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Mark

About this book
Chapter 16

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought aromatic spices so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 They had been asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled back. 5 Then as they went into the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been raised! He is not here. Look, there is the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples, even Peter, that he is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you.” 8 Then they went out and ran from the tomb, for terror and bewilderment had seized them. And they said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. 9 [[Early on the first day of the week, after he arose, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven out seven demons. 10 She went out and told those who were with him, while they were mourning and weeping. 11 And when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. 12 After this he appeared in a different form to two of them while they were on their way to the country. 13 They went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. 14 Then he appeared to the Eleven themselves, while they were eating, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen him resurrected. 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages;⁠ 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands, and whatever poison they drink will not harm them; they will place their hands on the sick and they will be well.” 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 They went out and proclaimed everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through the accompanying signs.]]

Texts in conversation

Compare Mark 16:17 and Acts 2:4

New Testament

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Summary

The longer ending of Mark, a later addition to the Gospel, promises that believers will speak in new languages. The long ending was likely added to connect it to texts like Acts, which describes the disciples speaking in other languages at Pentecost.

Passages

Mark 16:17

New Testament
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands, and whatever poison they drink will not harm them; they will place their hands on the sick and they will be well.”
60–75 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Mark

Acts 2:4

New Testament
1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like a violent wind blowing came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. 6 When this sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
70–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Acts

References

“... Our traditional Bibles include one further passage in which the Christian mission is pictured as including the speaking of “new tongues” (Mk. 16:17). As can now be seen in the RSV, NEB, and other modern editions of the Bible, verses 9-20 of Mark 16 were not part of the original text and are missing in the most dependable of the ancient manuscripts. Nevertheless, the text in “Mark 16:17” could be taken as evidence for how the understanding expressed in Acts 2 caught the imagination of the church, especially when the topic was the missionary outreach, i.e., the very topic of “Mark 16:9-20.” Note, however, that some manuscripts do not read “new tongues” but “tongues,” thus referring rather to the general phenomenon of glossolalia. ...”
Krister Stendahl, Paul among Jews and Gentiles and Other Essays (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1976), 119.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Mark 16:17 and Acts 2:4

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