Evangelien

Evangelien, the German term for the Gospels, usually refers to the four canonical gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The word Evangelium comes from Greek euangelion, "good news." In English usage the term Gospels corresponds to Evangelien; in German usage it designates the core narrative about Jesus’s life and ministry.

Dating and authorship are uncertain; scholars generally place composition in the first century CE. Mark is often considered the earliest Gospel, with Matthew and Luke drawing on Mark and a common source, sometimes called Q. John is typically viewed as more theologically distinctive.

Together, the Evangelien present the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus and form the basis of Christian doctrine, liturgy, and ethics. They differ in emphases, chronology, and portrayal of Jesus, yet share a focus on his message of the kingdom of God and salvation.

Beyond the canonical Four, many early Christian writings circulated as gospels, but were not included in the New Testament. These apocryphal or extracanonical gospels—such as the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, and the Gospel of Mary—are studied for historical and literary insights rather than canonical authority.

See also: Gospel; Synoptic Gospels; Evangelist.