The Bible — World English Bible

Mark 16

In brief

Mark 16 tells the story of Easter morning. Three women find the tomb open, and a young man in white announces that Jesus has risen and goes ahead of his disciples into Galilee. They flee, seized by fear. Verses 9 to 20 (appearances, the commission to the disciples, the ascension) are missing from the oldest manuscripts and scholars disagree about their origin. They should therefore be read with care, especially verses 17 and 18.

The chapter in 4 parts

  1. v. 1-8The empty tomb and the announcement of the resurrection
  2. v. 9-13Jesus appears, and the disciples struggle to believe
  3. v. 14-18The commission: proclaim the Gospel and the promised signs
  4. v. 19-20The ascension and the disciples on mission

1When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him.

2Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

3They were saying among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?”

4for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back.

5Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed.

6He said to them, “Don’t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him!

7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.’ ”

8They went out, and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.

9Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.

10She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

11When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved.

12After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country.

13They went away and told it to the rest. They didn’t believe them, either.

14Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn’t believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

15He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.

16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.

17These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages;

18they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

19So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

20They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.

Key verses

Verse 6
He said to them, “Don’t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him!

The heart of the Easter message: the crucified one is alive. The messenger points to the empty place as proof, and tells the women not to be afraid.

Verse 7
But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.’ ”

The message is for the disciples “and Peter”. The one who denied Jesus is named: his fall has not cut him off. Jesus goes ahead of his own into Galilee, where it all began.

Verse 15
He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.

The missionary mandate: go into all the world and preach the good news to the whole creation. This verse belongs to the longer ending, but the same call is found in Matthew 28.

Verse 17-18
These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

These verses about signs accompanying believers are the most debated in the chapter, because they belong to an ending that is absent from the oldest manuscripts. Churches read them differently, and caution is wise, especially concerning serpents and poison.

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Frequently asked questions about Mark 16

What happens in Mark 16?

On Easter morning, three women find Jesus' tomb open and empty. A young man dressed in white tells them that he has risen and that he goes ahead of his disciples into Galilee. The women flee in fear. What follows (verses 9 to 20) summarizes appearances of Jesus, the commissioning of the disciples and the ascension.

Why are verses 9 to 20 of Mark 16 in brackets?

Because they do not appear in the oldest manuscripts. Many scholars think Mark ended his account at verse 8, and that this ending was added later. Others defend it. Churches differ, and Bibles usually flag the question with a note.

What does Mark 16:17-18 mean about serpents and poison?

These verses describe signs that would accompany those who believe. Since they belong to the disputed ending, many teachers urge caution and say never to build a practice from them that puts people's lives at risk. Other traditions see them as real signs that God grants. Everyone is invited to read the text in its context and with wisdom.

Why does the messenger mention Peter in verse 7?

Peter had denied Jesus three times. By naming him separately, the Easter message tells him he is not excluded: Jesus is still waiting for him. It is a sign of forgiveness and restoration for those who have failed.

Articles quoting Mark 16

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World English Bible translation — public domain.