The 34 Gospels

4 Canonical

Gospel of Mark

Date Written: c. 70

Earliest Manuscript: P45 (Chester Beatty Library), 3rd century

First Line: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, ‘See I am sending my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way; the voice crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”’”

Gospel of Matthew

Date Written: c. 80

Earliest Manuscript: P64 (Oxford), c. 200

First Line: “An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, Son of David, the son of Abraham.”

Gospel of Luke

Date Written: c. 90

Earliest Manuscript: P75 (Bodmer Library), 3rd century

First Line: “Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything very carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account…”

Gospel of John

Date Written: c. 95

Earliest Fragment: P52 (Rylands Library 457), c. 125–140

First Line: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

4 Complete Noncanonical

Infancy Gospel of James

Date Written: Mid-2nd century (after Matthew and Luke)

Earliest Manuscript: P. Bodmer 5, 4th century, Greek

Length: 25 chapters