What does it mean that we should preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15)?

Before Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, He gathered His disciples and said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15–16, NKJV). These verses contain Mark’s rendering of the Great Commission. Mathew’s Gospel records Jesus’ words as follows: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20, NKJV).

While Mathew’s version reports Jesus saying, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” Mark’s states, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” It’s important to note that this statement in Mark 16:15 is part of a debated section of Mark’s Gospel often called “the longer ending” of Mark (see Mark 16:9–20). A broad consensus among Bible scholars concludes that these verses were probably not original to the text; rather, they were added later to summarize Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances and harmonize them with those of Matthew, Luke, and John.

Whether or not one embraces Mark’s longer ending as inspired, Jesus made it clear during His earthly ministry that His followers are called to preach His message of salvation to the whole world (see Acts 1:8; Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:10). The words “every creature” in Mark 16:15 refer to the entire universe—the whole of creation that God brought into existence. Our ministry as believers is to “go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (Mark 16:15, NLT). We have been entrusted and empowered by the Lord to share Jesus Christ’s message of salvation with everyone we meet.

In Luke’s commissioning of the disciples, Jesus says, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things. And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven” (Luke 24:46–48, NLT).

Preaching the gospel involves proclaiming the good news of God’s gift of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The gospel is free to all, though it cost God everything—His precious Son—to redeem a lost and rebellious world (John 4:16; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8–9). The message is one of deliverance from condemnation, guilt, sin, and death through the mercy of God and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (John 3:17–18; Romans 5:1; 6:6–7, 22–23; 8:1–2; Colossians 1:13–14; Hebrews 2:14–15; 2 Corinthians 1:9–10).

Preaching the gospel means speaking in the name and authority of Jesus (Acts 4:12; 9:15–16; Philippians 2:9–11), calling unbelievers to repent of their sins (Acts 2:38; 3:19; Mark 1:15) and receive Christ’s forgiveness, new life, and eternal salvation (Acts 10:43; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:13–14; John 3:36).

Christ’s command is to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. God wants every person to have the opportunity to be saved. From the beginning, God’s plan of salvation was meant to be preached throughout the whole earth to everyone. When He called Abram, God said, “All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” The psalmist declared, “The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him” (Psalm 22:27, NLT). Isaiah foresaw the Lord’s future reign with people from every nation streaming to worship God (Isaiah 2:1–4). It is no wonder that the God of all creation, “who wants all people to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:3–4) and “come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), would make it the mission of His servants to preach the gospel to every creature.