5023. tauta

Lexical Summary

tauta: these things, these

Original Word: ταῦτα
Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun (neuter plural)
Transliteration: tauta
Pronunciation: tau'-ta
Phonetic Spelling: (tow'-tah)
KJV: + afterward, follow, + hereafter, X him, the same, so, such, that, then, these, they, this, those, thus
Word Origin: [nominative or accusative case neuter plural of G3778 (οὗτος - this)]

1. these things

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

this; he, she, it

Nominative or accusative case neuter plural of houtos; these things -- + afterward, follow, + hereafter, X him, the same, so, such, that, then, these, they, this, those, thus.

see GREEK houtos

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
nom. or acc. neut. pl. of houtos,, q.v.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 5023: ταῦτα

ταῦτα, by crasis for τά αὐτά: 1 Thessalonians 2:14 R L mrg, and some manuscripts ((but see Tdf. on Luke as below)) and editions also in Luke 6:23 (L marginal reading), (L marginal reading); G L. (See Winers Grammar, § 5,3; Buttmann, 10; WHs Appendix, p. 145; cf. Meisterhans, § 18, 1; αὐτός, III.)

Topical Lexicon

Demonstrative Force and Immediate Context

The term points emphatically to what immediately follows, functioning as a linguistic finger that singles out a specific set of realities about to be named. Its grammatical role is minor, yet it serves a strategic theological purpose: it gathers the forthcoming list of “signs” into a defined, God-ordained package that is inseparable from genuine belief in the risen Christ.

Usage in Mark 16:17

Mark 16:17 reads, “And these signs will accompany those who believe….” By opening the sentence with this demonstrative, Scripture underlines that the phenomena listed—expulsion of demons, new languages, supernatural protection, and healing—are not random occurrences but deliberate attestations of the gospel’s power. The word frames the signs as a divine pledge, linking them inseparably to authentic faith in the resurrection proclaimed in verses 15–16.

Biblical-Theological Themes

1. Divine Confirmation. The pronoun gathers the signs into a single testament of God’s approval of the apostolic message (compare Hebrews 2:3-4).
2. Missional Authentication. In Acts the church’s outreach is repeatedly accompanied by similar evidences (Acts 5:12; Acts 8:6-7), echoing “these signs” of Mark 16:17.
3. Continuity of Promise. The demonstrative shows that miraculous attestation is not an afterthought; it is built into the very announcement of the gospel as foreseen by Isaiah 8:18 and Joel 2:28-32, fulfilled at Pentecost.

Historical Witness in Early Church Practice

Early Christian writings (e.g., Justin Martyr, Irenaeus) report occurrences consistent with the signs clustered by this word—healings, exorcisms, tongues—as evidence that the risen Christ continued His work through His body, the church. Ecclesiastical history records seasons of both intense manifestation and relative quiet, yet the demonstrative in Mark keeps the expectation alive that the Lord may again confirm His word in similar fashion whenever and wherever the gospel advances into new territory.

Pastoral and Missional Implications

• Expectant Faith. Believers are encouraged to trust that God can still act in power to corroborate His message.
• Discernment. Because the word binds the signs to authentic belief, the church must weigh claims of the miraculous against fidelity to the gospel itself (1 John 4:1).
• Courage in Witness. Knowing that “these” signs belong to the proclamation of Christ emboldens missionaries to preach with confidence that the Lord works alongside them (Mark 16:20).
• Balanced Ministry. While seeking the supernatural, the pronoun’s limitation (“these”) reminds leaders not to invent additional signs or elevate them above the central task of evangelism and discipleship.

Related Passages

Acts 2:22; Acts 14:3; Romans 15:18-19; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:3-4.

Forms and Transliterations

ταυτα ταῦτα tauta taûta

Englishman's Concordance

Mark 16:17 V-FIA-2S
GRK: τοῖς πιστεύσασιν [παρ]ἀκολουθήσει ταῦτα ἐν
INT: the [ones] having believed will follow these In

Strong's Greek 5023
1 Occurrence

[παρ]ἀκολουθήσει — 1 Occ.