Believers Lay Hands: Do You?

Mark 16:18 is a polarizing verse. A lot of people find life and the foundation of a powerful ministry here, and many others just ignore it. However, let’s look closely at what the verse says- does it say that believes, have THE CHOICE to lay hands on the sick(or not), or rather if you are a believer, laying hands on the sick is inevitable?

Solely examining the grammar and structure of Mark 16:18, especially, the future tense and overall context lean more toward it being an expectation or a description of what believers will do rather than a command or optional action. Here’s a deeper analysis:

What does it say?

1. ἐπὶ ἀρρώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσιν (They will lay hands on the sick):

• Future Indicative (ἐπιθήσουσιν): This verb form describes a future action that is expected or assured. It does not carry the force of a command, nor does it explicitly allow for the option not to do it.
• It describes what will happen rather than offering a choice or condition.

2. καὶ καλῶς ἔξουσιν (and they will recover): The recovery is presented as a certainty, directly tied to the act of laying on hands. Without the laying of hands, this outcome would not logically follow, as the two clauses are causally connected.

Is It Optional?

The text doesn’t say it is optional. The verse does not state, “Believers may lay hands” or “If believers lay hands.” The grammar presents it as something that believers will do in the course of their ministry.  The verse is descriptive, not prescriptive. It describes the actions and results expected of believers rather than commanding or permitting them.  The broader context is the Great Commission, where Jesus describes the signs that “will follow those who believe” (v. 17). These signs include:

All these are presented as actions believers will take, not as optional practices. The passage suggests these signs are natural outcomes of faith and ministry, not a set of optional tasks believers can pick and choose from. It is because it was understood that if someone had faith in God, then they would naturally have trust in what God said, and eventually since God was within them, they would love, because He is love, and they would try to help someone in need. But the sad thing is that years of erroneous traditions, and wrong doctrines have piled up with this set apart as something that is optional, or for the elite in the church. This is not to condemn if you are not laying hands on the sick, but it is never too late to start.