What Does Mark 16:17 Mean?
And these signs follow those who trust; in my nature they throw out demons; they speak in new tongues.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;THE KEY
Trust’s signs follow from living in Jesus’ nature, so “in my name” describes the source of action, not merely a phrase attached to it.
THE MEANING
This verse describes trust as more than an inward thought: signs follow those who trust. Acting “in my name” means acting in Jesus’ nature, while “new tongues” points to speech taking a fresh form.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the idea that trust is only inward assent with no outward expression, and that “in my name” is merely a phrase to recite.
THE ROOT
ὀνόματι
onomati
GROWS FROM
ὀνοματ-
onomat-
Name: the identity by which someone is known.
The Greek word for name opens onto more than a label: a name carries the nature of the one named. So acting in Jesus’ name is acting from the character his name carries.
ALSO GROWS
onomazō: to name or call
ὀνομάζω
The verb shows the same name-root in the act of naming someone.
onomastos: named, renowned
ὀνομαστός
What is named becomes known by the identity the name carries.
πιστεύουσιν
pisteuousin
GROWS FROM
πιστ-
pist-
Trust, confidence, reliance.
“believe” in this verse is pisteuousin. The word points to trust as reliance, not just agreement with an idea. Read beside “in my name,” it links trust to the character from which the signs proceed.
ALSO GROWS
pistis: trust, confidence
πίστις
The noun names the reliance expressed by those who believe.
pistos: reliable, steady
πιστός
The related adjective brings out the firmness carried by this family of trust-words.
καιναῖς
kainais
GROWS FROM
καιν-
kain-
New or fresh in quality.
Kainos can describe a new quality or kind, not only something recent in time. Here, the phrase allows for speech opening into a fresh form, alongside the other signs that follow trust.
ALSO GROWS
kainotēs: newness
καινότης
This noun carries the same root’s sense of a fresh quality.
anakainoō: to renew or make new
ἀνακαινόω
The verb shows this root describing a change into newness.
THE PATTERN
A name becomes visible when the nature it carries takes form in action.
Guard yourselves from his face, and hear and respond to his voice. Do not embitter him, for he will not carry your rebellion, since my nature is in him.Then Peter said, Silver and gold I have none, but what I have I give you. In the nature of Jesus the Anointed One of Nazareth, rise up and walk.And whatever you ask in my nature, this I will do, so that the Father may be given weight in the Son.THE THREAD
And whatever you ask in my nature, this I will do, so that the Father may be given weight in the Son.Both verses use the Greek name-root ὄνομα (onoma), translated “name.” John’s words connect that name with what Jesus does, opening Mark’s phrase as action arising from his nature.
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