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Mark 16

Mark 16 moves from an empty tomb and frightened witnesses to the risen Lord sending his disciples to preach.

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome come to Jesus’ tomb with spices after the Sabbath. The stone has been rolled away, and a young man in white announces that Jesus has risen. The women flee in fear. The supplied text then recounts appearances to Mary and other followers, whose reports meet disbelief. Jesus rebukes the eleven, sends them to preach throughout the world, and is received into heaven. They go out preaching, with the Lord working alongside them.

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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. See 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.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Mark 16:15Jesus sends the disciples who resisted the resurrection reports to proclaim the Good News to the whole creation.
Mark 16:16The commission carries eternal stakes: belief and baptism are joined with salvation, while disbelief brings condemnation.
Mark 16:17The promised signs depend on Jesus’ name and anticipate the Lord confirming the message as his followers preach.
Where this chapter reaches

Matthew, Luke, and John share the account of the empty tomb and the risen Jesus appearing to his followers, with differences in detail. Acts shares Jesus’ ascension and signs accompanying proclamation, while 1 Corinthians also recounts resurrection appearances, including an appearance to the Twelve.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What stands out to you about the distance between the women’s fear and the disciples’ preaching?

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How does Jesus’ response to the eleven’s unbelief shape your understanding of their commission?

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Questions people ask about Mark 16

Why do some Bibles put Mark 16:9–20 in brackets?

Some of the earliest surviving Greek manuscripts end Mark at verse 8, while many others include verses 9–20. These verses are known as the longer ending and were known in early Christian history. Brackets signal a question about whether they belonged to Mark’s original text, rather than hiding the manuscript differences.

Does Mark 16:16 say baptism is required for salvation?

Verse 16 joins believing and being baptized with salvation, then identifies disbelief as the ground of condemnation. It presents baptism as part of the response to the Good News. It does not address every circumstance, including someone who believes but cannot receive baptism, so that question exceeds what this verse states.

Does Mark 16 tell Christians to handle snakes or drink poison?

Verses 17–18 describe signs accompanying believers; they contain no command to handle snakes or drink poison as a test of faith. The poison statement describes protection if drinking occurs. Verse 20 connects signs with the Lord confirming the preached word. These verses give no warrant for deliberate exposure to danger.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).