"The bible test" Answered.

[Drich]

You do know in Mark 16 where this passage is found, Jesus is speaking to just 11 people right?

14 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 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

No where in this passage Does Christ say "to all that believe will be able to do these things." That is what you are implying this passage says.

Is english your first language?

As usual, Drich, you prove that you can't read. Mark 16 KJV says

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 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.

them that believe = all who believe
NIV translates "those who believe" and GNT simply "believers"

If you want to cop out on drinking cyanide and playing with snakes, you will have to go with the argument that Mark 16:9-20 is a spurious addition to the bible as it is not found in the earliest manuscripts.

How long has it been since you started to learn English?

good thing the bible was not written in english then huh?
Or did they not teach you that in your seminary?

From these 5 koine words we translate And these signs shall follow them that believe

δέ de= a universal conjunction like: But, and, moreover

ταῦτα tauta= Literally translates to 'these'

σημεῖον sēmeion= Mirical, signs, wonders

παρακολουθέω parakoloutheō= To follow faithfully

πιστεύω pisteuō=
to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in

of the thing believed

to credit, have confidence

in a moral or religious reference

used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul

to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith

mere acknowledgment of some fact or event: intellectual faith

to entrust a thing to one, i.e. his fidelity

to be intrusted with a thing

Note in this defination it says nothing to indicate everyone who qualifies as a believer. It basically translates to belief.

Which gives us: "And these signs will follow belief." So the question is belief of whom? The translation assumes those who believe and are baptized. which is textually possiable. But, History does not support this text. Therfore we must look to the beginning of this passage to whom else Jesus was speaking to/of.. We find the 11 remaining apstoles. and a their rebuke of their unbelief of His resurection even though He was with him. History does show these men to have done the things Jesus mentions here.

therefore from the vantage point of looking back with 20/20 vision we can see the meaning of this passage.