Mark 16:16 kjv
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mark 16:16 nkjv
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Mark 16:16 niv
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Mark 16:16 esv
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Mark 16:16 nlt
Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.
Mark 16 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 3:16 | For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. | Foundation of belief for eternal life. |
| Jn 3:18 | Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already... | Directly affirms condemnation for unbelief. |
| Jn 5:24 | Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment... | Belief ensures eternal life and bypasses judgment. |
| Jn 6:40 | For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life... | God's will links belief with eternal life. |
| Acts 16:31 | They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." | Simple declaration of belief for salvation. |
| Rom 10:9-10 | ...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved... | Heart belief and verbal confession lead to salvation. |
| Eph 2:8-9 | For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works... | Salvation is a gift by grace through faith, not by human effort. |
| Heb 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists... | Faith is prerequisite to pleasing God. |
| Acts 2:38 | And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins..." | Baptism linked with repentance and forgiveness of sins. |
| Acts 22:16 | And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name. | Baptism as a symbolic act associated with cleansing. |
| Rom 6:3-4 | Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?...we were buried therefore with him by baptism into death... | Baptism symbolizes death to sin and resurrection with Christ. |
| Gal 3:27 | For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. | Baptism signifies putting on Christ and identification. |
| Col 2:12 | ...having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God... | Baptism and faith unite the believer in Christ's resurrection. |
| 1 Pet 3:21 | Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience... | Clarifies baptism as an outward expression of an inward commitment of faith. |
| Matt 28:19 | Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit... | The Great Commission, including the command to baptize. |
| Acts 8:12 | ...when they believed Philip as he preached good news...they were baptized, both men and women. | Example of belief preceding baptism. |
| Acts 18:8 | Crispus...believed in the Lord...And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. | Further historical evidence of belief followed by baptism. |
| Mk 16:15 | And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." | Immediate preceding context: the Great Commission to evangelize. |
| Lk 24:47 | ...and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. | Content of the gospel includes repentance and forgiveness. |
| Heb 3:12 | Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. | Warning against the danger of an unbelieving heart. |
| Heb 10:26-27 | For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment... | Consequence for rejecting known truth, similar to hardened unbelief. |
| Rev 20:15 | And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. | Ultimate eternal condemnation for those without salvation. |
Mark 16 verses
Mark 16 16 Meaning
Mark 16:16 conveys a central tenet of Christian theology: salvation is intrinsically linked to belief in Jesus Christ and is often accompanied by baptism. It presents these two actions as conditions for receiving salvation. Conversely, the verse makes it explicitly clear that the absence of belief alone leads to condemnation, distinguishing between the roles of belief and baptism.
Mark 16 16 Context
Mark 16:16 is part of what is commonly referred to as the "longer ending" of the Gospel of Mark (verses 9-20). This section immediately follows Jesus' resurrection and His appearances to His disciples. The context is Jesus' final instructions, often called the Great Commission, where He commands His followers to spread the gospel message worldwide (Mk 16:15). Verse 16 then outlines the response required from humanity to this proclamation: faith in Jesus, expressed through baptism, leads to salvation, while rejection of this faith leads to condemnation. This passage emphasizes the urgency and definitive nature of responding to the gospel message. Historically and culturally, water baptism was the recognized ritual for joining the Christian community, publicly signifying a believer's repentance, identification with Christ, and commitment to follow Him.
Mark 16 16 Word analysis
- He who believes (Gk: ho pisteusas, ὁ πιστεύσας): This phrase uses the aorist active participle, signifying a decisive, completed act of faith, rather than a continuous state of believing. It points to someone who has committedly trusted, embraced, and placed their complete reliance upon Jesus Christ for salvation. This belief is not merely intellectual agreement but an active surrender and trust.
- and is baptized (Gk: kai baptistheis, καὶ βαπτισθεὶς): The aorist passive participle indicates that this action is done to the believer, meaning they have been baptized. The term baptizō (βαπτίζω) means to "immerse" or "dip." In the New Testament, baptism is an outward, public act symbolizing an inward spiritual reality: identification with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and the washing away of sins through Him. It serves as an initial act of obedience following conversion.
- will be saved (Gk: sōthēsetai, σωθήσεται): A future passive indicative verb, promising salvation as a guaranteed future result for those who believe and are baptized. "Saved" encompasses deliverance from God's wrath, forgiveness of sins, justification, regeneration, and the gift of eternal life through Christ. It represents a complete spiritual rescue.
- but (Gk: ho de, ὁ δὲ): This conjunction establishes a sharp contrast, introducing the alternative outcome for those who do not fulfill the initial condition.
- he who does not believe (Gk: ho mē pisteusas, ὁ μὴ πιστεύσας): Mirroring the first phrase, the negative particle mē (μὴ) indicates the absence of the decisive act of faith. This describes an individual who, despite hearing the gospel, fails or refuses to trust in Jesus Christ.
- will be condemned (Gk: katakrithēsetai, κατακριθήσεται): A future passive indicative verb, signifying certain divine judgment and everlasting punishment. It is the direct opposite of being saved, implying separation from God and eternal retribution for unrepentant sin and unbelief.
- "He who believes and is baptized will be saved": This clause articulates the initial conditions for receiving God's saving grace. The conjunction "and" links belief and baptism, implying that for those capable of understanding, baptism is the expected and commanded physical expression of their genuine spiritual belief. It demonstrates obedience and public allegiance to Christ.
- "but he who does not believe will be condemned": This critical second clause specifies the sole cause for condemnation as the lack of belief, without mentioning the absence of baptism. This linguistic precision underscores that faith is the ultimate and non-negotiable requirement for salvation, differentiating it from baptism. While baptism is an essential act for the believer, unbelief is the damning factor.
Mark 16 16 Bonus section
The "longer ending" of Mark (Mark 16:9-20), including this verse, faces significant textual questions within biblical scholarship, as it is absent from some of the earliest and most authoritative Greek manuscripts. However, its theological message, especially regarding the necessity of faith, baptism, and the universal spread of the gospel, resonates deeply with the teachings found in other undisputed New Testament passages, such as the Great Commission in Matthew (28:18-20) and the emphasis on faith and baptism in Acts. Therefore, regardless of its textual origin within Mark, the principles expressed in Mark 16:16 represent a foundational and widely accepted early Christian understanding of conversion and the destiny of humanity in response to the gospel. It robustly affirms that ultimate human destiny hinges on a response of belief to Christ.
Mark 16 16 Commentary
Mark 16:16 is a definitive statement from Jesus concerning the path to salvation and the dire consequence of its rejection. It firmly establishes faith in Him as the non-negotiable prerequisite for eternal life, aligning with the consistent New Testament emphasis on salvation by grace through faith. Baptism is presented as a commanded and customary initial act of obedience that publicly demonstrates and confirms one's internal belief. It signifies identification with Christ's death and resurrection and symbolizes the washing away of sins. However, the crucial distinction within the verse—condemnation specifically resulting from unbelief and not from lack of baptism—underscores the primacy of faith. This nuance safeguards against any teaching that might reduce salvation to a mere ritual, reaffirming that spiritual transformation and genuine trust in Christ are paramount.
Practical examples:
- The New Testament church consistently followed a pattern of evangelism, resulting in belief and then immediate baptism for new converts (e.g., Acts 8:36-38; Acts 10:47-48).
- The example of the repentant thief on the cross (Lk 23:42-43) demonstrates that when the opportunity for baptism is absent, faith alone is sufficient for salvation, underscoring the indispensable nature of belief.