Let the Hearer Understand

Translating the Gospel of Mark

Abstract

Ann L. Fritschel recently wrote an article in this journal titled “The Spiritual Practice of Biblical Translation.” (Currents in Theology and Mission 53:1 (January 2026), 12-16.) Focusing on Psalm 1, she provided helpful and insightful ways of approaching the text, especially using Hebrew word studies, to deepen one’s engagement with the text and with God. In this article, I will do something similar, looking broadly at the Greek of the Gospel of Mark considering how the approach to translation and available English translations affect our understanding and reception of the text. The Gospel of Mark is not simply intending to give information. It is intended to form and strengthen faithful followers of Jesus. Attending to the narrative cues and the oral / aural nature of the Greek text makes clearer how this occurs. How can these aspects be communicated in an English translation?