Jesus Commissions the Eleven

14 Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart , because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen . 15 And He said to them, " Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation . 16 " He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved ; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned . 17 "These signs will accompany those who have believed : in My name they will cast out demons , they will speak with new tongues ; 18 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 e ."

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 16:14-18

Commentary on Mark 16:14-18

(Read Mark 16:14-18)

The evidences of the truth of the gospel are so full, that those who receive it not, may justly be upbraided with their unbelief. Our blessed Lord renewed his choice of the eleven as his apostles, and commissioned them to go into all the world, to preach his gospel to every creature. Only he that is a true Christian shall be saved through Christ. Simon Magus professed to believe, and was baptized, yet he was declared to be in the bonds of iniquity: see his history in Acts 8:13-25. Doubtless this is a solemn declaration of that true faith which receives Christ in all his characters and offices, and for all the purposes of salvation, and which produces its right effect on the heart and life; not a mere assent, which is a dead faith, and cannot profit. The commission of Christ's ministers extends to every creature throughout the world, and the declarations of the gospel contain not only truths, encouragements, and precepts, but also most awful warnings. Observe what power the apostles should be endued with, for confirming the doctrine they were to preach. These were miracles to confirm the truth of the gospel, and means of spreading the gospel among nations that had not heard it.