The Meaning of Mark 16:20 Explained

Mark 16:20

KJV: And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

YLT: and they, having gone forth, did preach everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word, through the signs following. Amen.

Darby: And they, going forth, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs following upon it.

ASV: And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  they  went forth,  and preached  every where,  the Lord  working with  [them], and  confirming  the word  with  signs  following.  Amen. 

What does Mark 16:20 Mean?

Verse Meaning

However, Jesus" work on earth also continued through His disciples. It was a continuation of Jesus" work on earth in a real sense because He continued to work with them and confirmed their preaching with signs (cf. Acts 1:1-2). These first disciples provided a positive example for all succeeding generations of disciples to follow. Thus the Gospel ends on a positive note.
This task of evangelizing continued in Rome among the disciples who first received this Gospel. This account of the good news about Jesus Christ ( Mark 1:1) would have been a particular encouragement to those disciples. They faced the choice of whether to take a public stand as Christians and suffer the loss of real estate, personal property, employment, and even their lives, or to lay low. They had to offer a pinch of incense in worship of "divine" Caesar as Roman citizens. Doing so compromised their exclusive commitment to Jesus as Lord. To fail to worship Caesar cost them dearly. This Gospel is particularly helpful for disciples who face similar challenges in their own time and place in history.
Wiersbe pointed out that the Gospel of Mark parallels Paul"s great servant passage in Philippians 2. Jesus came as a servant ( Mark 1-13; Philippians 2:1-7), He died on a cross ( Mark 14-15; Philippians 2:8), and God exalted Him to glory ( Mark 16; Philippians 2:9). Both Mark and Paul stressed the need for Jesus" disciples to carry the gospel to all nations ( Mark 16:15-16; Philippians 2:10-11). And both of them gave assurance that God is at work in and through us ( Mark 16:19-20; Philippians 2:12-13). [1]

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 16:20

The Lord working with them [του κυριου συνεργουντος]
Genitive absolute. This participle not in Gospels elsewhere nor is βεβαιουντος — bebaiountos nor the compound επακολουτουντων — epakolouthountōn all in Paul‘s Epistles. Πανταχο — Pantachoū once in Luke. Westcott and Hort give the alternative ending found in L: “And they announced briefly to Peter and those around him all the things enjoined. And after these things Jesus himself also sent forth through them from the east even unto the west the holy and incorruptible proclamation of the eternal salvation.” [source]
Following [ἐπακολουθούντων]
Following closely: force of ἐπί . Both this and the word for follow, in Mark 16:17, are foreign to Mark's diction, though he frequently uses the simple verb. A manuscript of the eighth or ninth century, known as L, has, at the close of Mark 16:8, these words: “In some instances there is added as follows.” Then we read: “But all the things enjoined they announced without delay to those who were around Peter (i.e., to Peter and those who were with him). And afterward Jesus himself, from the east unto the west, sent forth through them the sacred and incorruptible message of eternal salvation.”-DIVIDER-
The subject of the last twelve verses of this Gospel may be found critically discussed in the second volume of Westcott and Hort's Greek Testament; by Dean John W. Burgon in his monograph, “The Last Twelve Verses of the Gospel according to St. Mark Vindicated against Recent Objectors and Established;” Frederick Henry Scrivener, LL.D., “Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament;” James Morison, D.D., “Practical Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Mark;” Samuel Davidson, D.D., “Introduction to the Study of the New Testament;” Philip Schaff, D.D., “History of the Christian Church;” Canon F. C. Cook in “Speaker's Commentary on Mark;” Samuel P. Tregelles, LL.D., “On the Printed Text of the Greek Testament;” also in the commentaries of Alford and Meyer. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 16:20

Mark 3:15 To have power [ἔχειν ἐξουσίαν]
Note that he does not say to preach and to cast out, but to preach and to have authority to cast out. The power of preaching and the power of exorcising were so different that special mention is made of the divine authority with which they would need to be clothed. The power of driving out demons was given that-they might apply it in confirmation of their teaching. Compare Mark 16:20. [source]
Mark 16:10 She [εκεινη]
Only instance of this pronoun (=ιλλα — illa) absolutely in Mark, though a good Greek idiom. (See note on John 19:35.) See also Mark 16:11, Mark 16:20. [source]
2 Corinthians 6:1 As workers together with Him [συνεργοῦντες]
Lit., working together. With Him is implied in the compounded ούν withThat it refers to God, not to the fellow-Christians, is evident from the parallel 1 Corinthians 3:9, laborers together with God, and because the act of exhortation or entreaty in which the fellowship is exhibited is ascribed to God in 2 Corinthians 5:20. The phrase Θεοῦ πάρεδροι assessorsof God, occurs in Ignatius' letter to Polycarp. Compare Mark 16:20. [source]
1 Timothy 5:24 They follow after [ἐπακολουθοῦσιν]
The verb only here, 1 Timothy 5:24, 1 Peter 2:21, and (the disputed) Mark 16:20. The sins follow up the offender to the bar of judgment, and are first made openly manifest there. [source]
1 Timothy 5:10 Diligently followed [ἐπακο ουθησεν]
Comp. 1 Timothy 5:24. Ἑπὶ afteror close upon. oP. Once in the disputed verses at the end of Mark (Mark 16:20), and 1 Peter 2:21. Comp. the use of διώκειν pursue Romans 9:30; Romans 12:13; 1 Corinthians 14:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:15. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 16:20 mean?

They now having gone forth preached everywhere the Lord working with [them] and the word confirming by the accompanying signs all moreover - instructing - to - Peter promptly they reported with these himself - Jesus after that from east to west sent out through them the sacred imperishable preaching of eternal salvation Amen
ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἐξελθόντες ἐκήρυξαν πανταχοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου συνεργοῦντος καὶ τὸν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος διὰ τῶν ἐπακολουθούντων σημείων [πάντα δὲ τὰ παρηγγελμένα τοῖς περὶ τὸν Πέτρον συντόμως ἐξήγγειλαν μετὰ ταῦτα αὐτὸς Ἰησοῦς ἀπὸ ἀνατολῆς ἄχρι δύσεως ἐξαπέστειλεν δι’ αὐτῶν τὸ ἱερὸν ἄφθαρτον κήρυγμα τῆς αἰωνίου σωτηρίας ἀμήν]»

δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἐξελθόντες  having  gone  forth 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐξέρχομαι 
Sense: to go or come forth of.
ἐκήρυξαν  preached 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: κηρύσσω  
Sense: to be a herald, to officiate as a herald.
πανταχοῦ  everywhere 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πανταχῇ 
Sense: everywhere.
Κυρίου  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
συνεργοῦντος  working  with  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: συνεργέω  
Sense: to work together, help in work, be partner in labour.
λόγον  word 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
βεβαιοῦντος  confirming 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: βεβαιόω  
Sense: to make firm, establish, confirm, make sure.
ἐπακολουθούντων  accompanying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: ἐπακολουθέω  
Sense: to follow (close) upon, follow after.
σημείων  signs 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: σημεῖον  
Sense: a sign, mark, token.
δὲ  moreover 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
τὰ  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
παρηγγελμένα  instructing 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: παραγγέλλω  
Sense: to transmit a message along from one to another, to declare, announce.
τοῖς  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Πέτρον  Peter 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Πέτρος  
Sense: one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
συντόμως  promptly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: συντόμως  
Sense: concisely, briefly, in a few words.
ἐξήγγειλαν  they  reported 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐξαγγέλλω  
Sense: to tell out or forth.
ταῦτα  these 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
αὐτὸς  himself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
ἀπὸ  after  that 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἀπό 
Sense: of separation.
ἀνατολῆς  from  east 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἀνατολή  
Sense: a rising (of the sun and stars).
δύσεως  west 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: δυσμή  
Sense: the setting of the sun.
ἐξαπέστειλεν  sent  out 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐξαποστέλλω  
Sense: to send forth.
δι’  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
ἱερὸν  sacred 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἱερός  
Sense: sacred, consecrated to the deity, pertaining to God.
ἄφθαρτον  imperishable 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἄφθαρτος  
Sense: uncorrupted, not liable to corruption or decay, imperishable.
κήρυγμα  preaching 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: κήρυγμα  
Sense: that which is proclaimed by a herald or public crier, a proclamation by herald.
αἰωνίου  eternal 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: αἰώνιος  
Sense: without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be.
σωτηρίας  salvation 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: σωτηρία  
Sense: deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation.
ἀμήν]»  Amen 
Parse: Hebrew Word
Root: ἀμήν  
Sense: firm.