The four records or testimonies of Jesus’ mortal life and the events pertaining to his ministry contained in the first four books of the New Testament. Written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, they are recorded witnesses of Christ’s life. The book of 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon is similar in many ways to these four New Testament Gospels.
The books of the New Testament were originally written in Greek. The Greek word for gospel means “good news.” The good news is that Jesus Christ has made an atonement that will redeem all mankind from death and reward each individual according to his works (John 3: 16; Rom. 5: 10-11; 2 Ne. 9: 26; Alma 34: 9; D&C 76: 69).
Harmony of the Gospels: The teachings of the Savior in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John can be compared with each other and with latter-day revelation in the following way:
| EVENT |
| MATTHEW |
| MARK |
| LUKE |
| JOHN |
| LATTER-DAY REVELATION |
| Genealogies of Jesus |
| Matt. 1: 2-17 |
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| Luke 3: 23-38 |
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| Birth of John the Baptist |
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| Luke 1: 5-25, 57-58 |
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| Birth of Jesus | Matt. 2: 1-15 |
| Luke 2: 6-7 |
| 1 Ne 11: 18-20
2 Ne 17: 14
Mosiah 3: 5-8
Alma 7: 10
Hel 14: 5-12
3 Ne 1: 4-22 |
| Simeon’s and Anna’s prophecies |
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| Luke 2: 25-39 |
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| Visit to the temple (Passover) |
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| Luke 2: 41-50 |
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| Beginning of John’s ministry | Matt. 3: 1, 5-6 | Mark 1: 4 | Luke 3: 1-3 | John 1: 6-14 |
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| Baptism of Jesus | Matt. 3: 13-17 | Mark 1: 9-11 | Luke 3: 21-22 | John 1: 32-34 | 1 Ne 10: 7-10
2 Ne 31: 4-21 |
| Temptations of Jesus | Matt. 4: 1-11 |
| Luke 4: 1-13 |
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| John the Baptist’s testimony |
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| John 1: 15-36 | D&C 93: 6-18, 26 |
| Marriage feast at Cana (Jesus’ first miracle) |
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| John 2: 1-11 |
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| First cleansing of the temple |
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| John 2: 14-17 |
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| Meeting with Nicodemus |
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| John 3: 1-10 |
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| Samaritan woman at the well |
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| John 4: 1-42 |
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| Jesus rejected at Nazareth | Matt. 4: 13-16 |
| Luke 4: 16-30 |
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| Fishermen called to be fishers of men | Matt. 4: 18-22 | Mark 1: 16-20 |
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| Miraculous filling of fishnets |
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| Luke 5: 1-11 |
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| Raising of Jairus’s daughter | Matt. 9: 18-19, 23-26 | Mark 5: 21-24, 35-43 | Luke 8: 41-42, 49-56 |
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| Healing of woman with issue of blood | Matt. 9: 20-22 | Mark 5: 25-34 | Luke 8: 43-48 |
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| The calling of the Twelve | Matt. 10: 1-42 | Mark 3: 13-19
Mark 6: 7-13 | Luke 6: 12-16
Luke 9: 1-2
Luke 12: 2-12, 49-53 |
| 1 Ne 13: 24-26, 39-41
D&C 95: 4 |
| Raising of widow’s son |
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| Luke 7: 11-15 |
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| Anointing of Christ’s feet |
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| Luke 7: 36-50 | John 12: 2-8 |
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| Stilling of the storm |
| Mark 4: 36-41 | Luke 8: 22-25 |
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| The calling of the Seventy |
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| Luke 10: 1 |
| D&C 107: 25, 34, 93-97 |
| Casting of legion of devils into swine |
| Mark 5: 1-20 |
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| The Sermon on the Mount | Matt. 5-7 |
| Luke 6: 17-49 |
| 3 Ne 12-14 |
The parables of Jesus are short stories that compare an ordinary object or event to a truth. Jesus often used them to teach spiritual truths. |
| Sower: |
| Matt. 13: 3-9, 18-23 |
| Mark 4: 3-9, 14-20 |
| Luke 8: 4-8, 11-15 |
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| Tares: | Matt. 13: 24-30, 36-43 | Mark 4: 26-29 |
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| D&C 86: 1-7 |
| Mustard seed: | Matt. 13: 31-32 | Mark 4: 30-32 | Luke 13: 18-19 |
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| Leaven: | Matt. 13: 33 |
| Luke 13: 20-21 |
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| Treasure in the field: | Matt. 13: 44 |
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| Pearl of great price: | Matt. 13: 45-46 |
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| Fisherman’s net: | Matt. 13: 47-50 |
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| Householder: | Matt. 13: 51-52 |
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| Lost sheep: | Matt. 18: 12-14 |
| Luke 15: 1-7 |
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| Lost Coin: |
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| Luke 15: 8-10 |
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| Prodigal son: |
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| Luke 15: 11-32 |
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| Unmerciful servant: | Matt. 18: 23-35 |
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| Good Samaritan: |
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| Luke 10: 25-37 |
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| Unjust steward: |
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| Luke 16: 1-8 |
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| Lazarus and the rich man: |
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| Luke 16: 14-15, 19-31 |
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| Unjust judge: |
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| Luke 18: 1-8 |
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| Good Shepherd: |
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| John 10: 1-21 | 3 Ne 15: 17-24 |
| Laborers in vineyard: | Matt. 20: 1-16 | Mark 10: 31 |
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| Pounds: |
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| Luke 19: 11-27 |
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| Two sons: | Matt. 21: 28-32 |
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| Wicked husbandman: | Matt. 21: 33-46 | Mark 12: 1-12 | Luke 20: 9-19 |
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| Wedding of king’s son: | Matt. 22: 1-14 |
| Luke 14: 7-24 |
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| Ten virgins: | Matt. 25: 1-13 |
| Luke 12: 35-36 |
| D&C 45: 56-59 |
| Talents: | Matt. 25: 14-30 |
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| Sheep, goats: | Matt. 25: 31-46 |
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| Feeding the five thousand |
| Matt. 14: 16-21 |
| Mark 6: 33-44 |
| Luke 9: 11-17 |
| John 6: 5-14 |
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| Jesus walked on the water | Matt. 14: 22-23 | Mark 6: 45-52 |
| John 6: 15-21 |
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| Peter’s testimony of Christ | Matt. 16: 13-16 | Mark 8: 27-29 | Luke 9: 18-20 |
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| Peter promised keys of kingdom | Matt. 16: 19 |
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| Bread of Life sermon |
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| John 6: 22-71 |
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| Healing of blind man on the Sabbath |
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| John 9: 1-41 |
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Transfiguration;
priesthood keys committed | Matt. 17: 1-13 | Mark 9: 2-13 | Luke 9: 28-36 |
| D&C 63: 20-21
D&C 110: 11-13 |
| Blessing of children | Matt. 19: 13-15 | Mark 10: 13-16 | Luke 18: 15-17 |
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| Lord’s prayer | Matt. 6: 5-15 |
| Luke 11: 1-4 |
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| Lazarus restored |
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| John 11: 1-45 |
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| Triumphal entry | Matt. 21: 6-11 | Mark 11: 7-11 | Luke 19: 35-38 | John 12: 12-18 |
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| Moneychangers cast out of temple | Matt. 21: 12-16 | Mark 11: 15-19 | Luke 19: 45-48 |
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| Widow’s mite |
| Mark 12: 41-44 | Luke 21: 1-4 |
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| Discourse on the Second Coming | Matt. 24: 1-51 | Mark 13: 1-37 | Luke 12: 37-48
Luke 17: 20-37
Luke 21: 5-38 |
| D&C 45: 16-60
JS-M 1: 1-55 |
| Healing of ten lepers |
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| Luke 17: 12-14 |
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Jesus’ last Passover;
sacrament instituted;
instructions to the Twelve;
washing of disciples’ feet | Matt. 26: 14-32 | Mark 14: 10-27 | Luke 22: 1-20 | John 13-17 |
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| Jesus’ suffering in Gethsemane | Matt. 26: 36-46 | Mark 14: 32-42 | Luke 22: 39-46 |
| 2 Ne 9: 21-22
Mosiah 3: 5-12
D&C 19: 1-24 |
| Jesus is the vine |
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| John 15: 1-8 |
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| Judas’s betrayal | Matt. 26: 47-50 | Mark 14: 43-46 | Luke 22: 47-48 | John 18: 2-3 |
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| Hearing before Caiaphas | Matt. 26: 57 | Mark 14: 53 | Luke 22: 54, 66-71 | John 18: 24, 28 |
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| Hearing before Pilate | Matt. 27: 2, 11-14 | Mark 15: 1-5 | Luke 23: 1-6 | John 18: 28-38 |
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| Hearing before Herod |
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| Luke 23: 7-10 |
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| Jesus scourged and mocked | Matt. 27: 27-31 | Mark 15: 15-20 |
| John 19: 1-12 |
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| The Crucifixion | Matt. 27: 35-44 | Mark 15: 24-33 | Luke 23: 32-43 | John 19: 18-22 | Hel 14: 20-27
3 Ne 8: 5-22
10: 9 |
| The Resurrection | Matt. 28: 2-8 | Mark 16: 5-8 | Luke 24: 4-8 |
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| Jesus’ appearance to disciples |
| Mark 16: 14 | Luke 24: 13-32, 36-51 | John 20: 19-23 |
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| Jesus’ appearance to Thomas |
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| John 20: 24-25 |
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| The Ascension |
| Mark 16: 19-20 | Luke 24: 50-53 |
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