<P> Each of the four gospels in the New Testament narrates the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth . The word "gospel" derives from the Old English gōd - spell (rarely godspel), meaning "good news" or "glad tidings". The gospel was considered the "good news" of the coming Kingdom of Messiah, and the redemption through the life and death of Jesus, the central Christian message . Gospel is a calque (word - for - word translation) of the Greek word εὐαγγέλιον, euangelion (eu - "good", - angelion "message"). </P> <P> Since the 2nd century, the four narrative accounts of the life and work of Jesus Christ have been referred to as "The Gospel of ..." or "The Gospel according to ..." followed by the name of the supposed author . Whatever these admittedly early ascriptions may imply about the sources behind or the perception of these gospels, they are anonymous compositions . </P> <Ul> <Li> The Gospel of Matthew, ascribed to the Apostle Matthew . This gospel begins with a genealogy of Jesus and a story of his birth that includes a visit from magi and a flight into Egypt, and it ends with the commissioning of the disciples by the resurrected Jesus . </Li> <Li> The Gospel of Mark, ascribed to Mark the Evangelist . This gospel begins with the preaching of John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus . Two different secondary endings were affixed to this gospel in the 2nd century . </Li> <Li> The Gospel of Luke, ascribed to Luke the Evangelist, who was not one of the Twelve Apostles, but was mentioned as a companion of the Apostle Paul and as a physician . This gospel begins with parallel stories of the birth and childhood of John the Baptist and Jesus and ends with appearances of the resurrected Jesus and his ascension into heaven . </Li> <Li> The Gospel of John, ascribed to John the Apostle . This gospel begins with a philosophical prologue and ends with appearances of the resurrected Jesus, it is about Jesus's miracles . </Li> </Ul> <Li> The Gospel of Matthew, ascribed to the Apostle Matthew . This gospel begins with a genealogy of Jesus and a story of his birth that includes a visit from magi and a flight into Egypt, and it ends with the commissioning of the disciples by the resurrected Jesus . </Li>

Who wrote the first four books of the new testament