Surgical instruments having articulating and rotating end effectors utilizing a flexible coaxial drive are described herein. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument is provided that includes a shaft and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft by an articulation joint such that the end effector can articulate relative to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and can rotate about a longitudinal axis of the end effector. The instrument can further include an actuating cable coaxially disposed within a lumen of the shaft and extending through the articulation joint to the end effector. The actuating cable can be configured to bend and rotate through the articulation joint. Further, rotation of the actuating cable can be configured to control a first function of the end effector and translation of the actuating cable can be configured to control a second function of the end effector.
