Almost thirty years ago I spent a memorable night at the Oxford Playhouse. The stage was bare except for a table and chair. As the performance began, Alec McCowen walked on and placed a copy of the King James’ Bible on the table, in case, he remarked with self-deprecating humour, he forgot his lines. And then he began to recite the Gospel according to St Mark. It was spellbinding. We may be familiar with much of the text, but probably from hearing passages read out in church, as they will often be this year; but to hear the text whole was another experience altogether.
More recently I read the text straight through again in a single sitting. It took me about two hours. Once more the experience was riveting. I would encourage anyone, whether Christian or not, to do the same. The text as a whole has a power we may miss when pondering just particular passages or sections.
And please note, in the live recitation, the KJV was used. Truly the gold standard for reading aloud.
I really enjoyed a dramatic reading of Mark’s gospel by [url=http://www.creationtheatre.co.uk]the Creation Theatre[/url] in Oxford a year or two ago. The translation used was [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/184417493X/]the one by Nick King SJ[/url], one of my two most inspiring tutors there. Much as I understand people’s love for the beautiful English of the KJV, it is really nothing like the actual text. Nick brings out the particular immediacy and breathless pace of Mark’s Greek much better, and that works wonderfully well in a reading.