Lord’s Library editors offer a Mark 16:9-20 meaning with commentary on why the verses are missing from new Bible versions, for your edification.
When trying to understand the meaning of Mark 16:9-20 and see why it’s missing in modern versions, first see the verses: “Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”
Mark 16:9-20 is the God-given conclusion to the Gospel of Mark—twelve verses that recount Christ’s resurrection appearances, the Great Commission, signs following believers, and His ascension into heaven. Yet in nearly all modern Bible versions—including the ESV, NIV, NASB, and CSB—this entire section is bracketed, footnoted, or worse, outright missing as “not found in the earliest manuscripts.”
In some editions, Mark 16 ends at verse 8, where the women flee the tomb “for they were afraid.” What should be a victorious resurrection account is reduced to a missing verse. In this way, Christ’s Blood Atonement is muted and His ascension is erased. At the same time, the commission to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature is demoted to a questionable appendix.
Note: We believe the Holy Scriptures are the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God, preserved by His providence and power. The Bible is truth without error and is the final authority in all matters of faith, doctrine, and life. It is sufficient for salvation, instruction, correction, and reproof, and it testifies from the beginning to the end of the Lord Jesus Christ. While many translations exist, we affirm the unique characteristics of the King James Bible in faithfully preserving God’s Word and remain open to the truth that God can use even imperfect versions to lead souls to Himself.
Mark 16:9-20 Missing Meaning
Mark 16:9-20 appears in the overwhelming majority of Greek manuscripts. It is found in the Byzantine text tradition, the Latin Vulgate, early church lectionaries, and is quoted or alluded to by church fathers such as Irenaeus, Tatian, Hippolytus, and Augustine, long before the two Alexandrian Manuscripts‘ credit to its absence was even penned.
Irenaeus, writing in the second century, explicitly quotes Mark 16:19 and calls it part of Mark’s Gospel. That is a full century earlier than Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus. And it is those two documents alone, along with a few other versions, that have cast doubt on one of the most powerful passages in all of Scripture.
The content of Mark 16:9-20 is doctrinally sound and theologically essential. We see the risen Christ appear to Mary Magdalene, His rebuke of the disciples’ unbelief, and hear Him command them to preach the Gospel broadly. We are told that signs will follow believers as a confirmation of God’s power in the early Church.
We are also given a clear statement of His ascension and enthronement: “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.” The real issue here is not textual, but editorial. Modern textual criticism is built on the assumption that the earliest manuscripts must be most accurate, even if they are few in number and disagree with each other many times in other arenas.
It’s a classic case of throwing out the baby with the bathwater, as the saying goes. The King James Bible includes Mark 16:9-20 because it follows the preserved text. And it’s not just the KJV—virtually every Bible in every language for centuries included these verses without question until the late 1800s.
One could even say that there is also a spiritual dimension to these missing verses. Notice what gets lost when you cut out these twelve Scriptures; Satan has always hated those themes. Modern scholars, perhaps unintentionally, have followed him in muting them. These verses are important because they give you the full Gospel—Cross, resurrection, commission, and ascension—without brackets or footnotes.
We leave you with Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18-19:
- Deuteronomy 4:2: “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”
- Revelation 22:18-19: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
Lord's Library is a Christian resource hub. Our editors use a variety of internet research methods like search engines, audio and video, AI, consultations with ministry leaders in the field, and more. Lord's Library should never be a substitute for reading your Bible daily as the Scriptures are to be our final authority on all matters. Lord's Library participates in affiliate programs. We may make a small commission from products purchased through this resource.
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