Mark 16 11

Mark 16:11 kjv

And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

Mark 16:11 nkjv

And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

Mark 16:11 niv

When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

Mark 16:11 esv

But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

Mark 16:11 nlt

But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn't believe her.

Mark 16 verses

Mark 16 11 Meaning

Mark 16:11 states that when Jesus' disciples heard Mary Magdalene's testimony that He was alive and had appeared to her, they did not believe it. This verse highlights the profound incredulity of the disciples, who, despite having been with Jesus and heard His prophecies of resurrection, found it incredibly difficult to accept the news when it finally came. It underscores the initial human struggle with such a miraculous and unprecedented event, even among His closest followers.

Mark 16 11 Context

Mark 16:11 is part of what is commonly referred to as the "Longer Ending of Mark" (Mk 16:9-20). In the preceding verses (Mk 16:1-8), the women who visit Jesus' tomb find it empty and are told by a young man (an angel) that Jesus has risen. They are commanded to tell Peter and the disciples that Jesus will meet them in Galilee, but out of fear, they initially tell no one.

Mark 16:9 then introduces Mary Magdalene as the first person to whom the risen Christ appeared. Verse 10 describes her going to inform those who had been with Jesus, "as they mourned and wept." Verse 11 details their immediate reaction to her unprecedented news: they "believed not." This rejection of the resurrection testimony sets the stage for Jesus' subsequent appearances to and rebuke of His disciples' unbelief (Mk 16:12-14) before He gives them the Great Commission.

The disciples' incredulity here aligns with a broader theme in Mark's Gospel, where the disciples frequently display misunderstanding, spiritual dullness, and fear in the face of divine power and Jesus' suffering. Their initial reaction of unbelief in the face of such incredible news makes their eventual transformation into courageous witnesses of the resurrection even more compelling.

Mark 16 11 Word analysis

• And they: Refers primarily to the inner circle of disciples, the remaining eleven apostles and potentially others closely associated with Jesus during His ministry. It signifies the primary audience of Mary Magdalene's message.
• when they had heard: Greek: ἀκούσαντες (akousantes). This is an aorist participle, indicating a completed action that precedes the main verb. It signifies that the disciples fully received and processed the verbal information about Jesus' resurrection from Mary.
• that he was alive: Greek: ζῇ (zē). This is the present tense form of "to live," emphasizing that Jesus is continuously alive, not merely revived for a moment or resurrected as a spiritual entity, but truly, bodily alive. This was the core of Mary's testimony and the revolutionary truth.
• and had been seen of her: Greek: θεαθέντα (theathenta). An aorist passive participle, indicating that Jesus was observed or revealed to her. "Of her" refers to Mary Magdalene, highlighting that her direct, personal encounter was the basis of her testimony. In the cultural context of the time, while the testimony of women was sometimes undervalued in legal settings, Mary's immediate personal experience of the risen Lord was undeniable to her, though difficult for the male disciples to credit immediately.
• believed not: Greek: ἠπίστησαν (ēpistēsan). This is from the verb ἀπιστέω (apisteō), meaning "to disbelieve," "to be faithless," or "to be incredulous." It signifies more than a passive lack of understanding; it implies an active rejection or profound skepticism in the face of extraordinary news. This word indicates their deep internal resistance to a truth that contradicted all their prior experience and perhaps their expectations of how things should unfold. This unbelief wasn't malicious, but a human response to the utterly impossible in their limited view.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And they, when they had heard... believed not.": This sequence starkly highlights the immediate and fundamental human resistance to the extraordinary. Despite having been taught by Jesus about His death and resurrection, the sheer unthinkability of it for the human mind, combined with the shock of His death, overrode prior teaching and even personal trust in a fellow follower like Mary. Their faith was still immature and incomplete regarding this ultimate miracle.
• "that he was alive and had been seen of her": The content of Mary's report was direct and unambiguous: a bodily resurrection ("alive") and personal eyewitness testimony ("had been seen of her"). The precision of her statement underscores the disciples' profound skepticism, as they were confronted with clear evidence, yet struggled to accept it. This tension emphasizes that the resurrection was not a matter of easily assimilated theory but a world-altering fact that required supernatural revelation to grasp.

Mark 16 11 Bonus section

• Historical Reliability: The portrayal of the disciples' initial unbelief in Mark (and Luke/John) lends a significant degree of authenticity to the resurrection accounts. Had the Gospel writers simply wanted to create a narrative of a glorious event, it would have been easier to depict the disciples as immediately believing and joyous. Instead, their struggles with disbelief portray them as fallible humans, making their subsequent courageous faith all the more impactful and difficult to dismiss as fabrication.
• Gender and Testimony: Mark's emphasis on Mary Magdalene, a woman, as the first witness whose testimony was initially rejected, holds cultural significance. In first-century Jewish society, a woman's testimony could be viewed as less credible than a man's, especially in legal matters. This fact highlights the divine choice to reveal the resurrection first through one considered "lesser" in that society, only for the "leading" disciples to then disbelieve her, demonstrating their own human shortcomings and perhaps implicit biases.
• Foundational Doubt: This initial doubt among the disciples is not merely a side note; it's foundational to the apostolic message. The message wasn't one of easily grasped fantasy but of a shocking, disruptive reality that transformed former doubters into martyrs. This initial skepticism is overcome only by the direct appearances of the Risen Christ, demonstrating that the resurrection required divine action, not just human reasoning, to be accepted as truth.

Mark 16 11 Commentary

Mark 16:11 presents a crucial aspect of the resurrection narrative: the initial human reluctance and disbelief even among Jesus' closest disciples. It illustrates that belief in the resurrection was not an automatic or immediate consequence of its occurrence. The disciples, overwhelmed by grief and their preconceived notions, found it nearly impossible to accept Mary Magdalene’s news. This initial widespread skepticism, far from undermining the resurrection, actually bolsters the authenticity of the apostolic testimony. If even those who knew Jesus best struggled to believe, their eventual, unwavering conviction – strong enough to die for – signifies a transformation born from direct, compelling encounters with the Risen Lord Himself. This verse reminds us that true faith often requires transcending human reasoning and accepting divine truth that challenges our limited understanding. It sets the stage for Jesus' subsequent appearances, which were necessary not only to confirm His victory over death but also to conquer the deeply entrenched unbelief of His followers.