New English Translation
Mark 16:18
18they will pick up snakes with their hands, and whatever poison they drink will not harm them; they will place their hands on the sick and they will be well.”
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
16The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned. 17These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; they will pick up snakes with their hands, and whatever poison they drink will not harm them; they will place their hands on the sick and they will be well.” 19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20They went out and proclaimed everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through the accompanying signs.]]
Read all of Mark 16Mark 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 3:15And I will put hostility between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring; her offspring will attack your head, and you will attack her offspring’s heel.”
- Psalms 91:13You will subdue a lion and a snake; you will trample underfoot a young lion and a serpent.
- Luke 10:19Look, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and on the full force of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you.
- Acts 28:3When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.
- Romans 16:20The God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
- 2 Kings 4:39Someone went out to the field to gather some herbs and found a wild vine. He picked some of its fruit, enough to fill up the fold of his robe. He came back, cut it up, and threw the slices into the stew pot, not knowing they were harmful.
- Acts 3:6But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk!”
- Acts 4:10let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man stands before you healthy.
- Acts 5:15Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets, and put them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow would fall on some of them.
- Acts 9:17So Ananias departed and entered the house, placed his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 19:12so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were brought to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.
- Acts 28:8The father of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and after praying, placed his hands on him and healed him.
- 1 Corinthians 12:9to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
- James 5:14Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with 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
In the dictionaries
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
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