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)
While these signs are often seen as supernatural protections, the emphasis is equally, if not more, on the power to bring healing and restoration. The ability to handle serpents and poisons wasn't just about personal safety, but a tangible demonstration that the power of God extended even to overcoming the most dangerous threats, including illness.
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)
Jesus has just appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, addressing their doubts and commissioning them to spread the gospel to all nations. This verse lists specific signs that will accompany those who believe as they carry out this mission, indicating divine protection and power. These promised signs are meant to authenticate their message and empower them in their ministry throughout the world.
Jesus commissions His followers with powerful signs. What are these signs, and what do they reveal about God's power at work through believers?
Mark 16:18 lists remarkable abilities given to those who believe: handling serpents, drinking poison without harm, and healing the sick. These aren't just party tricks; they are meant to authenticate the Gospel message.
What's the Point?
Why did Jesus promise these specific, dramatic signs? Were they meant for every believer, for all time, or something else?
Ask a follow-up
The promises in Mark 16:18 are significant and reveal important truths about the early church and the nature of God's power:
Signs for the New Testament Era:
This promise of supernatural signs was given by Jesus directly after His resurrection and before His ascension, intended to authenticate the ministry of His first apostles as they took the gospel to the world. While specific instances like Paul handling the serpent are recorded, many scholars believe the promise, particularly the literal avoidance of all poisons and the guaranteed healing of the sick, was primarily for the apostolic era to establish the foundational preaching of the gospel.
c. 30-33 AD— this verse
Jesus commissions His disciples
Following His resurrection, Jesus gives the Great Commission to His eleven apostles, including the promise of supernatural signs that would accompany their ministry.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus ascends into heaven
Jesus ascends to the Father, leaving the disciples to carry on His ministry, empowered by the Holy Spirit, with the promised signs to authenticate their message.
c. 33-36 AD
Early Church growth and persecution
The nascent Christian church begins to grow rapidly, but also faces increasing opposition and persecution from Jewish authorities, leading to the scattering of believers.
c. 44 AD
Martyrdom of James
James, the brother of John, is martyred under King Herod Agrippa I, as recorded in Acts 12. This marked an early instance of significant persecution of apostles.
c. 58 AD
Paul shipwrecked on Malta
The Apostle Paul, on his way to Rome, is shipwrecked on the island of Malta. There, he famously handles a venomous snake without harm, demonstrating one of the promised signs.
c. 60-62 AD
Paul's imprisonment in Rome
Paul spends two years under house arrest in Rome, where he continues to preach the gospel and heal the sick, further demonstrating the miraculous signs associated with apostolic ministry.
This passage directly precedes the Great Commission in Luke and grants authority over serpents and scorpions, paralleling the protective power mentioned in Mark.
Acts 28:3-6This narrative provides a literal fulfillment of the 'picking up serpents' sign when Paul, bitten by a viper, suffered no ill effects, demonstrating God's protection.
Acts 28:8-9This account shows the 'laying hands on the sick, and they will recover' aspect in action as Paul heals the father of Publius and other sick people, confirming the promise.
Isaiah 43:2This Old Testament prophecy speaks of God's protection through trials, stating 'when you pass through the fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you,' which echoes the protective element of the Mark passage.
1 Corinthians 12:9-10This passage lists 'gifts of healing' and other miraculous abilities as functions of the Holy Spirit within the church, providing theological context for the signs that would follow believers.
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).…
While these signs are often seen as supernatural protections, the emphasis is equally, if not more, on the power to bring healing and restoration. The ability to handle serpents and poisons wasn't just about personal safety, but a tangible demonstration that the power of God extended even to overcoming the most dangerous threats, including illness.
Jesus has just appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, addressing their doubts and commissioning them to spread the gospel to all nations. This verse lists specific signs that will accompany those who believe as they carry out this mission, indicating divine protection and power. These promised signs are meant to authenticate their message and empower them in their ministry throughout the world.
Jesus has just appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, addressing their doubts and commissioning them to spread the gospel to all nations. This verse lists specific signs that will accompany those who believe as they carry out this mission, indicating divine protection and power. These promised signs are meant to authenticate their message and empower them in their ministry throughout the world.
"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.”" — While these signs are often seen as supernatural protections, the emphasis is equally, if not more, on the power to bring healing and restoration. The ability to handle serpents and poisons wasn't ju…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026