THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 16 - Verse 18

Verse 18. They shall take up serpents. When it is necessary for the sake of establishing religion, they shall handle poisonous reptiles without injury: thus showing that God was with him, to keep them from harm. This was literally fulfilled when Paul shook the viper from his hand. See Ac 28:5,6.

Any deadly thing. Any poison usually causing death.

Shall not hurt them. There is a similar promise in Isaiah 43:2.

They shall lay hands on the sick, etc. See instances of this in the Acts of the Apostles, Ac 3:6,7; 5:15, etc.

{g} "serpents" Lu 10:19; Ac 28:5 {h} "they shall lay" Ac 5:15,16; 28:8; James 5:14,15