16:20a
And they went out and preached everywhere: This part of the verse tells what the disciples did in response to the instructions that Jesus gave them in 16:15b–c. In 16:15 he told them to go everywhere and preach the good news, and in this verse they did that. Your translation of 16:20a should remind people of your translation of 16:15.
they: The pronoun they refers here to Jesus’ disciples to whom he gave the instructions in 16:15–18.
went out: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as went out is literally “having gone forth.” In this context it indicates that the disciples went to many places. It does not imply that the disciples were indoors at the time Jesus was speaking to them.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
went (Good News Bible)
-or-
left (Contemporary English Version)
preached: In some languages it may be necessary to indicate what the disciples preached. If that is true in your language, indicate that they preached the good news about Jesus. For example:
preached Jesus’ message
-or-
proclaimed the Good News
It may also be necessary in some languages to indicate who they preached to. For example, the New Century Version says:
told the Good News to people (New Century Version)
This same word occurs in 16:15b–c.
everywhere: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as everywhere is used figuratively here. It emphasizes that the disciples went to many places. It does not indicate that they went to literally every place in the world. You may need to connect this idea directly with the verb “went.” For example:
went to many places
16:20b
This part of the verse refers back to 16:15, where Jesus sent the disciples out to proclaim the good news.
the Lord: The title Lord in 16:20b refers back to “the Lord Jesus” in 16:19a.
worked through them: The phrase worked through them indicates that the Lord Jesus helped his disciples and gave them power to preach his word and to do the miraculous signs that he mentioned in 16:17–18. Although he was no longer present on earth as a human being, he worked through them by sending his Holy Spirit to help them (Acts 1:8).
Here are some other ways to translate this:
helped them (New Century Version)
-or-
gave them power
16:20c
confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it: This statement is similar to what Jesus said in 16:17a. He indicated that he would prove or confirm by miraculous signs that he had sent the disciples. These signs showed that what they said was true.
confirming: In the context of this verse, confirming means “proved the truthfulness and trustworthiness” of the good news. The signs showed that what the disciples said about the good news was true.
Here is another way to translate this:
proved…was true (Good News Bible)
His word: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as His word is literally “the word.” It refers to the good news that the disciples preached everywhere. There are two ways to interpret it in this context:
(1) It refers to the disciples’ word. For example:
their preaching (Good News Bible)
(Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
(2) It refers to the Lord’s word. For example:
his word (New International Version, 2011 edition)
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, God’s Word)
The New Jerusalem Bible, King James Version, NET Bible, English Standard Version, and New American Standard Bible translate this literally as “the word/message.” However, if it is not natural to translate this way in your language, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), as most English versions do. This interpretation supports what Jesus said in 16:17a.
Here are some other ways to translate confirmed the word:
confirming what they said (New Living Translation)
-or-
proved that their preaching was true (Good News Bible)
-or-
proved that their message was true (Contemporary English Version)
signs: See how you translated signs in 16:17a.
(Revised Standard Version) Amen: There is a textual issue at the end of 16:20. It concerns the word that the Revised Standard Version transliterates as Amen:
(1) Many Greek manuscripts do not have the word Amen.
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, Revised English Bible, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Century Version, New Living Translation)
(2) Some Greek manuscripts end the verse with the word Amen.
(Revised Standard Version, King James Version) (The UBS4 (page 192) gives this reading a C rating.)
It is recommended that you follow option (1). However, if the major language version in your area includes the word Amen, you may follow it.
The word Amen means “Indeed it is true” or “May it be so.” Here are two ways to translate it:
• Use a word in your language with this meaning. Choose a word that would be appropriate to end this section. For example:
Truly!
-or-
Indeed!
-or-
So it shall be.
• Transliterate the word Amen according to the sounds of your language.
[[Mark 16:9–10 The Shorter Ending of Mark]]
This section is often referred to as “The Shorter Ending of Mark.” There is a textual issue concerning this section:
(1) Most Greek manuscripts do not include 16:9–10. Many Bible scholars do not believe that Mark wrote it. They believe that someone else added it later to certain Greek manuscripts.
Some English versions do not include it or mention it at all, such as the King James Version and God’s Word. Other English versions mention these verses in a footnote, such as Berean Standard Bible and New International Version, 2011 edition.
(2) Only a few Greek manuscripts include 16:9–10. Some English versions include this shorter ending of Mark, usually setting it apart in some way like brackets, italics, or a special heading. There are two places in the text to include it:
(a) At the end of 16:8. (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Living Translation)
(b) At the end of 16:20. (New American Standard Bible, Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version)
It is recommended that you follow option (1) and do not include 16:9–10 in the text of your translation. However, because a few Greek manuscripts and some English versions include this shorter ending of Mark, you may want to include it in a footnote, as the English Standard Version does. Here is a suggested footnote:
A few Greek manuscripts include additional text at the end of 16:8. This text is usually called “The Shorter Ending of Mark.” However, none of the most ancient Greek manuscripts have it. The additional text is: “[Put your translation here, based on the Notes and Display for 16:9–10 below.]”
There are similarities in this section to Matthew 28:8, 18–20, Luke 24:9–10, and Acts 1:8.
Paragraph 16:9–10
The Notes and Display for this paragraph are based on the New Revised Standard Version.
16:9
And all that had been commanded them they told briefly to those around Peter: The Greek clause that the New Revised Standard Version translates as all that had been commanded them is the object of the verb told. In some languages a more natural order for this sentence may be:
And they briefly told those around Peter all that had been commanded them.
In Greek the words all that had been commanded them occur at the beginning of 16:9 to emphasize them. If possible, you should emphasize the fact that they told all that had been commanded them in your translation. The New Living Translation, 1996 edition translates this clause as:
Then they reported all these instructions briefly to Peter and his companions. (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
all that had been commanded them: The Greek verb that the New Revised Standard Version translates as had been commanded is passive. In some languages it may be necessary to use an active verb and supply the subject. For example:
all that the young man had commanded them to say
This clause refers here to the message that the young man gave the women to tell Peter and the other disciples (16:7).
them: The pronoun them refers to the women who came to the tomb. See 16:1 for details.
they told briefly: The Greek clause that the New Revised Standard Version translates as they told briefly refers to reporting something in a short way.
those around Peter: The Greek phrase that the New Revised Standard Version translates as those around Peter may also be translated as “those with Peter.” This refers to Peter himself and the other disciples.
Here are some other ways you could translate this phrase:
Peter and the other disciples
-or-
Peter and his companions (New Living Translation)
16:10a–b
This verse indicates that Jesus sent his disciples to proclaim salvation all over the world. It is similar to Matthew 28:18–20 and Acts 1:8.
And afterward: The Greek conjunction that the New Revised Standard Version translates as And introduces what happened after 16:9. It does not indicate how much time passed between 16:9 and 16:10. If 16:10 refers to the same event as the one in Matthew 28:18–20, it would be several weeks afterward. Translate with a general word or expression meaning “some time later.”
Jesus himself sent out through them…the…proclamation of eternal salvation: This clause indicates that Jesus sent out…the…proclamation of eternal salvation by sending his followers to tell people about this salvation.
Here is another way to translate this:
Jesus himself sent them to proclaim to people the message of eternal salvation.
Jesus himself…through them: The words Jesus himself…through them emphasize the fact that it was Jesus who sent the disciples to proclaim the good news. Peter and the other disciples did not just decide on their own to go proclaim the message of salvation. The other Gospels tell about how Jesus appeared to them after his resurrection and sent them to proclaim the message.
them: The pronoun them refers to Jesus’ disciples. In 16:9, them referred to the women who were at the tomb. You will probably need to make this explicit in your translation. For example, the Contemporary English Version says:
Later, Jesus sent the disciples
of eternal salvation: The phrase of eternal salvation refers to the content of the proclamation or message. The message is about how God saves people forever from sin. This is possible because Jesus took their punishment when he died on the cross, and then rose from the dead to give them eternal life.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
salvation that gives eternal life (New Living Translation)
-or-
how people can be saved forever (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
how God saves people for eternity
salvation: In this context the word salvation refers to deliverance from spiritual and eternal danger. It refers specifically to the way that Jesus rescues people from sin and from spiritual death and hell, which is the punishment for sin.
Here are some ways to translate salvation in this context:
deliverance from sin and hell
-or-
he rescues/saves people from sin and its punishment
from east to west: The expression from east to west is used figuratively. In this context it means “everywhere” or “all over the world.”
the sacred and imperishable proclamation: The Greek words that the New Revised Standard Version translates as sacred and imperishable describe the message that Jesus sent his disciples to proclaim.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
to proclaim God’s unfailing message
-or-
to announce the holy and everlasting message
sacred: The Greek word that the New Revised Standard Version translates as sacred indicates that the message is holy. It is holy because it is from God.
imperishable: The Greek word that the New Revised Standard Version translates as imperishable is literally “undying.” It refers to something that does not die or decay. In this context it indicates that the message that Jesus sent his disciples to proclaim will never stop being true and powerful.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
always true
-or-
unfailing (New Living Translation)
-or-
will never lose its power
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