MARK 16:18 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) and they’ll be able to pick up snakes. If they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them, and they will place their hands on people and make them better.”

ULT [fn] they will pick up snakes, and if they drink anything deadly, it will certainly not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”

Some manuscripts include here the words and with their hands.

UST They will be able to hold snakes and drink poison without becoming sick or dying. When they touch sick people, it will cure them.”

MSB they will pick up snakes,[fn] and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay [their] hands on [the] sick, and they will be made well.”

BLB and with their hands they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it shall never hurt them; they will lay hands upon the sick, and they will be well."

AICNT [and with their hands][fn] they will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

16:18, with their hands: Absent from some manuscripts.

OEB they will take up snakes in their hands; and, if they drink any poison, it will not hurt them; they will place their hands on sick people and they will recover.’

WEBBE 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.”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET 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.”

LSV they will take up serpents; and if they may drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the ailing, and they will be well.”

FBV they will be able to handle snakes; if they drink something poisonous they won't be harmed; they will place their hands on the sick and they will be healed.”

TCNT they will pick up [fn]serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will certainly not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”

16:18 serpents 97.2% ¦ serpents in their hands ECM NA TH WH 2.2%

T4T If they pick up snakes accidentally or if they drink any poisonous liquid accidentally, they will not be hurt. Whenever they put their hands on sick people in order that God will heal them, those sick people will become well.”

LEB they will pick up[fn] snakes.[fn] And if they drink any deadly poison it will never hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and _⌊they will get_⌋[fn] well.”

16:18 Some manuscripts have “and they will pick up”

16:18 Some manuscripts add “with their hands”

16:18 Literally “they will have”

BBE 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.

Moff they will handle serpents,
⇔ and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them;
⇔ they will lay hands on the sick and make them well.'

Wymth 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."

ASV 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.

DRA 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.

YLT 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.'

Drby 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.

RV 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.

SLT They shall take up serpents; and should they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall put hands upon the sick, and they shall be well.

Wbstr 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.

KJB-1769 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.

KJB-1611 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.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps They shall driue away serpentes: and yf they drinke any deadly thyng, it shall not hurte them: They shall lay their handes on the sicke, & they shal recouer.
(They shall drive away serpents: and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: They shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover.)

Gnva And shall take away serpents, and if they shall drinke any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay their handes on the sicke, and they shall recouer.
(And shall take away serpents, and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover. )

Cvdl Dryue awaye serpetes: And yf they drynke eny deedly thinge, it shal not hurte them: They shal laye their handes vpo the sicke, and they shal recouer.
(Drive away serpetes: And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: They shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover.)

TNT and shall kyll serpentes. And yf they drinke eny dedly thinge that shall not hurte the. They shall laye their hondes on the sicke and they shall recover.
(and shall kill serpents. And if they drink any deadly thing that shall not hurt them. They shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover. )

Wycl 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.
(they should do away serpents; and if they drink any venom, it shall not noye hem. They should set her hands on sick men, and they should wax/grow whole.)

Luth Schlangen vertreiben, und so sie etwas Tödliches trinken, wird‘s ihnen nicht schaden; auf die Kranken werden sie die Hände legen, so wird‘s besser mit ihnen werden.
(snakes drive_out, and so they/she/them something deadly_(ones) drink(v), it_will to_them not damage(v); on/in/to the sick_ones become they/she/them the hands place, so it_will better with to_them become.)

ClVg serpentes tollent: et si mortiferum quid biberint, non eis nocebit: super ægros manus imponent, et bene habebunt.[fn]
(snakes they_take_away: and when/but_if deadly what biberint, not/no to_them nocebit: over sick hands imposent, and well they_will_have. )

16.18 Si mortiferum, etc. Dum pestiferas persuasiones audiunt, nec ad operationes usque perducunt, quod inde eis non nocet si mortiferum bibunt. Super ægros manus, etc. Dum proximos in bono opere confirmatos roborant exemplo bonæ operationis, super ægros manus imponunt, et bene habebunt. Hæc miracula tanto majora, quanto spiritualia; per hoc enim animæ suscitantur, non corpora.

16.18 When/But_if deadly, etc. While pestiferas persuasiones they_hear, but_not to operations until perducunt, that therefore/from_there to_them not/no nocet when/but_if deadly bibunt. Above/Over sick hands, etc. While neighbours in/into/on good by_work confirmsos roborant example good operation, over sick hands they_impose, and well they_will_have. This miracles so_much bigger, how_much spiritual_(things); through this because soul suscitantur, not/no bodies.

UGNT ὄφεις ἀροῦσιν; κἂν θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν οὐ μὴ αὐτοὺς βλάψῃ; ἐπὶ ἀρρώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσιν καὶ καλῶς ἕξουσιν.
(ofeis arousin; kan thanasimon ti piōsin ou maʸ autous blapsaʸ; epi arrōstous ⱪeiras epithaʸsousin kai kalōs hexousin.)

SBL-GNT ⸀ὄφεις ἀροῦσιν κἂν θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν οὐ μὴ αὐτοὺς βλάψῃ, ἐπὶ ἀρρώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσιν καὶ καλῶς ἕξουσιν.
(⸀ofeis arousin kan thanasimon ti piōsin ou maʸ autous blapsaʸ, epi arrōstous ⱪeiras epithaʸsousin kai kalōs hexousin.)

RP-GNT ὄφεις ἀροῦσιν· κἂν θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν, οὐ μὴ αὐτοὺς βλάψῃ· ἐπὶ ἀρρώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσιν, καὶ καλῶς ἕξουσιν.
(ofeis arousin; kan thanasimon ti piōsin, ou maʸ autous blapsaʸ; epi arrōstous ⱪeiras epithaʸsousin, kai kalōs hexousin.)

TC-GNT [fn]ὄφεις ἀροῦσι· κἂν θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν, οὐ μὴ αὐτοὺς [fn]βλάψῃ· ἐπὶ ἀρρώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσι, καὶ καλῶς ἕξουσιν.
(ofeis arousi; kan thanasimon ti piōsin, ou maʸ autous blapsaʸ; epi arrōstous ⱪeiras epithaʸsousi, kai kalōs hexousin. )

16:18 οφεις 97.2% ¦ και εν ταις χερσιν οφεις ECM NA TH WH 2.2%

16:18 βλαψη ¦ βλαψει ANT TR

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 16:14–18: Jesus told his disciples to preach the good news to all people

After Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and two of his followers, he appeared to his eleven disciples. First, he rebuked them for their lack of faith and for refusing to believe that he had been raised from the dead. Then Jesus told them to go out into the world and preach the good news to everyone.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus Appears to the Eleven (GNT)

What Jesus’ Followers Must Do (CEV)

There is a parallel passage for this section in Matthew 28:16–20.

16:18a

they will pick up snakes with their hands,

they will pick up poisonous snakes in their hands and not be harmed,
I will protect them if they pick up a poisonous snake in their hands;

they will pick up snakes with their hands: The clause they will pick up snakes with their hands contains implied information. This clause describes a miracle. If believers pick up poisonous snakes in their hands, the snakes will not harm them. Jesus will protect them by his name, that is, his power, from being harmed by the snakes. You may need to make this information more explicit in your translation. For example:

If they handle poisonous snakes, the snakes…will not harm them.

See the General Comment on 16:18a–b at the end of 16:18b for another suggestion.

16:18b

and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them;

and they will drink deadly poison and yet nothing bad will happen;
and if they drink something poisonous, it will certainly not hurt them.

and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them: This part of the verse is similar to 16:18a. By Jesus’ name, that is, his power, believers will be protected from harm if people try to poison them. The GW has another way to say this:

and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them (GW)

deadly poison: The Greek word that the BSB translates as deadly poison means “something that causes death.” In this context it refers to a poisonous liquid.

it will not harm them: The Greek word that the BSB translates as not is literally “in no way.” It is used to emphasize that believers will not be harmed in any way by drinking the poison. Try to emphasize this in a natural way in your language.

General Comment on 16:18a–b

In some languages it may be helpful to combine 16:18a–b. For example:

They will pick up snakes and drink poison without being hurt. (NCV)

…if they pick up snakes or drink any poison, they will not be harmed (GNT)

16:18c

they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”

they will place their hands on sick people and heal them.”
I will make them able to heal sick people by placing their hands on them.”

they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well: Jesus often healed sick people by placing his hands on them. For example, see 6:5b. Here, he said that believers would be able to heal sick people in this way. They would be able to do that in his name, that is, by using the authority that he would give them.

and they will be made well: The pronoun they refers to the sick people. Make sure that this is clear in your translation.

General Comment on 16:17b–18c

The phrase “in my name” in 16:17b indicates that believers will use the name of Jesus (that is, the authority and power of Jesus) to perform each of the signs in 16:17–18. In some languages it may be necessary to repeat the idea “in my name” with each of the signs. For example:

In my name they will drive out demons, and I will make them able to speak new languages. I will protect them if they pick up a poisonous snake, and if they drink any poison, I will cause it not to hurt them. They will lay their hands on sick people and because of my name, the sick people will recover.

General Comment on 16:15–18

In some languages it may be more natural to use indirect speech for Jesus’ words in these verses. For example:

^15aThen Jesus told them ^15bto go to all places and tell all people the good news. ^16aHe said that people who believe in him and receive baptism will be saved, ^16bbut that people who do not believe in him will be condemned. ^17aHe promised to help those who believe in him to do miraculous signs, ^17bthat they will use his name to force demons to leave people ^17cand they will speak different languages. ^18a–bIf they pick up a snake in their hands or drink poison, he said that he will protect them from harm. ^18cHe also promised that they will lay hands on sick people, and the sick people will get well.

If you make God explicit as the subject in any of the verses, be sure that you indicate clearly whether each clause is referring to God or to Jesus.