Meaning, commentary and cross references
Mark 16:15
“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
NIV · New International Version
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
WEB · World English Bible
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to the whole creation.
What does Mark 16:15 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Mark 16:15
And he said unto them,.... Not at the same time, and place, as before; not on the first day of the week, on which he rose from the dead, but forty days after, just upon his ascension to heaven; see Mark 16:19; nor at Jerusalem, but in Galilee, where be appointed to meet his disciples, and did, when he gave them the following commission; see Matthew 28:16. go ye into all the world: not only into Judea, and through all the cities of it, where they had been before confined; nor only into the Roman empire, which is sometimes so called, because great part of the world was under that government; but into every known and habitable part of the whole universe, to all the nations of the world under…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on Mark 16:15–18
15. And he said to them, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16. He who shall believe and be baptized shall be saved; but he who shall believe shall be condemned. 17. And these signs shall follow those who shall believe: In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18.
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Mark 16:12–18 (WEB)
12After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them as they walked, on their way into the country. 13They went away and told it to the rest. They didn’t believe them, either. 14Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table; and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn’t believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to the whole creation. 16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. 17These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; 18they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Cross references
- Matthew 28:19
Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
- Mark 13:10
The Good News must first be preached to all the nations.
- Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
- Luke 24:47–48
and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
- Psalms 96:3
- John 15:16
You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
- 1 John 4:14
We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world.
- John 20:21
Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”