The Meaning of Mark 16:18 Explained

Mark 16:18

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.

YLT: serpents they shall take up; and if any deadly thing they may drink, it shall not hurt them; on the ailing they shall lay hands, and they shall be well.'

Darby: they shall take up serpents; and if they should drink any deadly thing it shall not injure them; they shall lay hands upon the infirm, and they shall be well.

ASV: they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Mark 16:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 16:1-20 - The Power Of His Resurrection
In the dim light the women brave the dangers of an Eastern city and hasten to the grave. How often we seek Christ in the grave of old experiences or of dead and empty rites; and how often we cherish fears for which there is no occasion! In the grave where Christ had lain a young man was sitting, arrayed in a glistening robe; so out of death comes life. And one result of the Savior's resurrection has been that myriads of noble youths, clothed in garments of purity, have gone forth to shine like the dewdrops of the morning sparkling on the bosom of the earth. God's angels are always young. We who are the children of the Resurrection in the life of eternity will grow always younger, as here our bodies are ever growing older. The ministry of Galilee and Jerusalem is at an end, but the spirit of the Master goes forth to new victories in the Acts of the Apostles. Note the mighty power of faith, the signs that follow its manifestation in simplicity and purity; demons cannot resist it, serpents are rendered harmless, and healing streams flow from contact with it. Let us keep our eyes fixed on the risen Christ sitting at the right hand of God, and believe that he is ever working by our side and confirming our words, Hebrews 2:4 [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 16

1  An Angel declares the resurrection of Jesus to three women
9  Jesus himself appears to Mary Magdalene;
12  to two going into the country;
14  then to the apostles;
15  whom he sends forth to preach the gospel;
19  and ascends into heaven

Greek Commentary for Mark 16:18

They shall take up serpents [οπεις αρουσιν]
Jesus had said something like this in Luke 10:19 and Paul was unharmed by the serpent in Malta (Acts 28:3.). [source]
If they drink any deadly thing [καν τανασιμον τι πιωσιν]
This is the only N.T. instance of the old Greek word τανασιμος — thanasimos (deadly). James 3:8 has τανατηπορος — thanatēphoros deathbearing. Bruce considers these verses in Mark “a great lapse from the high level of Matthew‘s version of the farewell words of Jesus” and holds that “taking up venomous serpents and drinking deadly poison seem to introduce us into the twilight of apocryphal story.” The great doubt concerning the genuineness of these verses (fairly conclusive proof against them in my opinion) renders it unwise to take these verses as the foundation for doctrine or practice unless supported by other and genuine portions of the N.T. [source]
The sick [ἀρρώστους]
See on Mark 6:5. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 16:18

Luke 4:35 Hurt him not [μηδὲν βλάψαν αὐτόν]
Lit., in no possible way. Mark omits this detail, which a physician would be careful to note. Βλάπτειν , to injure, occurs but twice in New Testament - here and Mark 16:18. It is common in medical language, opposed to ὠφφελεῖν , to benefit, as of medicines or diet hurting or benefiting. [source]
Luke 4:35 Having done him no hurt [μηδεν βλαπσαν αυτον]
Luke as a physician carefully notes this important detail not in Mark. λαπτω — Blaptō to injure, or hurt, occurs in the N.T. only here and in Mark 16:18, though a very common verb in the old Greek. [source]
Acts 28:3 A bundle of sticks [πρυγανων τι πλητος]
“Some multitude (or pile) of dry twigs” Laid (επιτεντος — epithentos). So genitive absolute again with second aorist active participle of επιτιτημι — epitithēmi to place upon. Few things show Paul to better advantage than this incident. By reason of the heat Old word, only here in N.T. Ablative case with απο — apo (from the heat). The viper was in a state of torpor in the bundle of sticks. The heat wakened him. A viper (εχιδνα — echidna). The old word used by the Baptist of the Pharisees (Matthew 3:7; Luke 3:7) and by Jesus also (Matthew 12:34; Matthew 23:33). It is objected that there is little wood in the island today and no vipers, though Lewin as late as 1853 believes that he saw a viper near St. Paul‘s Bay. But the island now has 1, 200 people to the square mile and snakes of any kind have a poor chance. The viper has also disappeared from Arran as the island became more frequented (Knowling). Ramsay thinks that the small constrictor (Coronella Austriaca) which still exists in the island may be the “viper,” though it has no poison fangs, but clings and bites. The natives thought that it was a poisonous viper. Fastened on his hand First aorist active indicative of καταπτω — kathaptō to fasten down on with the genitive case. Old verb, here only in N.T. Cf. Mark 16:18. [source]
Acts 28:3 By reason of the heat [απο της τερμης]
Old word, only here in N.T. Ablative case with απο — apo (from the heat). The viper was in a state of torpor in the bundle of sticks. The heat wakened him. A viper (εχιδνα — echidna). The old word used by the Baptist of the Pharisees (Matthew 3:7; Luke 3:7) and by Jesus also (Matthew 12:34; Matthew 23:33). It is objected that there is little wood in the island today and no vipers, though Lewin as late as 1853 believes that he saw a viper near St. Paul‘s Bay. But the island now has 1, 200 people to the square mile and snakes of any kind have a poor chance. The viper has also disappeared from Arran as the island became more frequented (Knowling). Ramsay thinks that the small constrictor (Coronella Austriaca) which still exists in the island may be the “viper,” though it has no poison fangs, but clings and bites. The natives thought that it was a poisonous viper. Fastened on his hand First aorist active indicative of καταπτω — kathaptō to fasten down on with the genitive case. Old verb, here only in N.T. Cf. Mark 16:18. [source]
Acts 28:3 Fastened on his hand [κατηπσε της χειρος αυτου]
First aorist active indicative of καταπτω — kathaptō to fasten down on with the genitive case. Old verb, here only in N.T. Cf. Mark 16:18. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 16:18 mean?

and with their hands serpents they will take up and if deadly anything they drink no not them shall it hurt upon [the] sick hands they will lay and well they will be
[και ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν] ὄφεις ἀροῦσιν κἂν θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν οὐ μὴ αὐτοὺς βλάψῃ ἐπὶ ἀρρώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσιν καὶ καλῶς ἕξουσιν

χερσὶν]  hands 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Plural
Root: χείρ  
Sense: by the help or agency of any one, by means of any one.
ὄφεις  serpents 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ὄφις  
Sense: snake, serpent.
ἀροῦσιν  they  will  take  up 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: αἴρω  
Sense: to raise up, elevate, lift up.
κἂν  and  if 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: κἄν  
Sense: and if.
θανάσιμόν  deadly 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: θανάσιμος  
Sense: deadly.
τι  anything 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
πίωσιν  they  drink 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: πίνω  
Sense: to drink.
οὐ  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐ  
Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer.
βλάψῃ  shall  it  hurt 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: βλάπτω  
Sense: to hurt, harm, injure.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
ἀρρώστους  [the]  sick 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀρρωστέω 
Sense: without strength, weak, sick.
χεῖρας  hands 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: χείρ  
Sense: by the help or agency of any one, by means of any one.
ἐπιθήσουσιν  they  will  lay 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐπιτίθημι  
Sense: in the active voice.
καλῶς  well 
Parse: Adverb
Root: καλῶς  
Sense: beautifully, finely, excellently, well.
ἕξουσιν  they  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἔχω  
Sense: to have, i.e. to hold.