The Sower (Mt 13:1-23; Mk 4:1-20; Lk 8:4-15)

Mk 4 ¹ Καὶ πάλιν ἤρξατο διδάσκειν παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν. καὶ συνάγεται πρὸς αὐτὸν ὄχλος πλεῖστος, ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰς πλοῖον ἐμβάντα⸃ καθῆσθαι ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος πρὸς τὴν θάλασσαν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἦσαν. ² καὶ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς ἐν παραβολαῖς πολλά, καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ διδαχῇ αὐτοῦ· ³ Ἀκούετε. ἰδοὺ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ σπείρων σπεῖραι. ⁴ καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ σπείρειν ὃ μὲν ἔπεσεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, καὶ ἦλθεν τὰ πετεινὰ καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτό. ⁵ καὶ ἄλλο ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸ πετρῶδες ὅπου οὐκ εἶχεν γῆν πολλήν, καὶ εὐθὺς ἐξανέτειλεν διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βάθος γῆς· ⁶ ⸂καὶ ὅτε ἀνέτειλεν ὁ ἥλιος⸃ ⸀ἐκαυματίσθη καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ῥίζαν ἐξηράνθη. ⁷ καὶ ἄλλο ἔπεσεν εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας, καὶ ἀνέβησαν αἱ ἄκανθαι καὶ συνέπνιξαν αὐτό, καὶ καρπὸν οὐκ ἔδωκεν. ⁸ καὶ ἄλλα ἔπεσεν εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν καλήν, καὶ ἐδίδου καρπὸν ἀναβαίνοντα καὶ αὐξανόμενα, καὶ ἔφερεν ⸂ἓν τριάκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑκατόν. ⁹ καὶ ἔλεγεν· Ὃς ἔχει ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω.

¹⁰ Καὶ ὅτε ἐγένετο κατὰ μόνας, ⸀ἠρώτων αὐτὸν οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν σὺν τοῖς δώδεκα ⸂τὰς παραβολάς. ¹¹ καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· Ὑμῖν τὸ μυστήριον δέδοται τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ· ἐκείνοις δὲ τοῖς ἔξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὰ πάντα γίνεται, ¹² ἵνα βλέποντες βλέπωσι καὶ μὴ ἴδωσιν, καὶ ἀκούοντες ἀκούωσι καὶ μὴ συνιῶσιν, μήποτε ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἀφεθῇ αὐτοῖς.

¹³ Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην, καὶ πῶς πάσας τὰς παραβολὰς γνώσεσθε; ¹⁴ ὁ σπείρων τὸν λόγον σπείρει. ¹⁵ οὗτοι δέ εἰσιν οἱ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ὅπου σπείρεται ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὅταν ἀκούσωσιν εὐθὺς ἔρχεται ὁ Σατανᾶς καὶ αἴρει τὸν λόγον τὸν ἐσπαρμένον εἰς αὐτούς. ¹⁶ καὶ οὗτοί εἰσιν ὁμοίως οἱ ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη σπειρόμενοι, οἳ ὅταν ἀκούσωσιν τὸν λόγον εὐθὺς μετὰ χαρᾶς λαμβάνουσιν αὐτόν, ¹⁷ καὶ οὐκ ἔχουσιν ῥίζαν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἀλλὰ πρόσκαιροί εἰσιν, εἶτα γενομένης θλίψεως ἢ διωγμοῦ διὰ τὸν λόγον εὐθὺς σκανδαλίζονται. ¹⁸ καὶ ἄλλοι εἰσὶν οἱ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας σπειρόμενοι· οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ τὸν λόγον ἀκούσαντες, ¹⁹ καὶ αἱ μέριμναι τοῦ αἰῶνος καὶ ἡ ἀπάτη τοῦ πλούτου καὶ αἱ περὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐπιθυμίαι εἰσπορευόμεναι συμπνίγουσιν τὸν λόγον, καὶ ἄκαρπος γίνεται. ²⁰ καὶ ἐκεῖνοί εἰσιν οἱ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τὴν καλὴν σπαρέντες, οἵτινες ἀκούουσιν τὸν λόγον καὶ παραδέχονται καὶ καρποφοροῦσιν ἓν τριάκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑκατόν.

And again he began to teach along the sea, and the crowds began to gather together around him, so that he got into a boat to sit in the sea, and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land. And he taught them in many parables, and he said to them in his teaching, “Listen, behold the sower sows. And some of the seeds fell on the road, and the birds came and ate them.  And other fell on the rocky ground where there was not much earth. And immediately they sprung up because there was no deep soil. And when the sun rose they were scorched and since they did not have roots they withered. And other landed in the thorn brush and the thorns grew and choked them, and they bore no fruit. And others landed in the good earth and they produced fruit and carried thirty and sixty and a hundred.” And he said to them, “Those who have an ear to hear, hear.”

And as soon as he was alone, his followers along with the twelve asked his about the parables. And he said to them, “To you the mysteries of the Kingdom of God have been given, and those who are outside received everything in parables, so that, “Seeing they see and do not behold, and hearing they hear and do not understand, otherwise they would believe and they would forgiven.

And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you know all the parables? The sower the word he sows. And these are the ones who are beside the road,  where the word is sown, also wherever they hear, Satan comes and destroys the sown word amongst them. And they are the ones sown on the rocky ground, who hear the word immediately with joy receive it and they do not have roots in themselves and are not lasting. Then tribulation or persecution come because of the word immediately they turn away. And others are those sown in the thorn brush, those are the ones hearing the word, and the cares of the age and the love of wealth and the remaining desires come and choke the word and they bear no fruit. And there are the ones sown in the good earth and whoever hears the word and accepts it and bears fruit in thirty and sixty and one hundred.

Mt 13 ¹ Ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐξελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῆς οἰκίας ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν· ² καὶ συνήχθησαν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὄχλοι πολλοί, ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰς πλοῖον ἐμβάντα καθῆσθαι, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἐπὶ τὸν αἰγιαλὸν εἱστήκει. ³ καὶ ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς πολλὰ ἐν παραβολαῖς λέγων· Ἰδοὺ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ σπείρων τοῦ σπείρειν. ⁴ καὶ ἐν τῷ σπείρειν αὐτὸν ἃ μὲν ἔπεσεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, καὶ ἐλθόντα τὰ πετεινὰ κατέφαγεν αὐτά. ⁵ ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη ὅπου οὐκ εἶχεν γῆν πολλήν, καὶ εὐθέως ἐξανέτειλεν διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βάθος γῆς, ⁶ ἡλίου δὲ ἀνατείλαντος ἐκαυματίσθη καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ῥίζαν ἐξηράνθη. ⁷ ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὰς ἀκάνθας, καὶ ἀνέβησαν αἱ ἄκανθαι καὶ ἔπνιξαν αὐτά. ⁸ ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τὴν καλὴν καὶ ἐδίδου καρπόν, ὃ μὲν ἑκατὸν ὃ δὲ ἑξήκοντα ὃ δὲ τριάκοντα. ⁹ ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκουέτω.

¹⁰ Καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· Διὰ τί ἐν παραβολαῖς λαλεῖς αὐτοῖς; ¹¹ ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ὅτι ὑμῖν δέδοται γνῶναι τὰ μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἐκείνοις δὲ οὐ δέδοται. ¹² ὅστις γὰρ ἔχει, δοθήσεται αὐτῷ καὶ περισσευθήσεται· ὅστις δὲ οὐκ ἔχει, καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ. ¹³ διὰ τοῦτο ἐν παραβολαῖς αὐτοῖς λαλῶ, ὅτι βλέποντες οὐ βλέπουσιν καὶ ἀκούοντες οὐκ ἀκούουσιν οὐδὲ συνίουσιν· ¹⁴ καὶ ἀναπληροῦται αὐτοῖς ἡ προφητεία Ἠσαΐου ἡ λέγουσα· Ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε, καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε. ¹⁵ ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν· μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς. ¹⁶ ὑμῶν δὲ μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ὅτι βλέπουσιν, καὶ τὰ ὦτα ὑμῶν ὅτι ἀκούουσιν. ¹⁷ ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ βλέπετε καὶ οὐκ εἶδαν, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ ἀκούετε καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν.

¹⁸ Ὑμεῖς οὖν ἀκούσατε τὴν παραβολὴν τοῦ σπείραντος. ¹⁹ παντὸς ἀκούοντος τὸν λόγον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ μὴ συνιέντος, ἔρχεται ὁ πονηρὸς καὶ ἁρπάζει τὸ ἐσπαρμένον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν σπαρείς. ²⁰ ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ εὐθὺς μετὰ χαρᾶς λαμβάνων αὐτόν, ²¹ οὐκ ἔχει δὲ ῥίζαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἀλλὰ πρόσκαιρός ἐστιν, γενομένης δὲ θλίψεως ἢ διωγμοῦ διὰ τὸν λόγον εὐθὺς σκανδαλίζεται. ²² ὁ δὲ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων, καὶ ἡ μέριμνα τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου καὶ ἡ ἀπάτη τοῦ πλούτου συμπνίγει τὸν λόγον, καὶ ἄκαρπος γίνεται. ²³ ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν καλὴν γῆν σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ συνιείς, ὃς δὴ καρποφορεῖ καὶ ποιεῖ ὃ μὲν ἑκατὸν ὃ δὲ ἑξήκοντα ὃ δὲ τριάκοντα.

In that day Jesus went into the house and he sat down by the sea, and a great crowd gathered together before him, so that he went to sit down in a boat, and the entire crowd was standing on the shore. And he spoke to them in many parables saying, “Behold a sower of seed went out. And in his sowing some fell along the road, and birds came to eat it. And others fell on the rocky ground where there was not much earth. And the sun arose scorching because they did not have roots they withered.  And other fell in the thorn brush and they came up and the thorns also choked them. And others fell on the good earth and gave fruit, this one a hundred and another sixty and another thirty.

And the disciples approached him to say, “Why do you speak to them through parables?” And he answered saying to them, “In order that you may receive the knowledge of the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven but they may not receive.” For whoever has, he receives and has in abundance, and whoever does not have, and whoever does not have that will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables, that seeing they would not see and hearing they would not hear and understand, and bring to pass the prophecy of Isaiah, the one who saying to them, “In hearing you hear and do not understand and seeing you see and do not behold. For calloused is the heart of these people, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes are shut. Lest they behold with their eyes and their ears hear and their heart understand and they repent and I heal them. But blessed are your eyes that see and your ears that hear. Amen, for I sat to you that many prophets and just ones desired to behold what you see and did not see, and to hear what you hear and they did not hear.”

Therefore you hear the parable of the sower. Anyone hearing the message of the Kingdom and not understanding, the Evil One comes and snatches what has been sown away from their heart. This is the one on the side of the road. And the one sown on the hard ground, this is the one who hearing the message also immediately with joy receives it, and he does not have roots in himself but is temporary, and when tribulation comes or persecution because of the message immediately he stumbles. And the one who is sown in the thorn brush, this is the one who hearing the message, also the anxiety of this age and the seduction of riches strangle the message, and he becomes unfruitful. But the one sown on the good earth, this one is the one who hears the message and understands, who indeed bears fruit and produces this one a hundred and another sixty and another thirty.

Lk 8 ⁴ Συνιόντος δὲ ὄχλου πολλοῦ καὶ τῶν κατὰ πόλιν ἐπιπορευομένων πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπεν διὰ παραβολῆς· ⁵ Ἐξῆλθεν ὁ σπείρων τοῦ σπεῖραι τὸν σπόρον αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐν τῷ σπείρειν αὐτὸν ὃ μὲν ἔπεσεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, καὶ κατεπατήθη καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατέφαγεν αὐτό. ⁶ καὶ ἕτερον ⸀κατέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν, καὶ φυὲν ἐξηράνθη διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ἰκμάδα. ⁷ καὶ ἕτερον ἔπεσεν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἀκανθῶν, καὶ συμφυεῖσαι αἱ ἄκανθαι ἀπέπνιξαν αὐτό. ⁸ καὶ ἕτερον ἔπεσεν εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν ἀγαθήν, καὶ φυὲν ἐποίησεν καρπὸν ἑκατονταπλασίονα. ταῦτα λέγων ἐφώνει· Ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω.

⁹ Ἐπηρώτων δὲ αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ ⸀αὐτοῦ τίς ⸂αὕτη εἴη ἡ παραβολή⸃. ¹⁰ ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ὑμῖν δέδοται γνῶναι τὰ μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ, τοῖς δὲ λοιποῖς ἐν παραβολαῖς, ἵνα βλέποντες μὴ βλέπωσιν καὶ ἀκούοντες μὴ συνιῶσιν.

¹¹ Ἔστιν δὲ αὕτη ἡ παραβολή· Ὁ σπόρος ἐστὶν ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ. ¹² οἱ δὲ παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν εἰσιν οἱ ⸀ἀκούσαντες, εἶτα ἔρχεται ὁ διάβολος καὶ αἴρει τὸν λόγον ἀπὸ τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν, ἵνα μὴ πιστεύσαντες σωθῶσιν. ¹³ οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας οἳ ὅταν ἀκούσωσιν μετὰ χαρᾶς δέχονται τὸν λόγον, καὶ οὗτοι ῥίζαν οὐκ ἔχουσιν, οἳ πρὸς καιρὸν πιστεύουσιν καὶ ἐν καιρῷ πειρασμοῦ ἀφίστανται. ¹⁴ τὸ δὲ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας πεσόν, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἀκούσαντες, καὶ ὑπὸ μεριμνῶν καὶ πλούτου καὶ ἡδονῶν τοῦ βίου πορευόμενοι συμπνίγονται καὶ οὐ τελεσφοροῦσιν. ¹⁵ τὸ δὲ ἐν τῇ καλῇ γῇ, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἵτινες ἐν καρδίᾳ καλῇ καὶ ἀγαθῇ ἀκούσαντες τὸν λόγον κατέχουσιν καὶ καρποφοροῦσιν ἐν ὑπομονῇ. ^[1] 

And a great crowd gathered together and those from cities traveled to him. He spoke in parables, “A sower of seed went out to sow his seed. And in his seed some fells along the road, and they were trampled and the birds of heaven consumed them. And others fell on the rocks, and growing withered because they did not have moisture. And other fell in the midst of thorn brush, and the thorn brush grew up and choked it. And another fell into the good earth, and grew up to yield a hundred times as much fruit. Saying this he cried out, “The one who has ears to hear, hear!”

And the disciples asked him, “What do you mean by this parable?” And he said, “You receive knowledge of the mystery of the Kingdom of God, but the others in parables, in order that seeing they will not see and hearing they will not understand.”

And this is the parable: The seed is the word of God. And those along side the road are those hearing, then the devil comes and he takes the word from their hearts, in order that mt might hear with joy receive the word, and these do not have roots, who in a season believe and in a season of testing fall away. And the one in the falling in the thorn brush, they are the ones hearing, and from anxiety and wealth and the pleasure of life proceed to choke and not grow the maturity. And those in the good earth, they are those who are hearing the word in a good and noble heart hold fast and bear fruit in endurance.

Juxtaposing Mk and Mt:

Mk transitions to this with the choosing of the disciples and enters into other parables about seed. Mt transitions from the crowd asking for signs and Jesus redefining who is his true family and he goes to parables about tares and wheat, mustard seed, leaven, hidden treasure, the pearl, and the dragnet. In Mk Jesus is teaching by the sea and a crowd gathers so he gets in a boat and teaches from the water. He tells the story of a sower sowing seed. Some fall on the side of the road and they’re eaten by birds. Others falls on rocky ground and they spring up but die because they aren’t rooted. They are scorched by the sun and wither. Others fall into thorn brush and they are choked to death.  Others fall on good soil and bring crop of thirty, sixty, and a hundred times. In Mt Jesus leaves a house, sits by the sea, large crowds fathers, he gets into a boat and teaches the crowds standing on the shore. He tells basically the same parable. In Mk Jesus says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mt provides a shortened form. In Mk the disciples ask Jesus to explain the parables. Mk makes a distinction between Jesus’ followers and the twelve. Jesus talks about them receiving the mystery of the Kingdom of God while speaking to everyone else in parables. Then he quotes Isaiah 6.9-10. Mt follows this path but refers the Kingdom of Heaven. He adds a bit about those who have having more and those who don’t have losing what they have. Jesus provides more of an explanation ion Mt and he gives a blessing. Also, Jesus tells them that prophets and righteous men of the past wanted to see what they are seeing. In Mk he explains the parable that the road side seed are those who lost the message when “Satan” comes. The seeds on rocky ground receive it immediately with joy but lose the message when they face trials. Those who are choked by thorns are distracted by the world’s cares. Those who land in good soils are those who receive the word and bear fruit. In Mt Satan is “the evil one”. Other than this the story is essentially the same. Also, he reverses his order from thirty to sixty to one hundred.

Juxtaposing Mk and Lk:

Mk transitions to this with the choosing of the disciples and enters into other parables about seed. Lk transitions from John’s final question about Jesus’ Messiahship and the story of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her hair that led to the parables to the debtors and a discussion about women ministers. He transitions into the parables of the lamp, Jesus’ calming the sea, and the healing the demoniac. In Mk Jesus is teaching by the sea and a crowd gathers so he gets in a boat and teaches from the water. He tells the story of a sower sowing seed. Some fall on the side of the road and they’re eaten by birds. Others falls on rocky ground and they spring up but die because they aren’t rooted. They are scorched by the sun and wither. Others fall into thorn brush and they are choked to death.  Others fall on good soil and bring crop of thirty, sixty, and a hundred times. In Lk a large crowds from other cities comes and he speaking to them the same parable with slight alternations. For instance the seed along the road is trampled before the birds eat it. The seed that withers has no moisture, but nothing is said of the sun. And the final seed bears “one hundred times” the fruit. In Mk Jesus says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” In Lk it is the same. In Mk the disciples ask Jesus to explain the parables. Mk makes a distinction between Jesus’ followers and the twelve. Jesus talks about them receiving the mystery of the Kingdom of God while speaking to everyone else in parables. Then he quotes Isaiah 6.9-10. Lk has basically the same sequence with a shorten quotation from Isaiah. He clarifies that the seed is “the word of God”. Satan is “the devil”.

Juxtaposing Mt and Lk:

Mt transitions from the crowd asking for signs and Jesus redefining who is his true family and he goes to parables about tares and wheat, mustard seed, leaven, hidden treasure, the pearl, and the dragnet. Lk transitions from John’s final question about Jesus’ Messiahship and the story of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her hair that led to the parables to the debtors and a discussion about women ministers. He transitions into the parables of the lamp, Jesus’ calming the sea, and the healing the demoniac. In Mt Jesus leaves a house, sits by the sea, large crowds fathers, he gets into a boat and teaches the crowds standing on the shore. Mk Jesus is teaching by the sea and a crowd gathers so he gets in a boat and teaches from the water. He tells the story of a sower sowing seed. Some fall on the side of the road and they’re eaten by birds. Others falls on rocky ground and they spring up but die because they aren’t rooted. They are scorched by the sun and wither. Others fall into thorn brush and they are choked to death.  Others fall on good soil and bring crop of hundred times, sixty times, and thirty times. In Mt Jesus says, “He who has ears, let him hear.” Lk follows Mk’s version saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” In Mt the disciples ask Jesus why he speaks in parables, he tells them they have been granted the knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, talks about those who have receiving more and those who don’t have losing what they had, and providing explanation before quoting Isaiah 6.9-10. He then gives a blessing and tells them prophets and righteous men wished they could have seen what the disciples now see. Lk basically follows Mk’s sequence with less details. Jesus explains that they receive the knowledge of the Kingdom of God (not “of Heaven”) and has an abbreviated quote from Isaiah. He gives basically the same explanation of the parable with slight alternations. For instance the seed along the road is trampled before the birds eat it. The seed that withers has no moisture, but nothing is said of the sun. And the final seed bears “one hundred times” the fruit. In Lk the seed is “the word of God”. While Mt has “the evil one” Lk has “the devil”. 

Unique to Mk: 

Mt and Lk follow Mk closely. Mk differs in identifying “Satan” whereas Mt calls him “the evil one” and Lk “the devil”. 

Unique to Mt:

Mt is longer in his explanation. He refers to the “Kingdom of Heaven” while Mk and Lk say “Kingdom of God”. Mk talks about those who have receiving more and those who don’t have losing what they had, and providing explanation before quoting Isaiah 6.9-10. He then gives a blessing and tells them prophets and righteous men wished they could have seen what the disciples now see.

Unique to Lk:

Lk refers to Satan as “the devil”.

Peter’s Denial (Mt 26.57-75; Mk 14.53-72; Lk 22.54-71):

Mk 14 ⁵³ Καὶ ἀπήγαγον τὸν Ἰησοῦν πρὸς τὸν ἀρχιερέα, καὶ συνέρχονται πάντες οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς. ⁵⁴ καὶ ὁ Πέτρος ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ ἕως ἔσω εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως καὶ ἦν συγκαθήμενος μετὰ τῶν ὑπηρετῶν καὶ θερμαινόμενος πρὸς τὸ φῶς. ⁵⁵ οἱ δὲ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ ὅλον τὸ συνέδριον ἐζήτουν κατὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ μαρτυρίαν εἰς τὸ θανατῶσαι αὐτόν, καὶ οὐχ ηὕρισκον· ⁵⁶ πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐψευδομαρτύρουν κατʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἴσαι αἱ μαρτυρίαι οὐκ ἦσαν. ⁵⁷ καί τινες ἀναστάντες ἐψευδομαρτύρουν κατʼ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες ⁵⁸ ὅτι Ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν αὐτοῦ λέγοντος ὅτι Ἐγὼ καταλύσω τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον τὸν χειροποίητον καὶ διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν ἄλλον ἀχειροποίητον οἰκοδομήσω· ⁵⁹ καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἴση ἦν ἡ μαρτυρία αὐτῶν. ⁶⁰ καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἰς μέσον ἐπηρώτησεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν λέγων· Οὐκ ἀποκρίνῃ οὐδέν; τί οὗτοί σου καταμαρτυροῦσιν; ⁶¹ ὁ δὲ ἐσιώπα καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκρίνατο οὐδέν. πάλιν ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ἐπηρώτα αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ εὐλογητοῦ; ⁶² ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· Ἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ ὄψεσθε τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ δεξιῶν καθήμενον τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ ἐρχόμενον μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. ⁶³ ὁ δὲ ἀρχιερεὺς διαρρήξας τοὺς χιτῶνας αὐτοῦ λέγει· Τί ἔτι χρείαν ἔχομεν μαρτύρων; ⁶⁴ ἠκούσατε τῆς βλασφημίας· τί ὑμῖν φαίνεται; οἱ δὲ πάντες κατέκριναν αὐτὸν ἔνοχον εἶναι θανάτου. ⁶⁵ καὶ ἤρξαντό τινες ἐμπτύειν αὐτῷ καὶ περικαλύπτειν αὐτοῦ τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ κολαφίζειν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγειν αὐτῷ· Προφήτευσον, καὶ οἱ ὑπηρέται ῥαπίσμασιν αὐτὸν ἔλαβον.

⁶⁶ Καὶ ὄντος τοῦ Πέτρου ⸂κάτω ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ ἔρχεται μία τῶν παιδισκῶν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, ⁶⁷ καὶ ἰδοῦσα τὸν Πέτρον θερμαινόμενον ἐμβλέψασα αὐτῷ λέγει· Καὶ σὺ μετὰ τοῦ Ναζαρηνοῦ ἦσθα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ· ⁶⁸ ὁ δὲ ἠρνήσατο λέγων· Οὔτε οἶδα οὔτε ἐπίσταμαι σὺ τί λέγεις, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἔξω εἰς τὸ προαύλιον καὶ ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησεν. ⁶⁹ καὶ ἡ παιδίσκη ἰδοῦσα αὐτὸν ἤρξατο πάλιν λέγειν τοῖς παρεστῶσιν ὅτι Οὗτος ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐστιν. ⁷⁰ ὁ δὲ πάλιν ἠρνεῖτο. καὶ μετὰ μικρὸν πάλιν οἱ παρεστῶτες ἔλεγον τῷ Πέτρῳ· Ἀληθῶς ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶ, καὶ γὰρ Γαλιλαῖος εἶ καὶ ἡ λαλιά σου ὁμοιάζει· ⁷¹ ὁ δὲ ἤρξατο ἀναθεματίζειν καὶ ὀμνύναι ὅτι Οὐκ οἶδα τὸν ἄνθρωπον τοῦτον ὃν λέγετε. ⁷² καὶ εὐθὺς ἐκ δευτέρου ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησεν· καὶ ἀνεμνήσθη ὁ Πέτρος τὸ ῥῆμα ὡς εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι Πρὶν ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι δὶς τρίς με ἀπαρνήσῃ, καὶ ἐπιβαλὼν ἔκλαιεν.

And they led Jesus to the high priest and the high priest and the elders and the scribes all gathered together. And Peter followed him from a distance to the inside of the courtyard of the high priest and he sat with the guards and he was warming himself by the fire. And they high priests and all the Sanhedrin sought witnesses against Jesus in order to put him to dead, and they could not find any.  For many falsely testified against him and the witnesses were not in agreement. And some stood up to falsely testify against him saying, “We heard him saying, “I will tear down this hand made temple and in three days build another without hands. Not even in this were the witnesses in agreement. And the high priest arose into the middle before Jesus saying, “Do you not answer? What do these testify of you?” But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest stood before him and he said to him, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? And Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man from the right hand coming in power and he will come with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his shirt saying, “What further need do we have of witnesses? You heard the blasphemy. What does it seem to you?” And they all condemned him of being guilty of death. And some began to hit him and say to him, “Prophesy!” and the guards beat him.

And Peter was below in the courtyard when one of the female slaves of the high priest came and she beheld Peter warming himself and she looking at him said, “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.” And he answered saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” And he went outside into the gateway [and a rooster cried out]. And the servant girl saw him again and she said to those standing by, “This one is of them.” And again he denied it. And a little while the bystanders said to Peter, “Certainly you are of him, for you are Galilean [and your speech is the same].” But he answered cussing and swearing, “I do not know of this man which you speak!” And suddenly a rooster crowd a second time, and Peter remembered the words that Jesus said to him, “Before a rooster crows twice three times you will disown me and he broke down and cried.”

 

Mt 26 ⁵⁷ Οἱ δὲ κρατήσαντες τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀπήγαγον πρὸς Καϊάφαν τὸν ἀρχιερέα, ὅπου οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι συνήχθησαν. ⁵⁸ ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ἠκολούθει αὐτῷ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἕως τῆς αὐλῆς τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, καὶ εἰσελθὼν ἔσω ἐκάθητο μετὰ τῶν ὑπηρετῶν ἰδεῖν τὸ τέλος. ⁵⁹ οἱ δὲ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ τὸ συνέδριον ὅλον ἐζήτουν ψευδομαρτυρίαν κατὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὅπως αὐτὸν θανατώσωσιν, ⁶⁰ καὶ οὐχ εὗρον πολλῶν προσελθόντων ψευδομαρτύρων. ὕστερον δὲ προσελθόντες δύο ⁶¹ εἶπαν· Οὗτος ἔφη· Δύναμαι καταλῦσαι τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν οἰκοδομῆσαι. ⁶² καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Οὐδὲν ἀποκρίνῃ; τί οὗτοί σου καταμαρτυροῦσιν; ⁶³ ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐσιώπα. καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἐξορκίζω σε κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος ἵνα ἡμῖν εἴπῃς εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ. ⁶⁴ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Σὺ εἶπας· πλὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπʼ ἄρτι ὄψεσθε τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καθήμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ ἐρχόμενον ἐπὶ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. ⁶⁵ τότε ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς διέρρηξεν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ λέγων· Ἐβλασφήμησεν· τί ἔτι χρείαν ἔχομεν μαρτύρων; ἴδε νῦν ἠκούσατε τὴν ⸀βλασφημίαν· ⁶⁶ τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ; οἱ δὲ ἀποκριθέντες εἶπαν· Ἔνοχος θανάτου ἐστίν. ⁶⁷ τότε ἐνέπτυσαν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκολάφισαν αὐτόν, οἱ δὲ ἐράπισαν ⁶⁸ λέγοντες· Προφήτευσον ἡμῖν, χριστέ, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παίσας σε;

⁶⁹ Ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ἐκάθητο ἔξω ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ· καὶ προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ μία παιδίσκη λέγουσα· Καὶ σὺ ἦσθα μετὰ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Γαλιλαίου· ⁷⁰ ὁ δὲ ἠρνήσατο ⸀ἔμπροσθεν πάντων λέγων· Οὐκ οἶδα τί λέγεις. ⁷¹ ἐξελθόντα δὲ εἰς τὸν πυλῶνα εἶδεν αὐτὸν ἄλλη καὶ λέγει τοῖς ἐκεῖ· Οὗτος ἦν μετὰ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου· ⁷² καὶ πάλιν ἠρνήσατο μετὰ ὅρκου ὅτι Οὐκ οἶδα τὸν ἄνθρωπον. ⁷³ μετὰ μικρὸν δὲ προσελθόντες οἱ ἑστῶτες εἶπον τῷ Πέτρῳ· Ἀληθῶς καὶ σὺ ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶ, καὶ γὰρ ἡ λαλιά σου δῆλόν σε ποιεῖ· ⁷⁴ τότε ἤρξατο καταθεματίζειν καὶ ὀμνύειν ὅτι Οὐκ οἶδα τὸν ἄνθρωπον. καὶ εὐθέως ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησεν· ⁷⁵ καὶ ἐμνήσθη ὁ Πέτρος τοῦ ῥήματος Ἰησοῦ εἰρηκότος ὅτι Πρὶν ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι τρὶς ἀπαρνήσῃ με, καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἔξω ἔκλαυσεν πικρῶς.

And they grabbing Jesus lead to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered. But Peter followed him from afar as far as the courtyard of the high priest and he went inside sat down with the guards to see the result. And the high priest and the Sanhedrin kept seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, and they found no false witnesses to come forward. But later two came forward. And they said, “This one said, ‘I am able to tear down the temple of God and rebuild it in three days. And the high priest stood saying to him, “You do not answer? What is this they testify against you?”  And Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, “I put you under a oath before the Living God that you should tell if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You said it, but I say to you after now you will see the Son of Man descending from the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest tore his robe saying, “He blasphemed! What more witness do we need? Behold! Now you’ve heard the blasphemy! What do you suppose?” And they answered  saying, “He is guilty of death.” Then they spit upon his face and they hit him, and they slapped him saying, “Prophesy, Christ, who was it that hit you?”

And Peter sat outside in the courtyard and a slave girl came to him saying, “You were also with Jesus the Galilean.” And he denied it in front of everyone saying, “I do not know of whom you speak.” And as he went out into the gate to see him another and she said [to those there], “This one was with Jesus of Nazareth”, and again he answered with an oath, “I do not know the man!” After a short while the bystanders approached him saying to Peter, “Certainly also you are one of his, for also your speech gives you away.”  Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the words of Jesus  saying, “Before a rooster crows three times  you will disown me.” And he went out side and wept bitterly.

Lk 22 ⁵⁴ Συλλαβόντες δὲ αὐτὸν ἤγαγον καὶ εἰσήγαγον εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως· ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ἠκολούθει μακρόθεν. ⁵⁵ περιαψάντων δὲ πῦρ ἐν μέσῳ τῆς αὐλῆς καὶ συγκαθισάντων ἐκάθητο ὁ Πέτρος ⸀μέσος αὐτῶν. ⁵⁶ ἰδοῦσα δὲ αὐτὸν παιδίσκη τις καθήμενον πρὸς τὸ φῶς καὶ ἀτενίσασα αὐτῷ εἶπεν· Καὶ οὗτος σὺν αὐτῷ ἦν· ⁵⁷ ὁ δὲ ἠρνήσατο λέγων· Οὐκ οἶδα αὐτόν, γύναι. ⁵⁸ καὶ μετὰ βραχὺ ἕτερος ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἔφη· Καὶ σὺ ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶ· ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ἔφη· Ἄνθρωπε, οὐκ εἰμί. ⁵⁹ καὶ διαστάσης ὡσεὶ ὥρας μιᾶς ἄλλος τις διϊσχυρίζετο λέγων· Ἐπʼ ἀληθείας καὶ οὗτος μετʼ αὐτοῦ ἦν, καὶ γὰρ Γαλιλαῖός ἐστιν· ⁶⁰ εἶπεν δὲ ὁ Πέτρος· Ἄνθρωπε, οὐκ οἶδα ὃ λέγεις. καὶ παραχρῆμα ἔτι λαλοῦντος αὐτοῦ ἐφώνησεν ἀλέκτωρ. ⁶¹ καὶ στραφεὶς ὁ κύριος ἐνέβλεψεν τῷ Πέτρῳ, καὶ ὑπεμνήσθη ὁ Πέτρος τοῦ λόγου τοῦ κυρίου ὡς εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὅτι Πρὶν ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι σήμερον ἀπαρνήσῃ με τρίς. ⁶² καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἔξω ἔκλαυσεν πικρῶς.

⁶³ Καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ συνέχοντες αὐτὸν ἐνέπαιζον αὐτῷ δέροντες, ⁶⁴ καὶ περικαλύψαντες αὐτὸν ἐπηρώτων λέγοντες· Προφήτευσον, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παίσας σε; ⁶⁵ καὶ ἕτερα πολλὰ βλασφημοῦντες ἔλεγον εἰς αὐτόν.

⁶⁶ Καὶ ὡς ἐγένετο ἡμέρα, συνήχθη τὸ πρεσβυτέριον τοῦ λαοῦ, ἀρχιερεῖς τε καὶ γραμματεῖς, καὶ ἀπήγαγον αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ συνέδριον αὐτῶν, ⁶⁷ λέγοντες· Εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστός, εἰπὸν ἡμῖν. εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς· Ἐὰν ὑμῖν εἴπω οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε· ⁶⁸ ἐὰν δὲ ἐρωτήσω, οὐ μὴ ἀποκριθῆτε. ⁶⁹ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν δὲ ἔσται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καθήμενος ἐκ δεξιῶν τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ θεοῦ. ⁷⁰ εἶπαν δὲ πάντες· Σὺ οὖν εἶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ; ὁ δὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔφη· Ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι. ⁷¹ οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· Τί ἔτι ἔχομεν μαρτυρίας χρείαν; αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἠκούσαμεν ἀπὸ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ.

And arresting him they led him into the house of the high priest, and Peter followed at a distance. And there was a fire kindling in the middle of the courtyard and Peter sat down among them. And a slave girl seeing him sitting there before the light and looking at hi said, “Also this one was with him.” And he answered saying, “I don’t know him, woman.” And after a little another one beheld him saying, Also you are of him, “But Peter said, Man, I am not!” And about an hour passed and another insisted saying, “In truth, also this one was with him, for also he is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know of whom you speak.” And immediately, while speaking, a rooster crowd and the Lord turned to look at Peter, and Peter remembered the words of the Lord as he said to him, “Before a rooster crows three times today you will disown me” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

And the me  around him mocked him beating him, and covering him they asked him saying, “Prophesy, who’s the one striking you?!” And many other blasphemies they said to him.

And as it was becoming day the elders of the people, high priests, and the scribes, also led him away into their Sanhedrin, saying, “If you are the Christ, tell us.” And he said to them, “If I say to you, you will not believe. And if I ask, you will not answer.” And from now the Son of Man will be seated from the right hand of the power of God.” And they all said, “You are the Son of God?” And he said to them, “You said that I am.” And they said, “What more witness do we need?” For we have heard these things from his own mouth.”

Juxtaposing Mk and Mt:

Mk transitions from Jesus in Gethsemane, then betrayed, then brought before his accusers. He transitions to Jesus before Pilate. Mt does the same, except before Jesus is brought to Pilate he discusses Judas’ remorse. In Mk Peter is in the courtyard when a servant girl of the high priest recognizes him as being with Jesus “the Nazarene”. He denies it and goes to the porch. The same girl sees him again and tells the bystanders and he denies it. Then the bystanders ask him noting he is a Galilean. He cusses and denies Christ, then a rooster crows a second time and Peter remembers that Jesus said he would deny him three times before a rooster crows twice. He begins weeping. In Mt Peter is in the courtyard when the servant girl recognizes him as being with Jesus “the Galilean”. He denies it and goes into the gateway. Then a different girl sees him saying he is with Jesus “of Nazareth”. He denies it “with an oath”. Bystanders accuse him because of his speech (accent). He cusses and denies Christ, then a rooster crows. Peter remembers Jesus saying that before a rooster crows he would deny him three times. He goes and weeps.

Juxtaposing Mk and Lk: 

Mk transitions from Jesus in Gethsemane, then betrayed, then brought before his accusers. He transitions to Jesus before Pilate.  Lk does the same, though he does move Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin until after Peter’s denial.  In Mk Peter is in the courtyard when a servant girl of the high priest recognizes him as being with Jesus “the Nazarene”. He denies it and goes to the porch. The same girl sees him again and tells the bystanders and he denies it. Then the bystanders ask him noting he is a Galilean. He cusses and denies Christ, then a rooster crows a second time and Peter remembers that Jesus said he would deny him three times before a rooster crows twice. He begins weeping. In Lk Peter follows Jesus from a distance after the arrest. A fire is kindled in the courtyard and Peter sits with everyone. A servant girl says he was with “him”, but Peter denies it addressing the “woman”. Then “another” (masculine, singular) recognizes him and says Peter is “one of them!” He addresses him as “man” and denies Jesus. An hour later another man says Peter knows Jesus because he is a Galilean (following Mk in being explicit here). Peter addresses him as “man” and says he doesn’t know what he is saying. Then a rooster crows, Jesus turns and looks at Peter, Peter remembers Jesus saying that before the rooster crows he will have denied Jesus three times (agreement with Mt over Mk on this detail). Peter then goes and weeps bitterly.

Juxtaposing Mt and Lk:

Mt transitions from Jesus in Gethsemane, then betrayed, then brought before his accusers. He transitions to Judas showing remorse before going to the scene of Jesus before Pilate. Lk follows this order without the story of Judas and he moves Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin until after Peter’s denial. In Mk Peter is in the courtyard when a servant girl of the high priest recognizes him as being with Jesus “the Nazarene”. He denies it and goes to the porch. The same girl sees him again and tells the bystanders and he denies it. Then the bystanders ask him noting he is a Galilean. He cusses and denies Christ, then a rooster crows a second time and Peter remembers that Jesus said he would deny him three times before a rooster crows twice. He begins weeping. In Lk Peter follows Jesus from a distance after the arrest. A fire is kindled in the courtyard and Peter sits with everyone. A servant girl says he was with “him”, but Peter denies it addressing the “woman”. Then “another” (masculine, singular) recognizes him and says Peter is “one of them!” He addresses him as “man” and denies Jesus. An hour later another man says Peter knows Jesus because he is a Galilean (following Mk in being explicit here). Peter addresses him as “man” and says he doesn’t know what he is saying. Then a rooster crows, Jesus turns and looks at Peter, Peter remembers Jesus saying that before the rooster crows he will have denied Jesus three times (agreement with Mt over Mk on this detail). Peter then goes and weeps bitterly.

Unique to Mk:

In Mk Jesus is of Nazareth. Also, the second to notice Peter is the same girl as the first time.  The rooster crows twice before Peter denies Christ. 

Unique to Mt: 

In Mt the second servant girl is different. Peter swears by an oath and he is recognized because of his speech.

Unique to Lk:

In Lk Peter knows where Jesus is because he followed him from a distance. There is fire in the courtyard. The second servant to recognize Jesus is male. Instead of a group of people there is a second male, third witness. Somehow Jesus and Peter make eye contact.

Peter’s Confession (Mt 16.13-20; Mk 8.27-30; Lk 9.18-21):

Mk 8 ²⁷ Καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς κώμας Καισαρείας τῆς Φιλίππου· καὶ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἐπηρώτα τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ λέγων αὐτοῖς· Τίνα με λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι; ²⁸ οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες ὅτι Ἰωάννην τὸν βαπτιστήν, καὶ ἄλλοι Ἠλίαν, ἄλλοι δὲ ὅτι εἷς τῶν προφητῶν. ²⁹ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπηρώτα αὐτούς· Ὑμεῖς δὲ τίνα με λέγετε εἶναι; ⸀ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Πέτρος λέγει αὐτῷ· Σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστός. ³⁰ καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ λέγωσιν περὶ αὐτοῦ.

And Jesus and his disciples went up into the village of Caesarea Philippi. And in the road he asked his disciples saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” And they said to spoke to him saying, “Namely, John the Baptist, and other Elijah, and other one of the prophets. And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answering said to him, “You are the Christ.” And he commanded them that no one say anything about him.

Mt 16 ¹³ Ἐλθὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὰ μέρη Καισαρείας τῆς Φιλίππου ἠρώτα τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ λέγων· Τίνα λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου; ¹⁴ οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· Οἱ μὲν Ἰωάννην τὸν βαπτιστήν, ἄλλοι δὲ Ἠλίαν, ἕτεροι δὲ Ἰερεμίαν ἢ ἕνα τῶν προφητῶν. ¹⁵ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ὑμεῖς δὲ τίνα με λέγετε εἶναι; ¹⁶ ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Σίμων Πέτρος εἶπεν· Σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος. ¹⁷ ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Μακάριος εἶ, Σίμων Βαριωνᾶ, ὅτι σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα οὐκ ἀπεκάλυψέν σοι ἀλλʼ ὁ πατήρ μου ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· ¹⁸ κἀγὼ δέ σοι λέγω ὅτι σὺ εἶ Πέτρος, καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς· ¹⁹ δώσω σοι τὰς κλεῖδας τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ ὃ ἐὰν δήσῃς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἔσται δεδεμένον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, καὶ ὃ ἐὰν λύσῃς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἔσται λελυμένον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. ²⁰ τότε διεστείλατο τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ εἴπωσιν ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ χριστός.

And Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “They say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and other Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answering said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the Gates of Hades will not defeat her. I give to you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, and if you bind on earth it will have already been bound in heaven, and if you loos on earth it will have already been loosed in heaven.” Then he commanded that no one say that he is the Messiah.

Lk 9 ¹⁸ Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτὸν προσευχόμενον κατὰ μόνας συνῆσαν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταί, καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτοὺς λέγων· Τίνα με οἱ ὄχλοι λέγουσιν εἶναι; ¹⁹ οἱ δὲ ἀποκριθέντες εἶπαν· Ἰωάννην τὸν βαπτιστήν, ἄλλοι δὲ Ἠλίαν, ἄλλοι δὲ ὅτι προφήτης τις τῶν ἀρχαίων ἀνέστη. ²⁰ εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς· Ὑμεῖς δὲ τίνα με λέγετε εἶναι; Πέτρος δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· Τὸν χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ.

²¹ Ὁ δὲ ἐπιτιμήσας αὐτοῖς παρήγγειλεν μηδενὶ λέγειν τοῦτο, ²² εἰπὼν ὅτι Δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πολλὰ παθεῖν καὶ ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ ἀρχιερέων καὶ γραμματέων καὶ ἀποκτανθῆναι καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθῆναι.

And it happened that while he was praying alone his disciples were with him, and he asked them saying, “Who do the crowds say I am?” And they answered him saying, “John the Baptist, and others Elijah, and others one of the prophets of old raised up.” And he said to them, “And who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered saying, “The Christ of God.”

And he warned them and he rebuked them that no one should speak, saying that, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests, and the scribes and be killed and on the third day arise.

Juxtaposing Mk and Mt:

Mk transitions from the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida and to Jesus telling of his death and resurrection just before the Transfiguration. Mt transitions from Jesus feeding the four thousand, having a sign demanded of him, and his speech on the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees and then transitions into Jesus telling of his death and resurrection just before the Transfiguration. Mk has Jesus and the disciples going into the village of Caesarea Phillipi while Mt mentions the region only. On the way Mk has Jesus ask the disciples who people say that he is. In Mt Jesus uses the self-designation “the Son of Man”.  In Mk they respond John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets. Mt has the same respond with the addition of the mention of Jeremiah.  In both he asks who they say he is. In both Peter says that he is the Christ. In Mt Peter is called “Simon Peter” and he adds to his answer, “the Son of the Living God”. In Mk it ends with Jesus instructing them to tell no one. In Mt Jesus blesses Peter, tells him the Father revealed this to him, called him “Peter” or “Rock”, and say upon “this rock” he will build his church and the Gates of Hades won’t prevail against it. Jesus adds further that he gives Peter (the “you” is singular) keys to bind on earth what has been bound in heaven and loose on earth was has been loosed in heaven. Then, like in Mk, Jesus tells them to say nothing of him being Messiah.

Juxtaposing Mk and Lk: 

Mk transitions from the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida and to Jesus telling of his death and resurrection just before the Transfiguration. Lk transitions from the feeding of the five thousand and into Jesus’ talk on his death and resurrection just before the Transfiguration. Mk has Jesus and the disciples going into the village of Caesarea Phillipi while Lk has Jesus praying alone with his disciples. . On the way Mk has Jesus ask the disciples who people say that he is. In Lk Jesus asks who the “crowds” say that he is. In Mk they respond John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets. In Lk it is the same, except Luke emphasizes they think they’ve risen from the dead. In both Jesus asks who they say he is. In both Peter answers that he is the Christ and Lk add “of God”. In Mk it ends with Jesus instructing them to tell no one. In Lk it is the same, except he refers to himself as the “Son of Man” explaining he must suffer greatly, be rejected by the elder, chief priest, scribes, and then be killed in order to rise on the third day. Mk does transition into a discourse on the resurrection next. 

Juxtaposting Mt and Lk:

Mt transitions from Jesus feeding the four thousand, having a sign demanded of him, and his speech on the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees and then transitions into Jesus telling of his death and resurrection just before the Transfiguration. Lk transitions from the feeding of the five thousand and into Jesus’ talk on his death and resurrection just before the Transfiguration. Mt has Jesus enter the region of Caesarea Phillipi. Lk has Jesus praying with his disciples. In Mt Jesus asks who people say “the Son of Man” is. Lk has Jesus ask who “the crowds” say he is. In Mt they say John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. In Lk it is the same, except Luke emphasizes they think they’ve risen from the dead and he does not mention Jeremiah. In both he asks who they say he is. In both Peter says that he is the Christ. Mt adds “the Son of the Living God” and Lk adds “of God”. Also, in Mt Peter is “Simon Peter”. In Mt Jesus blesses Peter, tells him the Father revealed this to him, called him “Peter” or “Rock”, and say upon “this rock” he will build his church and the Gates of Hades won’t prevail against it. Jesus adds further that he gives Peter (the “you” is singular) keys to bind on earth what has been bound in heaven and loose on earth was has been loosed in heaven. In both Jesus tells them not to say anything to anyone. In Lk he refers to himself as the “Son of Man” explaining he must suffer greatly, be rejected by the elder, chief priest, scribes, and then be killed in order to rise on the third day. Mt transitions into a discourse on the resurrection as well.

Unqiue to Mk:

Only Mk emphasizes that they are going to the “village” of Caesarea Philippi.

Unique to Mt: 

Only in Mt does Jesus ask about his identity with the self-designation “the Son of Man”. He alone mentions Jeremiah. Mt adds “the Son of the Living God” to Peter’s answer. Mt includes Jesus’ long discourse on Peter’s identity, the establishment of the church, and binding and loosing.

Unique to Lk:

Only Lk has Jesus praying with his disciples. Lk asks about the “crowds” rather than the “people”. He emphasizes that some thought Jesus was a resurrected prophet.  He adds “of God” to Peter’s answer.