New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Mark 16
1
The Sabbath day ended. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices. They were going to apply them to Jesus' body.
Reference
2
Very early on the first day of the week, they were on their way to the tomb. It was just after sunrise.
Reference
3
They asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb?"
4
Then they looked up and saw that the stone had been rolled away. The stone was very large.
Reference
5
They entered the tomb. As they did, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe. He was sitting on the right side. They were alarmed.
Reference
6
"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. But he has risen! He is not here! See the place where they had put 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
Go! Tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. It will be just as he told you.' "
Reference
8
The women were shaking and confused. They went out and ran away from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Reference
9
Jesus rose from the dead early on the first day of the week. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene. He had driven seven demons out of her.
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
10
She went and told those who had been with him. She found them crying. They were very sad.
Reference
11
They heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him. But they did not believe it.
Reference
12
After that, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them. This happened while they were walking out in the country.
13
The two returned and told the others about it. But the others did not believe them either.
Reference
14
Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating. He spoke firmly to them because they had no faith. They would not believe those who had seen him after he rose from the dead.
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
16
Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who does not believe will be punished.
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
Here are the miraculous signs that those who believe will do. In my name they will drive out demons. They will speak in languages they had not known before.
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 will pick up snakes with their hands. And when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all. They will place their hands on sick people. And the people will get well."
Reference
19
When the Lord Jesus finished speaking to them, he was taken up into heaven. He sat down at 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.