24 Joost Smit Sibinga In Mark 14:47, where N-A26 uses [ ], it should again be noted, we read εἷς δέ τις ... and in v. 43 Ἰούδας is counted as three syllables: Ἰ-ού-δας.44 Chart 9b Mark 14:43-52: The Number of Syllables used in N(arrative) and D(iscourse) N(arrative) D(iscourse) Sum-total Mark 14:43-45 95 25 120 | 120 46-47 58 - 58 48-49 12 56 68 50-52 58 - 58 | 184 Mark 14:43-52 223 81 304 s. 13.2.2 From v. 46 onwards, the composition resembles a triptych: in the arrest of Jesus (Mark 14:46) and the incident with the High Priest’s slave (v. 47) and, on the other side, the flight of everyone (v. 50) and the narrow escape of the mysterious young man (v. 50-52) we discern two side-panels, using 58 syllables each, Jesus’ comments (v. 48b-49) form the center piece. Both in the Narrative (58 + 12 + 58 s.) and in the Sum-total including the Discourse (58 + 68 + 58 s.) the balance is quite accurate. This, however, covers only v. 46-52. 13.2.3 Chart 9c Mark 14:43-52: The Number of Syllables in a Concentric Display § 1.1 Mark 14:43 57 .2 44 41 2.1 45-46 40 .2 47 40 | 80 3.1 48-50 79 | 120 | 200 .2 51-52 47 | 104 | 304 s. Among the four consecutive sequences of this narrative in v. 44-50, the two central ones each measure one fifth (see § 2.1 and 2.2) and the first and the last ones (see § 1.2 and 3.1) together three fifths of the full number of syllables, being 200 - a ‘round figure’. This is hardly a coincidence, but rather the result of a conscious literary effort by a competent author, who 44 This is not without problems, as in Mark 14:10 it was found necessary to count two. On the evidence of the variant [ὁ] Ἰούδας - so Westcott and Hort and Nestle (and Nestle- Aland) in 14:43 - our doubt and uncertainty is no novel phenomenon.