“It’s a miracle!” That’s an exclamation we hear often and have probably uttered ourselves. It might be used to describe passing a test you didn’t study for or to sum up a great, come-from-behind victory. For example, the great Olympic victory by the U.S. Men’s Hockey team is known as the “Miracle on Ice.“
Regardless of how society defines a miracle, we’ll need to define it before we attempt to answer if miracles still happen today. A good definition for Bible miracles would be, “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.” This is actually the first definition from Websters. Incidentally, the second definition they list – “an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment” – is the more common use and is not what is intended by this question.
How Scripture answers "Do miracles still happen today?"
Miracles (or “signs and wonders”) were directed by God14 and performed through the power of the Holy Spirit34 for the express purpose of confirming the gospel message12345610. Specifically, the miracles confirmed that Jesus was who he said he was (the Son of God)157810 and that those carrying forward His gospel message were likewise speaking God’s word (“confirmed”)2347 — in effect, they were prophets of God. Interestingly, we see the exact same reasons for God imparting Moses with the ability to perform miracles throughout the exodus story9 – which stands to reason since God doesn’t change.
Answer built on scripture-blocks below
Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—
All Israel, here what we say: You know that Jesus of Nazareth was a man proven to be from God through the miracles he performed in your midst by the power of God.
Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost.
Applying Acts 2:22 to this question...
Peter gives the reason for Jesus performing miracles – to certify or prove that He was from God, the Son of God.
So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.
After speaking with them (the apostles), Jesus was taken up to heaven, sitting at the right hand of God. And they went out preaching the good news while the Lord worked with them and confirmed their message by accompanying signs.
The closing statement of the gospel of Mark following a summary of final events after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into Heaven.
Applying Mark 16:19-20 to this question...
Miracles were performed by the apostles through the Holy Spirit to confirm the word they spoke as from God.
For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;
Paul will speak only of what Christ accomplished through him to bring the Gentiles to obedience, by word and deed, signs and wonders, and the Spirit's power. He accomplished preaching the gospel of Christ throughout the region.
Paul has made the case that the gospel is for all – Jew and Gentile – and that all are in Christ through the obedience of faith. Paul referred to himself as the “apostle to the Gentiles” in the previous chapter.
Applying Romans 15:18-19 to this question...
Paul’s preaching of the word to the Gentiles was accompanied by miracles and the power of the Holy Spirit to bring about obedience.
For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
If the message declared through angels proved reliable and every transgression and disobedience received just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect such great salvation? The Lord first declared this salvation, those who heard Him attested it to us, and God confirmed their witness through signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.
The Hebrews letter is all about holding firm to the gospel message and showing why it was better than what the Jewish Christian had left behind (the Mosaic law). In the opening of this letter, the writer is reminding of Jesus’ superiority over the angels (chapter 1).
Applying Hebrews 2:2-4 to this question...
Reiterates the progression of the gospel message beginning with Jesus, those who initially heard Him and believed (the apostles), and those who carried it forward (early disciples). The confirming role of miracles (and “gifts of the Holy Spirit”) is also reiterated and notably stated in the past tense.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, came to Jesus in the night and stated that “we” knew that He was from God because of the miracles He performed.
The early days of Jesus’ public ministry.
Applying John 3:1-2 to this question...
Nicodemus testifies that the purpose of miracles was to confirm that Jesus (and His message) was from God.
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.
Jesus went all over Galilee teaching in their synagogues about the gospel of the kingdom while healing them of all kinds of disease and affliction.
Jesus’ public ministry begins.
Applying Matthew 4:23 to this question...
Jesus is “healing every disease” within the context of preaching the “gospel of the kingdom.”
But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
My testimony is greater than John's (the Baptist's). For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish I am doing and they testify to the fact that the Father sent me.
Jesus is in Jerusalem and healing on the Sabbath day and stating that He was the son of God. “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” (v 18) Here Jesus is differentiating between the testimony of His work coming not only from John the Baptist (a man), but God Himself.
Applying John 5:36 to this question...
Jesus states that the works (miracles) He is doing testify (prove) who He is, and that He is from God.
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Rise, take up your bed and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—he said to the paralytic— I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.
What is easier to say to the paralytic – your sins are forgiven or rise and walk? In order that you know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, I have healed him by saying rise and walk.
Jesus has returned home (vs 1) and is brought a paralytic to heal. After witnessing their faith (vs 5), He tells him his sins are forgiven. This caused some to accuse him of blasphemy (vs 7), acknowledging that only God can forgive sins.
Parallel accounts are in Matthew 9:1-8 and Luke:5:17-26.
Applying Mark 2:9-11 to this question...
Jesus asks a rhetorical question and explicitly states that His healing of the paralytic was to prove the authority that He had received from God the Father.
But the Lord said to Moses, Put out your hand and catch it by the tail—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.
God said to Moses, “Put out your hand and pick it [serpent] up by the tail.” So he did, and it returned to a staff. “Do this that they may believe that the God of their fathers has appeared to you.”
God is commissioning Moses to petition Pharaoh for the peoples’ release from Egypt. Moses objects that the people will not believe him, so God gives him signs (vss 1-9). Moses then objects that he is not a good speaker, and God gives him Aaron as his spokesman (vss 10-17).
Applying Exodus 4:4-5 to this question...
God explicitly used miracles through Moses and Aaron to confirm their God-given authority to the people (and to Pharaoh).
And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
Many more believed because of His word. They said to the woman that they no longer believed because of what she said but because of His word and they knew He was the Savior of the world.
Jesus teaches the woman at the well, a Samaritan. She went to town and told many of His miracle to her – knowing all that she ever did (vs 39).
Applying John 4:41-42 to this question...
The people originally took notice because of the miracle Jesus did with the woman, but it only served to confirm His word, which they ultimately believed.
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