Mark 16
International Children’s Bible
Jesus Rises from Death
16 The day after the Sabbath day, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought some sweet-smelling spices to put on Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on that day, the first day of the week, the women were on their way to the tomb. It was soon after sunrise. 3 They said to each other, “There is a large stone covering the entrance of the tomb. Who will move the stone for us?”
4 Then the women looked and saw that the stone was already moved. The stone was very large, but it was moved away from the entrance. 5 The women entered the tomb and saw a young man wearing a white robe. He was sitting on the right side, and the women were afraid.
6 But the man said, “Don’t be afraid. You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, the one who was killed on a cross. He has risen from death. He is not here. Look, here is the place they laid him. 7 Now go and tell his followers and Peter, ‘Jesus is going into Galilee. He will be there before you. You will see him there as he told you before.’”
8 The women were confused and shaking with fear. They left the tomb and ran away. They did not tell anyone about what happened, because they were afraid.[a]
Some Followers See Jesus
9 Jesus rose from death early on the first day of the week. He showed himself first to Mary Magdalene. One time in the past, he had forced seven demons to leave Mary. 10 After Mary saw Jesus, she went and told his followers. They were very sad and were crying. 11 But Mary told them that Jesus was alive. She said that she had seen him, but the followers did not believe her.
12 Later, Jesus showed himself to two of his followers while they were walking in the country. But Jesus did not look the same as before. 13 These followers went back to the others and told them what had happened. Again, the followers did not believe them.
Jesus Talks to the Apostles
14 Later Jesus showed himself to the 11 followers while they were eating. He criticized them because they had little faith. They were stubborn and refused to believe those who had seen him after he had risen from death.
15 Jesus said to the followers, “Go everywhere in the world. Tell the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not believe will be judged guilty. 17 And those who believe will be able to do these things as proof: They will use my name to force demons out of people. They will speak in languages they never learned. 18 They will pick up snakes without being hurt. And they will drink poison without being hurt. They will touch the sick, and the sick will be healed.”
19 After the Lord Jesus said these things to the followers, he was carried up into heaven. There, Jesus sat at the right side of God. 20 The followers went everywhere in the world and told the Good News to people. And the Lord helped them. The Lord proved that the Good News they told was true by giving them power to work miracles.
Mark 16
The Message
The Resurrection
16 1-3 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could embalm him. Very early on Sunday morning, as the sun rose, they went to the tomb. They worried out loud to each other, “Who will roll back the stone from the tomb for us?”
4-5 Then they looked up, saw that it had been rolled back—it was a huge stone—and walked right in. They saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed all in white. They were completely taken aback, astonished.
6-7 He said, “Don’t be afraid. I know you’re looking for Jesus the Nazarene, the One they nailed on the cross. He’s been raised up; he’s here no longer. You can see for yourselves that the place is empty. Now—on your way. Tell his disciples and Peter that he is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You’ll see him there, exactly as he said.”
8 They got out as fast as they could, beside themselves, their heads swimming. Stunned, they said nothing to anyone.
9-11 [After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared early on Sunday morning to Mary Magdalene, whom he had delivered from seven demons. She went to his former companions, now weeping and carrying on, and told them. When they heard her report that she had seen him alive and well, they didn’t believe her.
12-13 Later he appeared, but in a different form, to two of them out walking in the countryside. They went back and told the rest, but they weren’t believed either.
14-16 Still later, as the Eleven were eating supper, he appeared and took them to task most severely for their stubborn unbelief, refusing to believe those who had seen him raised up. Then he said, “Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God’s good news to one and all. Whoever believes and is baptized is saved; whoever refuses to believe is damned.
17-18 “These are some of the signs that will accompany believers: They will throw out demons in my name, they will speak in new tongues, they will take snakes in their hands, they will drink poison and not be hurt, they will lay hands on the sick and make them well.”
19-20 Then the Master Jesus, after briefing them, was taken up to heaven, and he sat down beside God in the place of honor. And the disciples went everywhere preaching, the Master working right with them, validating the Message with indisputable evidence.]
Note: Mark 16:9-20 [the portion in brackets] is not found in the earliest handwritten copies.
Mark 16
New King James Version
He Is Risen(A)
16 Now (B)when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome (C)bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 (D)Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. 5 (E)And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
6 (F)But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going [a]before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, (G)as He said to you.”
8 So they went out [b]quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. (H)And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord(I)
9 [c]Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, (J)out of whom He had cast seven demons. 10 (K)She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. 11 (L)And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
Jesus Appears to Two Disciples(M)
12 After that, He appeared in another form (N)to two of them as they walked and went into the country. 13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
The Great Commission(O)
14 (P)Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 (Q)And He said to them, “Go into all the world (R)and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 (S)He who believes and is baptized will be saved; (T)but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these (U)signs will follow those who [d]believe: (V)In My name they will cast out demons; (W)they will speak with new tongues; 18 (X)they[e] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; (Y)they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Christ Ascends to God’s Right Hand(Z)
19 So then, (AA)after the Lord had spoken to them, He was (AB)received up into heaven, and (AC)sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them (AD)and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Footnotes
- Mark 16:7 ahead of
- Mark 16:8 NU, M omit quickly
- Mark 16:9 Vv. 9–20 are bracketed in NU as not in the original text. They are lacking in Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, although nearly all other mss. of Mark contain them.
- Mark 16:17 have believed
- Mark 16:18 NU and in their hands they will
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.