Albert Barnes Commentary Mark 16:17

"And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues;" — Mark 16:17 (ASV)

And these signs. These miracles. These evidences that they are sent from God.

Them that believe. This refers to the apostles and those in the early church who were endowed with similar power.

The promise is fulfilled if it can be shown that these signs followed in the case of any who believed; it is not necessary to suppose that they would follow in the case of all.

The meaning is that these signs were to be the result of faith, or of the belief of the gospel.

It is true that they were. They were shown in the case of the apostles and early Christians.

The unbeliever cannot say that the promise has not been fulfilled unless he can show that it never occurred. The Christian should be satisfied that the promise was fulfilled if these miracles were ever actually performed, even though they do not occur now. And the believer now should not expect a miracle in his case.

Miracles were necessary for the establishment of religion in the world; they are not necessary now.

In my name. This means by my authority, and using the power that I would use in such cases if I were bodily present.

This was done. And in this, they differed essentially from the manner in which Jesus himself performed miracles. He did it in his own name; He did it as possessing original, underived authority.

See the account of his stilling the sea (Matthew 8:26 and following), of his healing the sick (Matthew 9:5–6), and of his raising Lazarus (John 11:1).

The prophets spoke in the name of the Lord. The apostles did likewise (Acts 3:6 and following).

There was, therefore, an important difference between Jesus and all the other messengers that God has sent into the world. He acted in his own name; they in the name of another. He wielded his own power; they were the instruments by which God put forth the omnipotence of his arm to save.

He was, therefore, God; they were men of like passions as other men (Acts 14:15).

Shall they cast out devils. See the notes on Matthew 4:24.

Compare to Acts 16:16-18.

Shall speak with new tongues. This means they shall speak other languages than their native language. This was remarkably fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4–11). It existed also in other places (see 1 Corinthians 12:10, 18).

Compare also the following references concerning “speak with new”: Acts 2:4; Acts 10:46; 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28.