Will you drink poison for me? Mark 16:18

Believers are told in Mark 16:17-18 that they can drink "any deadly thing" and "it shall not hurt” them. But I don't think you would be naive enough to drink any arsenic offered. Perhaps I'm wrong and you would be willing to test the Book's veracity-"lay it on the line" so to speak?

Biblical Errancy Pamphlets by Dennis McKinsey Pamphlet 1 Q16.

(Mark 16:15-18 NIV) He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. {16} Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. {17} And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; {18} they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

This is one of the rather silly challenges thrown out by some skeptics. If you drink poison for me and survive then I will believe (in the bible or God?).

First, there is the question of whether Mark 16:9-20 should be there at all, see Tekton's answer here and here and Glenn Miller's here.

If it is supposed to be in the bible then should we drink poison to get our skeptic "saved"?

We can see from the Devil's testing in the wilderness where Jesus stood on this issue:

(Mat 4:6-7 NIV) "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" {7} Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Like some skeptics, the devil is good at quoting scripture (Psa 91:11-12) and Jesus wisely answers with scripture Deu 6:16. Clearly we should not put God to the test by drinking poison, further God saves using preaching, that is his method (Rom 10:14).

Further the skeptic arrogantly thinks he can change his own heart. It is more likely that even if the person did not die from the poison, he would harden his heart like Pharaoh did even when faced with six signs or miracles.