The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Mark 12
1 He began to speak to them in parables.
“A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge
around it, dug a pitfor the wine press, built
a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went
into another country.
2 When it was time, he sent a servant to
the farmer to getfrom the farmer his share
of the fruit of the vineyard.
3 They took him, beat him, and sent him
away empty.
4 Again, he sent another servant to them;
and they threw stones at him, wounded
him in thehead, and senthimaway shamefully treated.
5 Again he sent another, and they killed
him, and many others, beating some, and
killing some.
6 Therefore still having one, his beloved
son, he sent him last to them, saying, ‘They
will respect my son.’
7 But those farmers said among themselves, ‘
This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him,
and the inheritance will be ours.’
8 They took him, killed him, and cast him
out of the vineyard.
9 What therefore will the lord of the
vineyard do? He will come and destroy
the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.
10 Haven’t you even read this Scripture:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
was made the head of the corner.
11 This was from the Lord.
It is marvelous in our eyes’?”*
12 They triedto seizehim, butthey feared
the multitude; for they perceived that he
spoke the parable against them. They left
him and went away.
13 They sent some of the Pharisees and
the Herodians to him, that they might trap
him with words.
14 When they had come, they asked him,
“Teacher, we know that you are honest,
and don’t defer to anyone; for you aren’t
partial to anyone, but truly teach the way
of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar,
or not?
15 Shall we give, or shall we not give?”
But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to
them, “Why do you test me? Bring me a
denarius, that I may see it.”
16 They brought it. He said to
them, “Whose is this image
and inscription?” They said to
him, “Caesar’s.”
17 Jesus answered them, “Render
to Caesar the things that are
Caesar’s, and to God
the things that are God’s.”
They marveled greatly at him.
18 Some Sadducees, who say that there is
no resurrection, came to him. They asked
him, saying,
19 “Teacher, Moses wrote to us, ‘If a man’s
brother dies and leaves a wife behind him,
and leaves no children, that his brother
should take his wife and raise up offspring
for his brother.’
20 There were seven brothers. The first
took a wife, and dying left no offspring.
21 The second took her, and died, leaving
no children behind him. The third likewise;
22 and the seven took her and left no
children. Last of all the woman also died.
23 In the resurrection, when they rise,
whose wife will she be of them? For the
seven had her as a wife.”
24 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t this
because you are mistaken, not knowing the
Scriptures nor the power of God?
25 For when they will rise from the dead,
they neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but are like angels in heaven.
26 But about the dead, that they are
raised, haven’t you read in the book of
Moses about the Bush, how God spoke to
him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?*
27 He is notthe God ofthe dead, but ofthe
living. You are therefore badly mistaken.”
28 One of the scribes came and heard
them questioning together, and knowing
that he had answered them well, asked
him, “Which commandment is the greatest
of all?”
29 Jesus answered, “The greatest is:
‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord
is one.
30 You shall love the Lord your God with
all your heart, with all your soul, with all
your mind, and with all your strength.’*
This is the first commandment.
31 The second is like this: ‘You shall love
your neighbor as yourself.’* There is no
other commandment greater than these.”
32 The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher,
you have said well that he is one, and there
is none other but he;
33 and to love him with allthe heart, with
all the understanding, all the soul, and
with all the strength, and to love his
neighbor as himself, is more important than all
whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw that he answered
wisely, he said to him, “You are not far
from God’s Kingdom.” No one dared ask
him any question after that.
35 Jesus responded, as he taught in the
temple, “How is it that the scribes say that
the Christ is the son of David?
36 For David himself said in the Holy
Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand, until I make
your enemies the footstool of your feet.
37 Therefore David himself calls him
Lord, so how can he be his son?”
The common people heard him gladly.
38 In his teaching he said to them,
“Beware of the scribes, who like to
walk in long robes, and to get
greetings in the marketplaces,
39 and to get the best seats in the
synagogues and the best places at feasts,
40 those who devour widows’ houses,
and for a pretense make long prayers.
These will receive greater condemnation.”
41 Jesus sat down opposite the treasury
and saw how the multitude cast money
into the treasury. Many who were rich cast
in much.
42 A poor widow came and she cast
in two small brass coins,† which equal a
quadrans coin.‡
43 He called his disciples to himself and
said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this
poor widow gave more than all those who
are giving into the treasury,
44 for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all
that she had to live on.”