Mark 16:18

“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.”
King James Version (KJV)

Other Translations of Mark 16:18

They shall take vp serpents, and if they drinke any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sicke, and they shall recouer.
- King James Version (1611) - Compare to scan of original Mark chapter 16

they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly {poison,} it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
- New American Standard Version (1995)

they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
- American Standard Version (1901)

They will take up snakes, and if there is poison in their drink, it will do them no evil; they will put their hands on those who are ill, and they will get well.
- Basic English Bible

they shall take up serpents; and if they should drink any deadly thing it shall not injure them; they shall lay hands upon the infirm, and they shall be well.
- Darby Bible

They shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover.
- Douay Rheims Bible

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.
- Webster's Bible

They shall take up venomous snakes, and if they drink any deadly poison it shall do them no harm whatever. They shall lay their hands on the sick, and the sick shall recover."
- Weymouth Bible

they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
- World English Bible

thei schulen do awei serpentis; and if thei drynke ony venym, it schal not noye hem. Thei schulen sette her hondis on sijk men, and thei schulen wexe hoole.
- Wycliffe Bible

serpents they shall take up; and if any deadly thing they may drink, it shall not hurt them; on the ailing they shall lay hands, and they shall be well.'
- Youngs Literal Bible

annabell's comment on 2014-10-01 07:19:05:

We are to remove defeat evil serpents from our lives that we can recognize and if there is unknown evil deadly drink trying to overcome you he will protect you. Your expected as a believer and follower of the lord to stay clear and not invest in anything that doesnt please him, but if anything unexpectedly comes into your life and attempts to take your eyes off the lord he will protect you as his child.

Claude Kenneson's comment on 2014-07-21 05:41:32:

Remember how Paul, on the island of Malta, after the shipwreck treated a viper that bit him. He wasn 't purposefully handling it, and it ended up in the fire. He didn 't put it in a cage for future handling. No, but God did protect Paul from the effect of the snake bite however, he didn 't go look for this to happen. See Acts 28 In the Old Testament in Numbers 21 snakes bit people not because they had faith, but precisely the opposite. Moreover, Luke 10 19 says that the 72 had authority to trample snakes, not to handle them.

Jackie's comment on 2014-06-01 20:40:14:

Pat 's comment on 2014 01 22 13 35 31 I agree with Pat. The serpent represents Satin. I also agree that Jesus was speaking to the Apostles.

Julian's comment on 2014-04-10 14:50:35:

Mark 16 18 is referring ONLY to the 12 Apostles of Jesus. They were to go out and spread the Gospel and were given the ability to speak other languages they had never learned by the gift of tongues and could lay on hands and heal the sick as Jesus did through the Holy Spirit given to them by Jesus. This verse does not refer to the common believer. We are not given ability to speak languages we do not know, and we are not to tempt our God by handling deadly snakes in attempts to test God.

pam newman's comment on 2014-03-04 08:04:51:

IN THE INTERLINEAR GREEK ENGLISH NEWTESTAMENT NESTLE MARSHALL IT SAYS SERPENTS THEY WILL TAKE IT DOES NOT SAY TAKE UP IN THE DICTIONARY SOME OF ITS DEFINITIONS FOR TAKE IS 1 TO GET INTO ONES HANDS OR POSSESSION POWER OR CONTROL 2 TO MOVE AGAINST AND REMOVE FROM PLAY 3 TO ATTACK THROUGH THE EFFECT OF SUDDEN FORCE OR INFLUENCE 4 DEFEAT TO WIN VICTORY OVER 5 TO CAUSE SOMETHING TO FAIL 6 TO OVERCOME 7 TO NULLIFY 8 TO FRUSTRATE IN REV 20 2 THE DEVIL IS DESCRIBED AS THAT OLD SERPENT IN MATT 10 8 THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST ARE INSTRUCTED BY HIM TO GO AND CAST OUT DEVILS MANY OF THE DEFINITIONS ABOVE SOUND VERY MUCH LIKE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF SERPENTS DEVILS WERE CAST OUT OF A PERSON BY A BELIEVER SOMETIMES THE ENGLISH INTERPRETATION IS A LITTLE MISLEADING SO I ALWAYS TRY TO FIST GO TO ALL THE SCRIPTURES ON THE SUBJECT THEN REFERENCE THE GREEK OR HEBREW WHICH EVER THE CASE MAY BE AND THEN FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING I GO TO THE DICTIONARY ALL WORDS AND THEIR INTERPRETATION COME FROM THE WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING GOD GIVES TO MEN

Ray Jordan's comment on 2014-03-03 13:11:06:

If your faith is strong enough nothing can hurt you not from a poisonous snake bite not from drinking poison But you can also say to this mountain move and it will move if your faith is strong enough I also see the regular handling of snakes in church to be abusive to the snake in the way that they do it It appears they are purposely trying to agitate that snake in order to get bitten to prove to the congregation that they will not die when bitten by the snake All animals should be treated with love and respect and should not be agitated in what the snake sees to be in a threatening way

roy's comment on 2014-02-24 16:56:27:

the verse is not a commandment it is a parable like most of the teachings of christ it can be interpreted in many way however IT IS NOT A COMMANDMENT

JOYCE's comment on 2014-02-21 19:09:17:

I BELIEVE THE SCRIPTURE TAKE UP SERPENTS MEANS THAT WE CAN PICK UP WITCHCRAFT FROM EVIL PEOPLE AND IT WILL NOT HURT US AS LONG AS WE ARE COVERED UNDER THE BLOOD OF JESUS I DON T THINK JESUS WAS TELLING US TO GO GATHER SNAKES AND HANDLE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL GOING TO DO WHAT THEY WERE CREATED TO DO THE WORD OF GOD HAS NOT CHANGED THEY ARE STILL OUR ENEMIES I BELIEVE HE WAS SAYING IF WE PICK SOME FORM OF EVIL SPIRITS IT WOULD NOT HURT US

Easter's comment on 2014-02-18 16:54:54:

The Serpant is only being used as a parable Jesus was letting us know that if we drink or eat something poisonous or harmful It won t affect us at all That s only to say if someone try to kill you in that form The Serpant is the devil who has come to STEAL KILL AND DESTROY As we know Jesus has come to give us life

jim's comment on 2014-02-17 16:21:07:

This scripture does not command people to handle snakes but it does give people a Biblical basis to do so Bible believers debate and argue regularly about doctrine Freedom of religion is a right as described in the United States Constitution and protects diverse religious beliefs and practices such as Mormonism Scientology Hinduism Buddhism and Islam The Constitution protects such practices The Bible is a book written thousands of year ago Handling snakes and playing with fire is Biblical and I believe should be protected because because it makes just as much little sense as the rest of the book

Sam's comment on 2014-02-17 06:01:34:

The verse says they will handle serpents and if they drink poison no where do I read IF THE SNAKE BITE YOU WILL SURVIVE also why not a non poisonest snake after all are they not serpents This act is nothing but tempting God and so he paid the price

Jeff's comment on 2014-02-16 19:29:02:

How can it be tempting the Lord to do what he has said you shall do There s really no viable reason anyone would take up serpents other than as a demonstration that God would protect his own Otherwise the saints would simply have avoided snakes So do we actually KNOW this was not done by the disciples simply because it is not mentioned in the Bible in more than one place The Bible mention very few practices in early assemblies The Bible doesn t even mention singing Does this mean it didn t take place No either the Bible is false or believers will take up serpents as the Bible says Stop rationalizing the passage

Pat's comment on 2014-01-22 11:35:31:

the snake is primarily presented as a type of devil and deals with people being delivered from satanic forces ,it does mean to actually pick up a snake.Matt 4:7 Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. You also wouldn't drink poison to demonstrate faith.

Mike's comment on 2014-01-16 12:42:15:

The scripture does state to test the spirits to see who they are from and not accept any spirit that is contrary with the Word of GOD. This scripture is only mentioned in Mark,I wouldn't build a church doctrine off of one Scripture?

jason's comment on 2014-01-13 22:43:20:

After Jesus told the diciples to do this they did not go and play with snakes and drink poison to prove or show their faith,so I dont know why some of these churches are doing it and people dying from being bitten. You dont see anyone doing that in the new testament. The serpent was found in the garden, Eve was decieved and poisoned into doing what God asked her not to do. Our Father will protect us from dangers of all the snakes and poisoness ways of life out there that lead some astray. The Word is powerful and can speak to you in many ways..you need to be led by the Spirit or you might just go and do something silly like play with deadly snakes in the church to show how close you are to God. I see that as testing God.

Mike's comment on 2013-12-09 13:35:20:

He could have used another animal besides a snake, the purpose of the scripture is if God sends you some where he will protect you from snakes, poison, or anything. Example:Daniel in the Lions den, Shadrach,Meshac,and Abendago in the firey furnance. When he used snakes and posion, they knew of the above mentioned situations before, so he just confirming that God will take care of you if you do his will!!!!!!!!!

Abraham James's comment on 2013-10-23 01:49:04:

Please send me gospel materials. Thank you

Kristin's comment on 2013-10-19 20:33:15:

Although I do not believe in taking up serpents...I do find it interesting. But if parts of the Bible(KJV) refer to serpents as a sign of the devil. I am Baptist so I was brought up different. Just curious why people think they should take up serpents. The Bible does not say to worship with them and handle them.

Tim's comment on 2013-10-07 03:50:02:

raquel's comment on 2013-09-24 16:20:28:

Doesnt this disolve the curse in genesis now that jesus has been resrrurected. In other words it is an example that the laws established then have been disolved and being struck on the heal will no longer hold its power

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