ὅπου ὁ σκώληξ αὐτῶν οὐ τελευτᾷ καὶ τὸ πῦρ οὐ σβέννυται

Greek manuscripts

Supports the KJV/TR form

05 038 13 69 124 346 543 579 700 788 792 826 828r 983 1342 1424 1542S 1689 2193C 2542

Grouped evidence: Byz · [0211r 117r 872C 1128r 2411r L387]r

Lectionaries

Supports the KJV/TR form

L950

Versional states

Supports the KJV/TR form

L:DIV S:Ph Ä Go

Greek manuscripts

Competing reading

01 03 04 019 032 037 044 055 0274 1 28 118 205 209 427 544 565 697 732 791 863 872* 892 1337 1582 2106 2193* 2738 2886

Versional states

Competing reading

K:SB L:K S:Vˢ CPA:C

Non-extant or partial

Non-directional evidence

P45 043 067 0131 0233 33 1337 1542 L60 L547 L563 L844 L2211

Mark 9:46/2–22

KJV/TR unit: ὅπου ὁ σκώληξ αὐτῶν οὐ τελευτᾷ καὶ τὸ πῦρ οὐ σβέννυται

Greek manuscripts

Supports the KJV/TR form

05 038 13 69 124 346 543 579 700 788 792r 826 828 983 1342 1424 1542S 1689 2542

Grouped evidence: Byz · [011r 261r 349r 382]r

Lectionaries

Supports the KJV/TR form

L950

Versional states

Supports the KJV/TR form

L:DIV S:Ph CPA:C Ä Go

Greek manuscripts

Competing reading

01 03 04 019 032 037 044 0274 1 28 118 191 205 209 377 389 427 472 544 565 697 728 732 740 791 863 872 892 1009 1273 1582 2106 2193 2738 2786 2886

Versional states

Competing reading

K:SBF L:K S:Vˢ

Non-extant or partial

Non-directional evidence

P45 043 055 067 0131 0233 33 124 1337 1542 1574 2206 2517 L60 L387 L547 L563 L844 L2211

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.

Basil of Caesarea

AD 301–400

Asceticon magnum 2.267

Supporting witnessCitation type: Parallel tradition

Parallel tradition in Asceticon magnum 2.267.

Locator: PG 31,1264C10, CPG 2875, INTF 11426

Open source

Basil of Caesarea

AD 301–400

Prologus 8.4

Supporting witnessCitation type: Parallel tradition

Parallel tradition in Prologus 8.4.

Locator: PG 31,685.11, CPG 2886, INTF 11427

Open source

Basil of Caesarea

AD 301–400

Sermones morales 14.3

Supporting witnessCitation type: Parallel tradition

Parallel tradition in Sermones morales 14.3.

Locator: PG 32,1301B11, CPG 2908, INTF 11428

Open source

John Chrysostom

AD 367–400

Homilies on Ephesians 24

Supporting witnessCitation type: Parallel tradition

Parallel tradition in Homilies on Ephesians 24.

Locator: Field 4 (1852),364.1, CPG 4431, INTF 9946

Open source

John Chrysostom

AD 367–400

Homilies on 1 Thessalonians 5

Supporting witnessCitation type: Parallel tradition

Parallel tradition in Homilies on 1 Thessalonians 5.

Locator: Field 5 (1855),371.8, CPG 4434, INTF 9948

Open source

John Chrysostom

AD 367–400

Homilies on Romans 12 and 26

Supporting witnessCitation type: Parallel tradition

Parallel tradition in Homilies on Romans 12 and 26.

Locator: INTF 9867, 9870 and 9871

Open source

Justinian

AD 501–600

Oratio 1

Supporting witnessCitation type: Parallel tradition

Parallel tradition in Oratio 1.

Locator: ACO III,206.27, CPG 6880, INTF 11435

Open source

Anastasius Sinaita

AD 601–700

Quaestiones 93.2

Supporting witnessCitation type: Parallel tradition

Parallel tradition in Quaestiones 93.2.

Locator: CCSG 59,148.18, CPG 7746, INTF 11429

Open source

Photius

AD 801–900

Amphilochia 34

Supporting witnessCitation type: Parallel tradition

Parallel tradition in Amphilochia 34.

Locator: Westerink (1986),127.161, CPG 9510, INTF 11379

Open source

Pseudo-Isaiah material

Late antiquity

Besson 202.6

Supporting witnessCitation type: Parallel tradition

Parallel tradition in Besson 202.6.

Locator: CPG 7869, INTF 11761

Open source

Roster distinctions

GA 2193 has a hand change at 9:44, where 2193* omits and 2193C includes, and stands on the omission line at 9:46.
The same wording stands undisputed at Mark 9:48.

Evidence notes

Important distinctions in the evidence.

GA 2193 has a hand change at 9:44, where 2193* omits and 2193C includes, and stands on the omission line at 9:46.
The same wording stands undisputed at Mark 9:48.

Evidence assessment

Why the KJV reading is retained

Both verses are carried by Codex Bezae, Koridethi, Family 13, twenty further named Greek entries, lectionary 950 and the Byzantine reconstructed witness, with the Latin D/I/V states, Philoxenian, Ethiopic and Gothic. Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Ephraemi, Regius, Washingtonianus, Sangallensis and Athous Lavrensis omit both. The two verses have separate rosters.

Primary support for the KJV reading

Byzantine reconstructed witness with Latin, Syriac and Gothic support

Evidence represented on this page

Evidence types, without turning rows into votes.

GreekRepresented

LatinRepresented

Other versionsRepresented

FathersRepresented

Printed editionsNot listed

References

Editions and works cited.

Institut für Neutestamentliche Textforschung. New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room. Münster: University of Münster.
New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room
Aland, Barbara, et al., eds. Novum Testamentum Graece. 28th rev. ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2012.
Robinson, Maurice A., and William G. Pierpont. The New Testament in the Original Greek: Byzantine Textform 2018. Nürnberg: VTR Publications, 2018.
The New Testament in the Original Greek: Byzantine Textform 2018
Tyndale House, Cambridge, ed. The Greek New Testament. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017.
Digital Editio Critica Maior, Mark (INTF). Mark 9:44/2–22 and Mark 9:46/2–22.
Open source
INTF Kurzgefasste Liste / NTVMR manuscript metadata. Physical dates for the named Greek manuscripts.
Open source
INTF Patristic Citations database
Open source

Their Worm Dieth Not

Mark 9:44 and Mark 9:46 in the King James Bible

Where the evidence on this page comes from.

The earliest reviewed support at a glance.

Byzantine reconstructed witness with Latin, Syriac and Gothic support

Complete roster within the stated source scope.

Mark 9:44/2–22

Greek manuscripts

Lectionaries

Versional states

Greek manuscripts

Versional states

Non-extant or partial

Mark 9:46/2–22

Greek manuscripts

Lectionaries

Versional states

Greek manuscripts

Versional states

Non-extant or partial

Church Fathers and literary witnesses

Basil of Caesarea

Basil of Caesarea

Basil of Caesarea

John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom

Justinian

Anastasius Sinaita

Photius

Pseudo-Isaiah material

Important distinctions in the evidence.

Why the KJV reading is retained

Evidence types, without turning rows into votes.

Editions and works cited.