Albert Barnes on Mark 16:18
Notes on the New Testament. Browse this work.
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Mark16:18
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 Acts 28:5,6.
Any deadly thing. Any poison usually causing death.
Shall not hurt them. There is a similar promise in Isa 43:2.
They shall lay hands on the sick, etc. See instances of this in the Acts of the Apostles, Acts 3:6,7, 5:15, etc.
(g) "serpents" Lk 10:19, Acts 28:5 (h) "they shall lay" Acts 5:15,16, 28:8, Jas 5:14,15
Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament, Mark 16:18. Public domain.
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