For a side-by-side English translation of the text of Marcion's Gospel (Ev) and Luke 4, see Luke Chapter 4
From Ernest Evans on Adv. Marcion IV: Appendix 2: Omitting chapters I and 2, and most of 3 and 4 [the nativity, the baptism and temptation, with the genealogy, and all reference to Bethlehem and Nazareth], Marcion's gospel (Ev) begins with v. 3:1, In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, and v. 4:31, God descended into Capernaum, a city of Galilee. Thereafter the narrative continues until in ch. 8 ...
From Hamlyn Hill (1891)
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, [Pontius Pilate being the Governor of Judaea,] Jesus came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching on the sabbath days : and they were astonished at his doctrine : for his word was in authority.
In both Matthew and Mark the first details of Jesus' ministry describe events in Capernaum, and it is only later that we read of Jesus entering the synagogue in Nazareth, at Mt 13:54-57 and Mk 6:1-6 respectively. In Luke this same episode is described in Lk 4:16-30, immediately before Jesus' visit to Capernaum in Lk 4:31-41. However, from Lk 4:23 the words: "What we have heard that you did in Capernaum, do here in your hometown too" make it clear that Jesus' works in Capernaum are by then already known in Nazareth. Because of this difference it seems that at some point the events in Capernaum and Nazareth occurred in a different order in Luke (or in a predecessor such as Ev). At the beginning of Chapter 7 of Adv Marcion IV Tertullian states that Ev begins with Jesus coming to Capernaum, and later in the same chapter he describes the rest of the events in Ev 4:31-36, followed in his Chapter 8 by Ev 4:22-30 of the Nazareth episode, thus swapping Capernaum and Nazareth as suggested in Capernaum or Nazareth First?. As Tertullian does not express any form of surprise at finding Capernaum mentioned before Nazareth in Ev it is likely that this is the order he also saw in his copy of Luke, as also indicated by Waite:
In the fourth chapter of Luke, Jesus is represented as being tempted in the wilderness, immediately after his baptism; thence he returned into Galilee, and came to Nazareth; [4:16]; where his public ministry commenced. But though commencing, at Nazareth, he is made to refer [4:23], to works which he had done at Capernaum; a place to which he goes, afterward; [4:31].
In Marcion, on the contrary, his public ministry commenced at Capernaum; [Marcion, 1. 1]; whence, [v.10], he came to Nazareth, and preached; and here, in the natural order, [v.13], he refers to the works done at Capernaum.
Both Tertullian and Epiphanius comment that the textual order in Ev and Luke did not always agree, so we can be sure that at least some rearrangement of the text took place at some point. In particular, between providing us with details of those parts of Luke 1-3 that were not in Ev and later commenting on Ev 5:14, Epiphanius notes (as previously stated) that:
He starts from there then and yet, again, does not go on in order. He falsifies some things, as I said, he adds others helter-skelter, not going straight on but disingenuously wandering all over the material.
In other words Ev had some text not present in Luke, Luke had some text not present in Ev, and the order of events in Ev was different to that in Luke. In his Chapter 4 Tertullian agrees with Epiphanius on this point, adding that Luke: “had been all topsy-turvy from the days of Tiberius to those of Antoninus.” This suggests that the order of the text in Luke had changed a number of times, and was still being changed possibly as late as 161 AD. As this is some years after the creation date of whatever version or copy of Luke might have formed the basis of Ev (or Ev forming the basis of Luke) it is easy to see that the order of text in Ev and Luke could have differed. Baring-Gould comments:
Thus the order of events is different in the two Gospels. Christ goes first to Capernaum in the "Gospel of the Lord," and afterwards to Nazareth, an inversion of the order as given in the Gospel of St. Luke. Again, in this instance, no purpose was served by this transposition. It is unaccountable on the theory that Marcion corrupted the Gospel of Luke; but if we suppose that Luke revised the arrangement of his Gospel after its first publication, the explanation is simple enough.
Here Baring-Gould is clearly suggesting that Ev preceded Luke, but whether or not it was the author of Luke who transposed the events, there is very strong evidence that it did happen. In Ev we see an easy transition from Capernaum to Nazareth, whereas in Luke Jesus preaches first in Nazareth, where he then refers to events in Capernaum that have not yet taken place in the narrative. Matthew [Mt 4:12,13], Mark [Mk 1:21], and John [Jn 2:11,12] agree that Jesus’ ministry started in Galilee, with Jesus preaching first in Capernaum, so here Luke is the odd one out.
It should also be noted that Tertullian gives no particular indication that Ev had a different order here, so suggesting that Capernaum may have come first in his copy of Luke. In addition, as Epiphanius does not give any specifics of the text of Ev until he comments on v. 5:14 (i.e. he found nothing prior to that on which to comment), we do not know the particulars of what he saw in the earlier verses. For example, we do not know the order of Capernaum and Nazareth in Epiphanius’ copy of Luke. However, it is reasonable to suppose that Luke’s order was essentially as we see it by the time that Epiphanius commented that Ev “does not go straight on but roams freely over the material.”
There is ample proof, in both historical information and inconsistencies in the narrative that we see today that, either in Luke or a predecessor, at some point Jesus taught in Capernaum before Nazareth. This should come as no surprise, as it is the order we see in both Mark and Matthew. The surprise is that this order was ever changed to what we currently see in Luke. It appears as though the order in Ev here is more original than that in Luke, and this is unlikely to have been a creation of Marcion himself.
See also: Entering Galilee: Mk 1:14b in 'Is Marcion's Gospel Based on Mark?'
Next Chapter: Lk 4:31, 17-21, 32 – Why Were They Astonished?
APPENDIX
The full text of Ernest Evans on Adv. Marcion IV: Appendix 2, as it relates to "Marcion's" gospel (here Ev), re-aligned for readability
THE GOSPEL
(For details and evidence see also Harnack, Marcion, pp. 183*-240*.)
Omitting chapters I and 2, and most of 3 and 4 [the nativity, the baptism and temptation, with the genealogy, and all reference to Bethlehem and Nazareth], Marcion's gospel begins with 3: 1, In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, and 4: 31, God descended into Capernaum, a city of Galilee.
Thereafter the narrative continues until in ch. 8 he omits verse 19 [the statement that Christ's mother and brethren were present], but
retains vv. 20, 21 [the announcement of their alleged arrival].
In ch. 9 he omits [all reference to Jairus], but retains the episode of the woman with an issue. In 10: 21 he omits [Father], along with and of earth.
In 11: 29-32 he omits [the reference to Jonah]. At 11:42 he reads vocation instead of judgement, klh~sin for kri/sin: he omits also 11: 49-51 [the reference to the Wisdom of God].
In ch. 12 he retains verse 5, whom ye shall fear, making it refer to the Creator, but omits vv. 6 and 7 [five sparrows and the hairs of your head], and in verse 8 reads before God instead of before the angels of God: he omits verse 28 [the grass in the field], and in w. 30 and 32 reads the Father [omitting your]: and in verse 38 reads at the evening watch.
In ch. 13 he omits vv. 1-5 [of the Galilaeans murdered by Pilate, and those killed by the tower of Siloam]: for verse 28 he reads, When ye
shall see all the just in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast out and bound without, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth: omitting w. 29-35 [they shall come from east and west: go and tell that fox: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem].
In ch. 15 he omits w. 11-32 [the prodigal son] but retains the lost coin and the lost sheep. At 17: 10 he omits [say, We are unprofitable servants etc.], and in vv. 11-19 he reads, There met him ten men that were lepers and he sent them away saying, Shew yourselves to the priest, inserting here apparently 4: 27, Then were many lepers in Israel etc. At 18: 19 he reads God the Father, and at verse 20, I know the commandments: he omits vv. 31-3 [Behold we go up etc.].
In ch. 19 he omits vv. 28-46 [the journey to Jerusalem, the triumphal entry, and If thou hadst known etc.].
He omits 20: 9-18 [the parable of the wicked husbandmen] and vv. 37-8 [with the mention of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob].
In ch. 21 he omits vv. 1-17 [with the reference to the temple treasury, the widow's two mites, and the question When shall these things be?, with most of our Lord's answer], but retains verse 18, a hair of your head, omitting vv. 21-2 [Then let them that are in Judaea etc.].
In ch. 22 he omits verse 16 [I will not again eat etc.] and w.35-8 [When I sent you out, and Here are two swords etc.] as well as w. 39-51
[Gethsemane: the arrest: the high priest's servant].
In ch. 23 he adds to verse 2, and destroying the law and the prophets and perverting women and children: and omits verse 43 [Today shall thou be with me].
At 24: 25 he reads, to believe all that I have spoken to you, omitting w. 26-7 [and beginning at Moses etc.]: he also omits vv. 32-6 [and they said one to another etc.] and w. 44-6 [These are the words etc.]: he retains verse 47, and that repentance should be preached etc., but omits vv. 48-53 [And behold I send the promise . . . returned to Jerusalem . . . blessing God].