American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Mark 16
1
And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
Reference
2
And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came to the sepulcher at the rising of the sun.
Reference
3
And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?
5
And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
Reference
6
And he said to them, Be not affrighted: You seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 8:17
Psalm 71:20
Matthew 12:40
References Jesus
Mark 1:24
Resurrection
Acts 4:10
Luke 24:46
7
But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goes before you into Galilee: there shall you see him, as he said to you.
Reference
8
And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulcher; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
Reference
9
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
Reference
Evil
Luke 8:2
Parallel theme
Acts 20:7
Mark 15:47
Mark 15:40
1 Corinthians 16:2
Matthew 27:56
Luke 24:10
References Jesus
John 20:12
11
And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
Reference
12
After that he appeared in another form to two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
14
Afterward he appeared to the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
Reference
Faith
John 20:27
Matthew 17:20
Luke 24:25
Numbers 14:11
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 15:5
Revelation 3:19
Matthew 11:20
Mark 7:18
15
And he said to them, Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Reference
16
He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.
Reference
Baptism
Acts 2:38
Faith
John 3:36
John 5:24
John 8:24
John 6:29
Acts 10:43
John 20:31
John 6:35
Parallel theme
John 3:5
Revelation 20:15
17
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Reference
Evil
Luke 10:17
Faith
John 14:12
Parallel theme
Acts 5:16
1 Corinthians 12:28
1 Corinthians 12:10
Acts 8:7
Acts 10:46
Acts 19:6
1 Corinthians 14:2
1 Corinthians 12:30
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.
Reference
19
So then after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Reference
Parallel theme
Hebrews 1:3
Hebrews 8:1
Hebrews 6:20
John 6:62
References God
1 Peter 3:22
Hebrews 12:2
Romans 8:34
Acts 2:33
Colossians 3:1
References Lord
Psalm 110:1
Summary of Mark 16
Mark 16 begins after the Sabbath, when Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome purchase spices and travel to Jesus' tomb early on Sunday morning, intending to complete the customary care of His body.
As they approach the tomb, the women are concerned about who will move the heavy stone covering the entrance, but when they arrive they discover that the stone has already been rolled away.
Inside the tomb they encounter a young man dressed in white who tells them not to be afraid because they are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, the One who was crucified, but He has risen and is no longer there.
The messenger instructs the women to tell the disciples, specifically mentioning Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of them into Galilee, where they will see Him as He had previously promised.
The women leave the tomb trembling and astonished, and Mark's earliest recoverable ending concludes with them initially saying nothing to anyone because they are afraid.
This abrupt ending creates a powerful sense of unresolved expectation, because the tomb is empty, Jesus has risen, the disciples are supposed to receive the message, and yet the immediate response of the women is fear and silence.
The longer traditional ending, Mark 16:9–20, continues the story by describing appearances of the risen Jesus to Mary Magdalene, to two disciples traveling in the countryside, and eventually to the Eleven.
The disciples initially refuse to believe the reports they receive, demonstrating that the resurrection was not presented as something they immediately accepted without hesitation.
When Jesus appears to the Eleven, He rebukes their unbelief and then gives them a worldwide mission, commanding them to preach the gospel to every person.
The mission is no longer limited to Galilee or Judea, because Jesus' followers are instructed to take the gospel into the entire world, establishing the foundation for the rapidly expanding Christian movement of the first century.
Jesus describes baptism, belief, signs, spiritual authority, healing, and divine protection as accompanying the proclamation of the gospel, emphasizing that His followers are continuing the mission that He began.
The longer ending concludes with Jesus being taken up into heaven and seated at God's right hand, while the disciples go out and preach everywhere, with the Lord working through their ministry and confirming their message.
Historically, the resurrection is traditionally placed around AD 30 or AD 33, immediately following Jesus' crucifixion under Pontius Pilate, whose governorship of Judea lasted approximately AD 26–36.
The earliest Christian communities then spread throughout the 1st century AD, first in Jerusalem and Judea and subsequently throughout the Roman world and beyond, turning the command to preach to all nations into one of the defining characteristics of early Christianity.
Mark 16 ultimately moves the reader from the apparent finality of Jesus' death to the unexpected announcement of His resurrection, transforming the empty tomb from a place of mourning into a place of hope and commissioning His followers to carry the gospel beyond Jerusalem into the wider world.
The chapter's earliest ending emphasizes fear, astonishment, the empty tomb, and the promise that Jesus will meet His disciples in Galilee, while the longer traditional ending emphasizes resurrection appearances, the worldwide mission, Jesus' ascension, and the continuing work of His followers.
The most important theological movement of the chapter is therefore from death to resurrection, from mourning to hope, from fear to proclamation, and from Jesus' earthly ministry to the worldwide mission of His disciples, making Mark 16 a fitting conclusion to the Gospel's account of Jesus' suffering, death, victory over the grave, and continuing mission through His followers.
As they approach the tomb, the women are concerned about who will move the heavy stone covering the entrance, but when they arrive they discover that the stone has already been rolled away.
Inside the tomb they encounter a young man dressed in white who tells them not to be afraid because they are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, the One who was crucified, but He has risen and is no longer there.
The messenger instructs the women to tell the disciples, specifically mentioning Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of them into Galilee, where they will see Him as He had previously promised.
The women leave the tomb trembling and astonished, and Mark's earliest recoverable ending concludes with them initially saying nothing to anyone because they are afraid.
This abrupt ending creates a powerful sense of unresolved expectation, because the tomb is empty, Jesus has risen, the disciples are supposed to receive the message, and yet the immediate response of the women is fear and silence.
The longer traditional ending, Mark 16:9–20, continues the story by describing appearances of the risen Jesus to Mary Magdalene, to two disciples traveling in the countryside, and eventually to the Eleven.
The disciples initially refuse to believe the reports they receive, demonstrating that the resurrection was not presented as something they immediately accepted without hesitation.
When Jesus appears to the Eleven, He rebukes their unbelief and then gives them a worldwide mission, commanding them to preach the gospel to every person.
The mission is no longer limited to Galilee or Judea, because Jesus' followers are instructed to take the gospel into the entire world, establishing the foundation for the rapidly expanding Christian movement of the first century.
Jesus describes baptism, belief, signs, spiritual authority, healing, and divine protection as accompanying the proclamation of the gospel, emphasizing that His followers are continuing the mission that He began.
The longer ending concludes with Jesus being taken up into heaven and seated at God's right hand, while the disciples go out and preach everywhere, with the Lord working through their ministry and confirming their message.
Historically, the resurrection is traditionally placed around AD 30 or AD 33, immediately following Jesus' crucifixion under Pontius Pilate, whose governorship of Judea lasted approximately AD 26–36.
The earliest Christian communities then spread throughout the 1st century AD, first in Jerusalem and Judea and subsequently throughout the Roman world and beyond, turning the command to preach to all nations into one of the defining characteristics of early Christianity.
Mark 16 ultimately moves the reader from the apparent finality of Jesus' death to the unexpected announcement of His resurrection, transforming the empty tomb from a place of mourning into a place of hope and commissioning His followers to carry the gospel beyond Jerusalem into the wider world.
The chapter's earliest ending emphasizes fear, astonishment, the empty tomb, and the promise that Jesus will meet His disciples in Galilee, while the longer traditional ending emphasizes resurrection appearances, the worldwide mission, Jesus' ascension, and the continuing work of His followers.
The most important theological movement of the chapter is therefore from death to resurrection, from mourning to hope, from fear to proclamation, and from Jesus' earthly ministry to the worldwide mission of His disciples, making Mark 16 a fitting conclusion to the Gospel's account of Jesus' suffering, death, victory over the grave, and continuing mission through His followers.