Mark 3:15

Mark 3:15, in plain English

He also gave them authority to drive out demons.

Why it's here

Jesus didn't just give them a message to share—He gave them power to back it up. They weren't just going to talk about freedom; they were going to deliver it.

Who's speaking

Mark notes that Jesus equipped the apostles with real spiritual authority, not just words.

Where it sits in the story

Words and power. That's what Jesus gave His followers. The message of the kingdom isn't just information—it's transformation. And He equipped His people to bring both.

The scholarly reading

The apostles were also given authority (exousian) to drive out demons (ekballein ta daimonia), extending Jesus' own exorcistic ministry through His designated representatives.

Language and setting

The delegation of authority over demons demonstrated that Jesus' power was not limited to His personal presence but could be mediated through those He authorized—a principle foundational for the later church's ministry.

Voice

Mark specifies the third dimension of apostolic commissioning: authority over demonic forces.

Significance

The threefold apostolic commission—companionship, preaching, and exorcism—mirrored Jesus' own ministry pattern and established the template for the church's ongoing mission of proclamation and spiritual liberation.

13Then Jesus went up on the mountain and called for those He wanted, and they came to Him.

14He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach,

15and to have authority to drive out demons.

16These are the twelve He appointed: Simon (whom He named Peter),

17James son of Zebedee and his brother John (whom He named Boanerges, meaning “Sons of Thunder”),

Read all of Mark 3 — A man with a withered hand, a crowd pressing in from every side, and twelve unlikely men called to change the world.