Fallacy: Appeal to Belief. Can / Should we interpret the Bible as literal? Is the Bible reliable? ARIZONA ATHEIST: Is the Bible Reliable? The Ending of Mark (Mark 16:9-20) Mark 16:9-20 has been called a later addition to the Gospel of Mark by most New Testament scholars in the past century. The main reason for doubting the authenticity of the ending is that it does not appear in some of the oldest existing witnesses, and it is reported to be absent from many others in ancient times by early writers of the Church. Moreover, the ending has some stylistic features which also suggest that it came from another hand. The Gospel is obviously incomplete without these verses, and so most scholars believe that the final leaf of the original manuscript was lost, and that the ending which appears in English versions today (verses 9-20) was supplied during the second century.
Below are some excerpts from various scholarly sources that conclude that the verses are a later addition. Nevertheless, some scholars have not been impressed with the evidence against these verses, and have maintained that they are original. Vv. 9-20. 9-20. 16:9-20 The Ending(s) of Mark. F.H.A. Context!!!!!! Broadcast Yourself.