Mark 16:9-20 — "The Longer Ending"

The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God includes Mark 16:9-20 (the Longer Ending) in its Bible and affirms its content, particularly the promise that believers will cast out demons, speak in new tongues, handle serpents, drink poison without harm, and lay hands on the sick for healing. However, the UCKG acknowledges that this passage is absent from the earliest Greek manuscripts and is a disputed addition to Mark's Gospel.

Despite the textual question, the UCKG values Mark 16:9-20 because its content aligns perfectly with Pentecostal and charismatic theology and practice. The promise of signs and wonders (healing, deliverance, supernatural protection) is central to UCKG faith and ministry. Whether Mark himself wrote these verses is less significant than the fact that they express biblical truth about God's power and the Church's mission.

The UCKG's approach reflects a prioritization of theological content over textual criticism. The passage is included in standard translations and has been part of the Church's tradition for centuries, so it is received as Scripture even if its Markan authorship is uncertain.