On pg. 462 of
The Canon and Text of the New Testament(1929 reprint) by Dr. Casper Rene Gregory (Gregory was a Textual Critic who favored the Critical Texts and Alexandrian manuscripts) he said this about the Dean of Chichester, John Willam Burgon:
"Burgon did a great deal of work in searching out manuscripts, and he published a very learned treatise upon the closing verses attached to the Gospel of Mark. It is a pity that he only published his notes about manuscripts in The Guardian newpaper. Would that more of the clergy could be induced to work as Scrivener and Burgon worked in furthering the text of the New Testament."
This defense of the last twelve verses of Mark can be purchased at the webstore at
www.deanburgonsociety.org.
In this book, some of the evidence that Burgon lists in favor of the last 12 verses of Mark is as follows:
1. Of the 5 oldest Codices only 2 of them omit the verses (Vaticanus & Sinaiticus)
2. After these 5, the next 15 of the oldest ancient Codices contain the verses.
3. 618 out of 620 miniscule manuscripts contain the verses.
4. All Latin versions, which was the official and most common language throughout Europe throughout the dark ages, contain the verses. Some Old Latin manuscripts date back to the 2nd century. Even Jerome's Vulgate of the 4th century contained the verses.
5. They are also contained in the Gothic, Coptic, and all but 1 of the Syrian versions.
6. As for Patristic evidence, the verses are quoted in the writings of Justin Martyr (150 AD), Irenaeus (180 AD), Hippolytus (250AD), Jerome (330-420 AD), Augustine (395- 430 AD), Nestorious (430 AD), Cyril (440 AD), Hesychius (430 AD).
7. Jerome and Victor of Antioch (425-450 AD) both accused that these verses were deliberately omitted by scribes in their day.
8. All ancient lectionaries (over 2000) contain these verses.
I would conclude that the last 12 verses of Mark belong in the Bible and that Vaticanus and Sinaiticus are corrupt.
God bless.