There is a possibility that Mark 16:18 is a forgery. The text is: "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." It turns out that there is a question about whether the last part of the book of Mark should be included in the Bible. The debate concerns the absence of Mark 16:9-20 in ancient manuscripts. The New English Bible has a footnote that states, "At this point some of the most ancient witnesses [manuscripts] bring the book to a close." Further, this note: "Verses 9-20 are not in some manuscripts" is found in the Contemporary English Version produced by the American Bible Society. And, in The New Revised Standard Version, the chapter ends with two endings, one marked "Shorter," the other marked "Longer." The inclusion of longer and shorter versions of the ending is also found The New American Bible (a Catholic version of the Bible in English). The King James Version and the New King James Version choose not to mention the issue.
Commentators favoring the omission of vs. 9-20 point to numerous differences in literary style, idiom, and wording between these verses and the preceding portion of the Gospel.
So, knowing this, should we doubt the Bible and approach it as just another book on the shelf? Hardly! If you'll take the time to read the "Longer" ending of Mark you will find it is a repeat of details already found in the other Gospels. There's nothing new in the longer ending---except the passage about picking up snakes and drinking poison. Based on the thought that a Bible doctrine should be consistent from Genesis to Revelation, there seems to be room to wonder how this passage got included at the end of Mark. In other words, one should look for examples of snake handling and poison drinking all through the Bible, and if evidence for such a belief is found, then make it a doctrinal belief. In this case, no such evidence exists---or as the old preacher said, "When the plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense."
The History of Snake Handling in the United States
(This quoted material was written by the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance at http://religoustolerance.org/.)
"George Went Hensley, a Church of God pastor founded a Pentecostal religious group in 1909 which is now called Church of God with Signs Following. Adult members occasionally practice what they call "preaching the signs": the drinking of strychnine or other poison, and exposing themselves to be bitten by poisonous snakes. They allow their natural defenses to battle the poison; they do not seek medical attention. Their belief is that if they have sufficient faith, they will not die or be permanently harmed by the poison. This belief is based on a Biblical passage: Mark 16:17-18: "And these signs will accompany those who believe. In my name...they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all;..." (NIV)
Hensley interpreted this passage as a command to believers to use these methods to test their faith. It is interesting that this passage is believed by many to be a forgery, not written by the author who wrote the rest of the Gospel of Mark.
By the start of World War II, these practices had become widespread throughout the Church of God, although only engaged in by a small minority of its members. The church interpreted these tests of faith to be one more indication of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days before Christ's second coming. Motivated by some deaths and near deaths, the practice was denounced by the Assembly of the Church of God in 1928. However, some congregations left the denomination and continued snake handling.
The State of Tennessee banned the practice and suppressed the group after the death of member Lewis Ford in 1945. Hensley himself died of snakebite in Florida in 1955 in his mid-70's. After two additional deaths from drinking poison, and other near deaths, court cases led to a decision by the Tennessee Supreme Court to uphold the state's ban.
Independent congregations of "signs people" are still found from Florida to West Virginia and west to Ohio. J.G. Melton (3) estimates that between 50 to 100 "signs" congregations exist with a total of several thousand members. People have continued to die in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia at the rate of about 5 a decade. Many believers handle snakes, but few are bitten.
A second church: Original Pentecostal Church of God also believes in testing themselves with poisonous snakes. However, they do not "tempt God" by bringing snakes into their services. Members have been known to pick up poisonous snakes and risk being bitten when they come across them in the wild."

Blessings in your study of God's Word!

Marvin Hunt

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Blessings!
Marvin Hunt

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