Mark 16:18
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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
These aren't just random superpowers! The promise of picking up serpents and drinking poison is specifically about divine protection against lethal danger, a sign that God's power is actively at work through them, not a license to be reckless. This supernatural safety, alongside healing the sick, served as a tangible confirmation of the Gospel's truth for those who believed.
After His resurrection, Jesus met with the disciples multiple times, addressing their doubts and commissioning them with a vital task. He instructed them to spread the gospel worldwide, promising that these signs would accompany those who believe, demonstrating the power of God working through them.
Jesus promises his followers protection from deadly threats, even the bite of a serpent or poison. What does this supernatural safety mean for those on mission?
This passage speaks to God's powerful protection over those He sends out.
Supernatural Safeguards
The promises to 'take up serpents' and drink 'any deadly thing' without harm aren't just about physical survival. They point to God's ability to supernaturally shield His messengers.
Purposeful Power
These aren't random abilities, but signs meant to confirm the gospel message. When believers were protected from venom or poison, it demonstrated that God was with them, validating their mission.
Historical Examples
While not every believer experiences this in the same way, the New Testament records instances like Paul shaking off a poisonous snake (Acts 28:5) and early church traditions mentioning others surviving poison. These show the reality of God's protective power when His people are engaged in His work.
Beyond protection, Jesus promises a powerful outcome for the sick. What is the significance of 'they shall recover'?
The ability to heal the sick is presented as a key sign accompanying believers.
Demonstrating God's Authority
When believers lay hands on the sick and they recover, it’s a tangible display of God's healing power and authority. It points to a God who cares for physical well-being as well as spiritual.
A Mark of the Kingdom
These acts of healing are not merely acts of charity, but signs that God's kingdom is breaking into the world. They demonstrate that in Christ, sickness and suffering are not the final word.
Gifts for the Church
The promises of supernatural protection and healing in Mark 16:18 are presented as signs intended to authenticate the gospel message delivered by the apostles and early believers, particularly during the initial spread of Christianity.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus Ascends to Heaven
After his resurrection, Jesus commissions his disciples to spread the gospel and promises signs that will accompany their ministry, before ascending to heaven.
c. AD 33
Pentecost and the Early Church
The Holy Spirit empowers the apostles, leading to miracles like speaking in tongues and healing, marking the beginning of the early church's expansion.
c. AD 37
Healing by Apostles' Hands
Acts records instances of apostles like Peter and Paul healing the sick through the laying on of hands, fulfilling Jesus' promise.
c. AD 58
Paul's Survival on Malta
While shipwrecked on Malta, Paul is bitten by a poisonous viper but suffers no harm, demonstrating the miraculous protection promised to believers.
This passage directly illustrates the 'taking up serpents' part of Mark 16:18, showing Paul being unharmed after a viper bite, a clear sign of divine protection.
Luke 10:19Jesus grants authority over 'serpents and scorpions' to His disciples, which serves as a foundational promise for the protective signs mentioned later in Mark 16:18.
Isaiah 43:2This Old Testament promise of protection ('when you pass through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame kindle upon you') parallels the supernatural preservation promised in Mark 16:18 when facing deadly things.
Acts 3:6-7This account shows Peter healing a lame man by laying on hands, directly mirroring the promise in Mark 16:18 that the sick would recover through the touch of believers.
1 Corinthians 12:9Paul lists 'gifts of healing' among spiritual gifts, providing theological context for the miraculous healing of the sick described as a sign following believers in Mark 16:18.
barnesMark 16:18: "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."
They 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 d…
cambridgeMark 16:18: "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."
18 . they shall take up serpents ] And so we read of St Paul shaking off the viper at Malta ( Acts 28:5 ). Comp. Luke 10:19 . and if they drink ] As is related of St John that he drank the cup of hemlock which was intended to cause his death, and suffered no harm from it, and of Barsabas surnamed Justus (Eusebius, Eccl. Hist . iii. 39).…
These aren't just random superpowers! The promise of picking up serpents and drinking poison is specifically about divine protection against lethal danger, a sign that God's power is actively at work through them, not a license to be reckless. This supernatural safety, alongside healing the sick, served as a tangible confirmation of the Gospel's truth for those who believed.
After His resurrection, Jesus met with the disciples multiple times, addressing their doubts and commissioning them with a vital task. He instructed them to spread the gospel worldwide, promising that these signs would accompany those who believe, demonstrating the power of God working through them.
After His resurrection, Jesus met with the disciples multiple times, addressing their doubts and commissioning them with a vital task. He instructed them to spread the gospel worldwide, promising that these signs would accompany those who believe, demonstrating the power of God working through them.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Mark 16:18 is available in the Sola app.
This power to heal is presented as a gift operating through believers, confirming the message of the gospel and bringing hope and restoration.
c. AD 60-70
Composition of the Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Mark is written, likely in Rome, preserving Jesus' teachings and commissioning of his followers, including the promises of signs following believers.
"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.”" — These aren't just random superpowers! The promise of picking up serpents and drinking poison is specifically about divine protection against lethal danger, a sign that God's power is actively at work…
