Mark 1 : 5

The Peshitta employs a periphrastic construction (ܘܢܦܩܐ ܗܘܬ, 'was going out') using the participle with the auxiliary verb ܗܘܬ, whereas Greek uses the simple imperfect ἐξεπορεύετο and Latin the imperfect egrediebatur. All three convey continuous past action but through different grammatical strategies.

Greek places the adjective πᾶσα before the article and noun phrase (πᾶσα ἡ Ἰουδαία χώρα), while Vulgate follows with omnis Judææ regio. Syriac uses the construct state ܟܠܗ ܟܘܪ ܕܝܗܘܕ ('all the region of Judea'), employing a genitive construction typical of Semitic syntax rather than an adjectival modifier.

Greek uses the passive imperfect ἐβαπτίζοντο ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ('were being baptized by him'), Latin mirrors this with baptizabantur ab illo. Syriac employs an active construction ܘܡܥܡܕ ܗܘܐ ܠܗܘܢ ('and he was baptizing them'), using the active participle with auxiliary verb and dative pronominal suffix, a typical Syriac preference for active voice where Greek and Latin use passive.

Greek specifies ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ('in the Jordan river'), with ποταμῷ as an appositional clarification. Latin similarly has in Jordanis flumine. Syriac uses only ܒܝܘܪܕܢܢ ('in the Jordan') without an additional word for 'river,' treating the proper name as sufficient identification of the geographical feature.

Greek uses the present middle participle ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν ('confessing their sins'), Latin employs the present active participle confitentes peccata sua. Syriac uses the temporal particle ܟܕ with the active participle ܡܘܕܝܢ ܒܚܛܗܝܗܘܢ ('while confessing their sins'), making the temporal-circumstantial relationship more explicit through the conjunction ܟܕ, whereas Greek and Latin rely on participial syntax alone.