ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἐξελθόντες ἐκήρυξαν πανταχοῦ, τοῦ Κυρίου συνεργοῦντος καὶ τὸν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος διὰ τῶν ἐπακολουθούντων σημείων. ἀμήν. — Mark 16:20
Participles with Purpose
This final verse of the Gospel of Mark is a crescendo of action and cooperation. The disciples go out and preach, but they are not alone. Three present participles—συνεργοῦντος, βεβαιοῦντος, and ἐπακολουθούντων—describe the active role of the Lord and the confirming signs that follow. The Greek grammar weaves human obedience and divine response into a single tapestry of mission.
Temporal Sequencing in Greek
The verse opens with the aorist participle ἐξελθόντες (“having gone out”), followed by the aorist main verb ἐκήρυξαν (“they preached”). The participle precedes the main action both in form and in meaning: after the departure, proclamation begins. Greek participles often function temporally, causally, or conditionally, and here it sets the chronological stage for the global ministry that follows.
Co-Laboring with the Lord
What makes this verse extraordinary is the phrase τοῦ Κυρίου συνεργοῦντος—“the Lord working together with [them].” The genitive absolute construction, often used to describe background action or accompanying circumstances, presents the Lord not as distant or passive, but as dynamically engaged. The word συνεργοῦντος (from συνεργέω) literally means “working together”—the root of our English word “synergy.”
Similarly, βεβαιοῦντος (from βεβαιόω) communicates confirmation or validation. The Lord confirms “the word”—that is, the preached message—through signs. These signs are described by a third participle: ἐπακολουθούντων (“following”). Not only is the Lord involved, but his involvement is tangible and visible.
Parsing the Verbal Network
| Greek Word | Root | Tense | Voice | Mood | Form | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐξελθόντες | ἐξέρχομαι | Aorist | Active | Participle | Nominative Masculine Plural | having gone out |
| ἐκήρυξαν | κηρύσσω | Aorist | Active | Indicative | 3rd Person Plural | they preached |
| συνεργοῦντος | συνεργέω | Present | Active | Participle | Genitive Masculine Singular | working together |
| βεβαιοῦντος | βεβαιόω | Present | Active | Participle | Genitive Masculine Singular | confirming |
| ἐπακολουθούντων | ἐπακολουθέω | Present | Active | Participle | Genitive Neuter Plural | following |
The Voice Within the Action
The grammar of Mark 16:20 is more than syntactic detail—it is theological revelation. The disciples preach, but the Lord confirms. Signs follow, but they are not the cause of faith—they are the echo of divine partnership. The participles make this clear: while the human agents proclaim, the divine agent collaborates and authenticates. The rhythm of the Greek text reflects the rhythm of mission itself—human obedience sustained by divine presence.
