Mark 1 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The title and the herald — John the Baptist 1:1–8

vv. 1–3 — the superscription and the composite citation

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.independent — verbless incipit — the book's title; [υἱοῦ θεοῦ] disputed (absent ℵ*), framing 15:39

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:comparative — fronted citation formula — leans on ἐγένετο (v. 4); 'in Isaiah' though the first line is Malachi, a noted crux

'Behold, I send my messenger before your face,content — Mal 3:1 / Exod 23:20 — the messenger sent ahead

who will prepare your way';relative — the herald's task — the ὁδός motif begins

'a voice of one crying in the wilderness:content — Isa 40:3 — the herald reduced to a voice; verbless

Prepare the way of the Lord,content — the voice's summons — κύριος (YHWH in Isaiah) applied to Jesus

make his paths straight,'content — the parallel command — εὐθύς the adjective, before εὐθύς the adverb

vv. 4–8 — John appears: the baptizer and his proclamation

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness,independent — the narrative opens — ἐγένετο fulfils the citation: he is the voice

and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.participial — coordinate with ὁ βαπτίζων — the herald's message

And all the Judean countryside and all the Jerusalemites kept going out to him,independent — iterative imperfect — the continual stream; hyperbolic 'all'

and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River,independent — iterative imperfect — the repeated dipping

confessing their sins.participial — concurrent — the confession accompanying the rite

And John was clothed in camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist,independent — periphrastic — the Elijah garb (2 Kgs 1:8; Mal 4:5)

and eating locusts and wild honey.participial — second periphrastic participle — the wilderness diet

And he kept proclaiming, saying:independent — iterative imperfect + pleonastic λέγων — the speech-frame

'After me comes the one mightier than I,content — the Coming One — vivid futuristic present

the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.relative — John beneath the slave's task — κύψας Mark's vivid detail

I baptized you with water,content — the antithesis — emphatic ἐγώ, John's water

but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.'content — emphatic αὐτός — the eschatological Spirit-baptism

The baptism and the testing 1:9–13

vv. 9–11 — the baptism: heavens torn, the voice

And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee,independent — Semitic ἐγένετο-frame with asyndetic ἦλθεν — Jesus enters the narrative unannounced

and was baptized in the Jordan by John.independent — the baptism — one flat coordinate clause; Mark offers no apologetic

And immediately, coming up out of the water,participial — preposed circumstantial — the first narrative εὐθύς; leans on εἶδεν

he saw the heavens being torn openindependent — σχιζομένους — torn, not merely opened; echoed at the veil (15:38)

and the Spirit as a dove descending into him;participial — second object of the vision — εἰς αὐτόν, into (not merely upon) him

and a voice came from the heavens:independent — the bat qol — the speech-frame for the divine address

'You are my beloved Son;content — Ps 2:7 — the enthronement address, spoken to Jesus alone

in you I am well pleased.'content — Isa 42:1 — the servant fused with the Son

vv. 12–13 — driven to the wilderness

And immediately the Spirit drives him out into the wilderness.independent — historic present ἐκβάλλει — the Spirit's violent verb, used elsewhere of demons

And he was in the wilderness forty days,independent — the forty days — Israel's forty years compressed

being tested by Satan,participial — durative present participle — the whole stay is the testing; Mark gives no dialogue

and he was with the wild beasts,independent — only Mark — paradise regained or danger endured, left open

and the angels were serving him.independent — iterative imperfect — continual ministry (cf. Elijah, 1 Kgs 19)

Into Galilee — the proclamation and the four called 1:14–20

vv. 14–15 — the gospel of God announced

Now after John was handed over,phrase modifier — fronted articular infinitive — παραδοθῆναι, the verb that will be Jesus' own; leans on ἦλθεν

Jesus came into Galilee,independent — the ministry opens where the herald's arrest closes

proclaiming the gospel of Godparticipial — manner participle — the εὐαγγέλιον of v. 1 now on Jesus' own lips

and saying:participial — coordinate speech-participle with recitative ὅτι

'The time is fulfilled,content — perfect — the appointed season stands full

and the kingdom of God has drawn near;content — ἤγγικεν — 'drawn near' or 'arrived,' the famous crux, left open

repent and believe in the gospel.'content — the double imperative — the demanded response

vv. 16–20 — the four called from their nets

And passing along beside the Sea of Galilee,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶδεν

he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simonindependent — the first pair — Jesus' seeing initiates each call

casting their nets in the sea,participial — supplementary participle — caught mid-work

for they were fishermen.cause — narrator's aside — the γάρ that sets up 'fishers of men'

And Jesus said to them:independent — the call — speech-frame

'Come after me,content — the summons — discipleship as following behind

and I will make you become fishers of men.'content — the promise — their trade transposed; γενέσθαι, a becoming

And immediately, leaving the nets,participial — preposed aorist participle — the abandonment before the verb strikes

they followed him.independent — the obedience — one word answers the call

And going on a little farther,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶδεν

he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother,independent — the second pair — the pattern repeats

them too in the boat mending the nets,participial — supplementary participle — again mid-work

And immediately he called them.independent — the call compressed to one verb

And leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men,participial — preposed aorist participle — the cost named: father, boat, business

they went away after him.independent — ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ — the phrase of v. 17 enacted

Authority in Capernaum — the teaching and the unclean spirit 1:21–28

vv. 21–22 — teaching with authority

And they enter Capernaum.independent — historic present — the narrative quickens into the day at Capernaum

And immediately on the sabbath, entering the synagogue,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἐδίδασκεν

he began to teach.independent — inceptive imperfect — one bare verb, no content given

And they were astounded at his teaching,independent — iterative imperfect — the ongoing amazement

for he was teaching them as one having authority,cause — periphrastic imperfect — ἐξουσία, the chapter's keyword, enters

and not as the scribes.comparative — elliptical foil — the scribes teach from precedent, he does not

vv. 23–28 — the unclean spirit expelled

And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit,independent — ἐν πνεύματι ἀκαθάρτῳ — in the spirit's grip, inside the holy assembly

and he cried out,independent — the shriek — the spirit speaks through the man

saying:participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the frame for the demon's words

'What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth?content — verbless idiom (cf. 1 Kgs 17:18) — the plural ἡμῖν: the demonic order speaks

Have you come to destroy us?content — question or dread assertion — either way, the demons read the arrival rightly

I know who you are — the Holy One of God.'content — prolepsis (σε drawn forward) — the demon confesses what the crowd cannot see

And Jesus rebuked him, saying:independent — ἐπετίμησεν — the rebuke-verb of exorcism and of storms (4:39)

'Be muzzled,content — the blunt muzzle-word — the messianic silencing begins

and come out of him.'content — the expulsion command — no formula, no invocation, bare authority

And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice,participial — two preposed aorist participles — the violent exit before the verb

came out of him.independent — the command of v. 25 obeyed verbatim

And all were amazed,independent — θαμβέομαι — Mark's stronger amazement verb

so that they debated among themselves, saying:purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key)

'What is this?content — the crowd's question — identity, not technique

A new teaching — with authority!content — verbless exclamation — teaching and exorcism read as one act of ἐξουσία

Even the unclean spirits he commands,content — fronted dative — the astonishing object first

and they obey him.'content — the verdict — obedience where the scribes get argument

And the report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the surrounding region of Galilee.independent — ἐξῆλθεν ἡ ἀκοή — the fame exits as the demon did

The house of Simon — an evening of healings 1:29–34

vv. 29–31 — Simon's mother-in-law raised

And immediately, leaving the synagogue,participial — preposed circumstantial — the sabbath day continues

they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.independent — the four of vv. 16–20 — eyewitness circumstantiality

Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever,independent — imperfect + participle — the scene as they find it

and immediately they tell him about her.independent — historic present — the intercession

And coming to her,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἤγειρεν

he raised her up,independent — ἤγειρεν — the resurrection verb in miniature

taking her by the hand;participial — means participle, following its verb — the healing touch

and the fever left her,independent — the fever as agent — it departs like the demon

and she began to serve them.independent — inceptive imperfect — διακονεῖν, the angels' verb of v. 13

vv. 32–34 — the whole city at the door

And when evening had come,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; sabbath ends at sundown

when the sun had set,conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — the double time-marker: now they may carry the sick

they kept bringing to him all who were sick and the demon-possessed;independent — iterative imperfect — the stream of the afflicted

and the whole city was gathered at the door.independent — periphrastic pluperfect sense — Mark's hyperbolic ὅλη

And he healed many who were sick with various diseases,independent — πολλούς answering πάντας — many of the all brought

and cast out many demons,independent — the evening's second column of works

and he would not permit the demons to speak,independent — iterative imperfect — the repeated silencing

because they knew him.cause — the messianic secret stated — knowledge is the reason for the muzzle

Before dawn — prayer and the wider tour 1:35–39

And very early, while still night, rising,participial — preposed circumstantial with piled time-adverbs — leans on ἐξῆλθεν

he went outindependent — the withdrawal from the acclaiming city

and went away to a deserted place,independent — ἔρημος again — back to the wilderness of vv. 4, 12

and there he was praying.independent — durative imperfect — the first of Mark's three prayer-scenes (6:46; 14:35)

And Simon and those with him hunted him down,independent — καταδιώκω — pursued, a hunting verb; the crowd's agenda gives chase

and they found himindependent — the search concluded

and they say to him:independent — historic present + recitative ὅτι — the speech-frame

'Everyone is seeking you.'content — ζητεῖν — in Mark, almost always the wrong pursuit

And he says to them:independent — historic present — the reply

'Let us go elsewhere, into the neighboring towns,content — the refusal of Capernaum's acclaim — the mission moves on

so that I may preach there also;purpose — the stated purpose — preaching, not wonder-working

for this is why I came out.'cause — ἐξῆλθον — from Capernaum, or from the Father; the double sense noted

And he went preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee,independent — the summary tour — preaching first, as v. 38 promised

and casting out the demons.participial — coordinate participle — word and power together

The leper cleansed — the charge disobeyed 1:40–45

vv. 40–42 — the plea and the touch

And a leper comes to him,independent — historic present — the unclean man approaches, against all rule

begging him and kneeling,participial — the double participle of entreaty

saying to him:participial — speech-participle with recitative ὅτι

'If you will,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — doubt of willingness, not of power

you are able to cleanse me.'content — the apodosis-confession — καθαρίσαι, the cultic word

And moved with compassion,participial — σπλαγχνισθείς printed; the harder ὀργισθείς ('moved with anger,' D it) is the famous rival reading

stretching out his hand,participial — second preposed participle — the reach across the purity line

he touched himindependent — ἥψατο — one word: he touches what no one touches

and says to him:independent — historic present — the answering word

'I will; be cleansed.'content — the plea answered word for word — θέλω to ἐὰν θέλῃς, καθαρίσθητι to καθαρίσαι

And immediately the leprosy went away from him,independent — the disease departs like the fever and the demon

and he was cleansed.independent — the passive seals it — the command performed

vv. 43–45 — the stern charge and the disobedient fame

And sternly charging him,participial — ἐμβριμησάμενος — the snorting-stern verb; the tone turns abruptly

he immediately drove him out,independent — ἐξέβαλεν — the exorcism verb turned on the healed man himself

and says to him:independent — historic present — the charge

'Seecontent — the warning imperative governing the prohibition

that you say nothing to anyone;content — double negative prohibition — the secret commanded

but go,content — the positive counter-command

show yourself to the priest,content — Lev 13–14 — the Torah honored by the one who touched the leper

and offer for your cleansingcontent — the prescribed offering

what Moses commanded,relative — Lev 14:2–32 — the two birds, the lambs, the log of oil

as a testimony to them.phrase modifier — εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς — for, or against, them; left open

But he, going out,participial — preposed circumstantial — the healed man exits to disobey

began to proclaim it freely and to spread the word,independent — κηρύσσειν — the leper preaches; the verb of John and Jesus taken over

so that he could no longer enter a town openly,purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key): the roles reverse

but was outside in deserted places;independent — Jesus now occupies the leper's exile — the exchange complete

and they kept coming to him from every side.independent — iterative imperfect — the chapter ends as it ran: everyone still coming

Analysis. Mark 1 is narrative, and the layout's first lesson is the flush-left column: verse after verse of coordinate purple main clauses, each opening with καί (eleven times reinforced by εὐθύς, 'immediately'), one event per line — appeared, went out, was baptized, saw, drives out, called, they followed, he healed. Mark's parataxis is real coordination, so it is never falsely nested; the drumbeat runs straight down the left margin, and the historic presents (ἐκβάλλει, εἰσπορεύονται, λέγει, ἔρχεται) are flagged in the tags as they land. Against that column two things indent. First, the preposed circumstantial participles and genitive absolutes that lean forward, anchor-less, on the event below them (καὶ εὐθὺς ἀναβαίνων, ἀφέντες τὰ δίκτυα, Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης, σπλαγχνισθείς) — Mark's favorite way of loading a clause before its verb strikes. Second, speech, which always hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying: the composite catena of vv. 2–3 under γέγραπται (Mal 3:1/Exod 23:20, then Isa 40:3, cited 'in Isaiah the prophet' — the attribution-crux the later Byzantine text smooths to 'in the prophets'), the heavenly voice under φωνή (Ps 2:7 fused with Isa 42:1), John's and Jesus' proclamations under ἐκήρυσσεν and λέγων, the demon's τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί and the crowd's τί ἐστιν τοῦτο; under their participles of speech, and the leper-dialogue with the chapter's one conditional — a protasis inside quoted speech (Ἐὰν θέλῃς leaning forward on δύνασαι), answered word-for-word by Θέλω, καθαρίσθητι. Cruxes the layout inherits from the text rather than resolves: [υἱοῦ θεοῦ] in v. 1 stands bracketed (absent from Sinaiticus*, read by most witnesses including Vaticanus, framing the Gospel with 15:39); at v. 41 the text prints σπλαγχνισθείς ('moved with compassion') where the harder, well-attested ὀργισθείς ('moved with anger') competes — the tag names it; ἤγγικεν in v. 15 ('has drawn near' or 'has arrived') and εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς in v. 44 ('a testimony for — or against — them') are glossed but left open.