The Gospel (İncil)
Read the Gospel (İncil) online: the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and the whole New Testament, chapter by chapter, free and ad-free. What the Gospel is, how many books, who wrote it — short, neutral answers. Download as PDF too.
The word "Gospel" (İncil in Turkish) can be confusing because it is used in more than one sense. It comes from the Greek "euangelion," meaning "good news, glad tidings," and the Turkish form entered the language through Arabic. In its most basic sense, the Gospel is the name of the good news announcing the life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In its narrow, technical sense the Gospel refers to the four books that convey this news: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Known together as "the four Gospels," they are the first four books of the New Testament and recount the same events from different perspectives. Read together, the four give a fuller picture of the life of Jesus.
In everyday speech "the Gospel" often carries a broader meaning. Sometimes it stands for the whole New Testament of 27 books — the four Gospels together with the Acts of the Apostles, the letters of the apostles and the book of Revelation — and sometimes for the entire Bible. So what someone means by "the Gospel" is usually clear from the context.
In Turkish the name "İncil" is also known in the Islamic tradition as a book given to Jesus; in the Christian tradition, however, the Gospel is not a single book but four separate witnesses to the life of Jesus and, more broadly, the whole New Testament.
You can read the Gospel on this site chapter by chapter, free and ad-free. First-time readers are often encouraged to begin with the Gospel of John, which focuses on who Jesus is. Open any Gospel from the list below, or read the whole New Testament in order.
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Books
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
- Acts
- Romans
- 1 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians
- 1 Thessalonians
- 2 Thessalonians
- 1 Timothy
- 2 Timothy
- Titus
- Philemon
- Hebrews
- James
- 1 Peter
- 2 Peter
- 1 John
- 2 John
- 3 John
- Jude
- Revelation
Guides
- What Is the Gospel (İncil)?
- The Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
- What Are the Old and New Testaments?
- Who Is Jesus Christ?
- Kadıköy Kilise Translation (KKR): Sources and Revision Notes
Topics
Verses
How many books is the Gospel?
In the narrowest sense the Gospel is four books: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In a broader sense "the Gospel" can also stand for the whole New Testament of 27 books.
Who wrote the Gospel?
The four Gospels are traditionally attributed to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These books gather and pass on close testimony to the life of Jesus; for a fuller look, see the guide "Who wrote the Bible?"
Which are the four Gospels?
The four Gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and they form the first four books of the New Testament.
Are the Gospel and the Bible the same thing?
No. The Bible is the whole 66-book collection covering the Old and New Testament. The Gospel refers to the New Testament portion of this whole — and in its narrowest sense to the four books recounting Jesus' life.
Can I read the Gospel online for free?
Yes. On this site you can read the four Gospels and the whole New Testament chapter by chapter, free and ad-free, and download a PDF if you wish. First-time readers are encouraged to begin with the Gospel of John.