The exegetical and textual problems in the opening verses of Mark's Gospel are well known. The punctuation of 1.1–4 has exercised editors of critical editions as it has translators. Does one, for example, put a full stop at the end of v. 1 or not? How does the quotation of vv. 2–3 relate to its context? There are also two main text-critical problems: (1) there is a choice between a longer and a shorter reading in v. 1, and (2) the MSS are divided between εν τω ‘Ησαια and εν τοις προϕηταις in v. 2.