Mark 16:18

“They shall take up serpents, etc..] The Arabic version adds, “in their own hands”; and in an ancient manuscript of Beza's it is read, “in the hands”; so the Apostle Paul had a viper, which fastened and hung on his hand, which he shook off, without receiving any harm from it, (<442803>Acts 28:3-6). And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; not that they were hereby warranted to drink poison, to show what power they had; but should they accidentally drink it, or rather should they be forced to it by their enemies in order to destroy them, they should find no hurt by it: and Papias f289 reports of Barsabas, surnamed Justus, who was put up with Matthias for the apostleship,…”

“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 them 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 Isaiah 43:2. They shall lay hands on the sick ... - See instances of this in the Acts of the Apostles, Acts 3:6-7; Acts 5:15, etc. return to 'Top of Page'”

“If they drink any deadly thing - But not by their own choice. God never calls us to try any such experiments. Mark 16:19”

“shall take: Gen 3:15; Psa 91:13; Luk 10:19; Act 28:3-6; Rom 16:20 if: It is fully asserted here, that the apostles of our Lord should not lose their life by poison, and there is neither record nor tradition to disprove it. But it is worthy of remark, that Mohammed, who styled himself the apostle of God, lost his life by poison; and, had he been a true prophet, or a true apostle of God, he would not have fallen into the snare. Kg2 4:39-41 they shall lay: Act 3:6-8, Act 3:12, Act 3:16, Act 4:10, Act 4:22, Act 4:30, Act 5:15, Act 5:16, Act 9:17, Act 9:18, Act 9:34, Act 9:40-42, Act 19:12; Act 28:8, Act 28:9; Co1 12:9; Jam 5:14, Jam 5:15 Mark 16:19”