Texts in Conversation
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.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
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.”
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.
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Notes and 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. ...”
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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