Mark 16:18

Mark 16:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
• New International Version (NIV)they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
• New King James Version (NKJV)they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Context of Mark 16:18

16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17“These are the miraculous signs that will accompany believers: They will use the power and authority of my name to force demons out of people. They will speak new languages. They will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them. They will place their hands on the sick and cure them.” 19After talking with the apostles, the Lord was taken to heaven, where he received the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the throne. 20The disciples spread ⌞the Good News⌟ everywhere. The Lord worked with them. He confirmed his word by the miraculous signs that accompanied it.

Mark 16:18 word by word

καὶ ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὄφεις ἀροῦσιν, κἂν θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν, οὐ μὴ αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ ἀρρώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσιν καὶ καλῶς ἕξουσιν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• They shall take upαἴρωairō · to take upG142
• serpentsὄφιςophis · snakeG3789
• and ifκἄνkan · and/even ifG2579
• they drinkπίνωpinō piō poō · to drinkG4095
• anyτιςtis · oneG5100
• deadly thingθανάσιμοςthanasimos · deadlyG2286
• it shallβλάπτωblaptō · to hurtG984
• ·οὐou · noG3756
• notμήmē · notG3361
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• they shall layἐπιτίθημιepitithēmi · to put/lay onG2007
• handsχείρcheir · handG5495
• onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the sickἄρρωστοςarrhōstos · illG732
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• they shallἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• recoverκαλῶςkalōs · wellG2573

Cross-references for Mark 16:18

• Genesis 3:15I will make you and the woman hostile toward each other. I will make your descendants and her descendant hostile toward each other. He will crush your head, and you will bruise his heel.”
• Psalms 91:13You will step on lions and cobras. You will trample young lions and snakes.
• Luke 10:19I have given you the authority to trample snakes and scorpions and to destroy the enemy’s power. Nothing will hurt you.
• Acts 28:3Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire. The heat forced a poisonous snake out of the brushwood. The snake bit Paul’s hand and wouldn’t let go.
• Romans 16:20The God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. May the good will of our Lord Jesus be with you!
• 2 Kings 4:39One of them went into the field to gather vegetables and found a wild vine. He filled his clothes with wild gourds. Then he cut them into the pot of stew without knowing what they were.
• Acts 3:6However, Peter said to him, “I don’t have any money, but I’ll give you what I do have. Through the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, walk!”
• Acts 4:10You and all the people of Israel must understand that this man stands in your presence with a healthy body because of the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth. You crucified Jesus Christ, but God has brought him back to life.
• Acts 5:15As a result, people carried their sick into the streets. They placed them on stretchers and cots so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some sick people as he went by.
• Acts 9:17Ananias left and entered Judas’ house. After he placed his hands on Saul, Ananias said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way to Damascus, sent me to you. He wants you to see again and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
• Acts 19:12People would take handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul’s skin to those who were sick. Their sicknesses would be cured, and evil spirits would leave them.
• Acts 28:8His father happened to be sick in bed. He was suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, prayed, placed his hands on him, and made him well.
• 1 Corinthians 12:9To another person the same Spirit gives ⌞courageous⌟ faith. To another person the same Spirit gives the ability to heal.
• James 5:14If you are sick, call for the church leaders. Have them pray for you and anoint you with olive oil in the name of the Lord.

Commentaries on Mark 16:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Take up serpents - Several MSS. add , in their hands - shall be enabled to give, when such a proof may be serviceable to the cause of truth, this evidence of their being continually under the power and protection of God, and that all nature is subject to him. This also was literally fulfilled in the case of Paul, Acts 28:5. If they drink any deadly thing - ( ) being understood - if they should through mistake, or accident, drink any poisonous matter…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18They shall take up serpents - When it is necessary for the sake of establishing religion, they shall handle poisonous reptiles without injury, thus showing that God was with them to keep them from harm. This was literally fulfilled when Paul shook the viper from his hand. See Acts 28:5-6. Any deadly thing - Any poison usually causing death. Shall not hurt them - There is a similar promise in Isaiah 43:2. They shall lay hands on the sick … - See instances…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-18Verses 14-18 The evidences of the truth of the gospel are so full, that those who receive it not, may justly be upbraided with their unbelief. Our blessed Lord renewed his choice of the eleven as his apostles, and commissioned them to go into all the world, to preach his gospel to every creature. Only he that is a true Christian shall be saved through Christ. Simon Magus professed to believe, and was baptized, yet he was declared to be in the bonds of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-20Nearly all scholars agree that Mark did not write the shorter ending and the longer ending of his Gospel. These endings use different styles, vocabulary, and theology (teaching about God). Also, the two best early Greek manuscripts (Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus) do not include these endings. However, many scholars also doubt that Mark meant to end his Gospel at 16:8. Several reasons support this view: Mark emphasizes that the predictions of Jesus…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-1817-18. And these signs shall follow them that believe ... They shall take up serpents--These two verses also are peculiar to Mark. The Ascension and Triumphant Proclamation of the Gospel Thereafter (Mr 16:19, 20).Read the comment

Topics related to Mark 16:18

• Charism
• Disease
• Hand
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Miracles
• Power
• Serpent

In the dictionaries

• Daemoniac
• Gifts, spiritual
• Receive
• Resurrection of Christ
• Unbelief
• Armenian Versions, of the Bible
• Deadly
• Demon; Demoniac; Demonology
• Jesus Christ
• Joseph Barsabbas

Commentaries on Mark 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings