Keraia
Mark 16

Mark 16:16

The Great Commission · Mark 16:14–18
Read Mark 16

Translations

Modern
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Traditional
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Literal
The one having believed and having been baptized will be saved, but the one having disbelieved will be condemned.
Latin
Qui crediderit, et baptizatus fuerit, salvus erit: qui vero non crediderit, condemnabitur.

Interlinear

Greek
English
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Notes

Mark 16:9–20

Nearly all scholars agree that Mark did not write the shorter ending and the longer ending of his Gospel. These endings use different styles, vocabulary, and theology (teaching about God). Also, the two best early Greek manuscripts (Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus) do not include these endings.

However, many scholars also doubt that Mark meant to end his Gospel at 16:8. Several reasons support this view:

  1. Mark emphasizes that the predictions of Jesus are fulfilled. If the Gospel ends at 16:8, there is no account of Jesus appearing after his resurrection.

  2. All the other Gospels include stories of Jesus appearing to the women and the disciples.

  3. Some early manuscripts include added endings. This suggests that some early copyists (people who copied texts by hand) thought the Gospel needed a clearer ending.

  4. There is no clear reason why Mark would choose to end at 16:8. Many suggested reasons come from modern ways of reading, not from how a first-century Christian writer would likely think.

  5. The Gospel begins with a strong statement that Jesus is the Messiah (1:1), but ending at 16:8 would leave the story with fear instead of resolution.

  6. The Greek word gar (“because”) appears at the end of 16:8. It is very unusual for an ancient Greek book to end with this word.

  7. Mark 16:7 suggests the disciples will meet Jesus in Galilee. If 16:8 was the original ending, it would be the only prediction in the Gospel that did not come true.

Because of these reasons, many scholars think the original ending was lost (for example, the last page may have been damaged or removed) or that Mark did not finish writing it.

Theme notes and profiles

Baptism

Events

Parallels

Matthew 28:16–20

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Gospel Versions of the Bible (English)

Topics

Baptism: Administered to Only to Professing Believers Baptism: Appointed an Ordinance of the Christian Church Baptism: Christian Baptizing Children Baptizing Infants Being Baptized Being Saved Belief Casting out Demons Different Religions Exorcism Faith in Christ Faith: Through It Is: Salvation Going to Jail How to Become a Christian Jesus, the Christ: Appears in the Midst of the Disciples, when Thomas Was Absent (In Jerusalem) Jesus, the Christ: Rejected Lack of Faith Losing Faith Ministers are Bound to Preach the Gospel to All New Birth Palm Sunday Rebirth Repenting Salvation is Through Faith in Christ Salvation: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Spreading the Word The Punishment of the Wicked: On Account of Their: Unbelief Unbelief: General Scriptures Concerning Unbelief: They Who are Guilty of Shall be Condemned Witnessing