Mark 16:9-20 — "The Longer Ending"

Presbyterian churches acknowledge the textual-critical consensus that Mark 16:9-20 (the 'Longer Ending' of Mark's Gospel) is not present in the earliest and most reliable biblical manuscripts. The two oldest Greek manuscripts (Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus) end Mark's Gospel at 16:8, and this ending is marked as doubtful in modern English Bible translations. Mainline Presbyterian bodies, particularly those that engage with historical-critical biblical scholarship, teach this scholarly consensus in seminaries and Bible study contexts.

However, the passage is treated pastorally as containing true doctrine and is permitted in worship and preaching. Many Presbyterian churches still include Mark 16:9-20 in their lectionaries and hymnals, finding spiritual value and doctrinal truth in accounts of the resurrection appearances and the Great Commission. The position represents a balance between scholarly honesty about textual origins and pastoral recognition of the passage's theological legitimacy. Conservative Presbyterian bodies may vary in how they address textual criticism, but even those emphasizing inerrancy generally acknowledge the textual uncertainty regarding this passage's original authorship.