凶狠的佃户

12 耶稣用比喻对他们说:“有人开辟了一个葡萄园,在四周筑起篱笆,又在园中挖了一个榨酒池,建了一座瞭望台,然后把葡萄园租给佃户,就出远门了。

“到葡萄成熟时,园主派一个奴仆去收取他该得的一份。 那些佃户却捉住那个奴仆,打了他一顿,使他空手而归。

“园主又差另一个奴仆去。这一次,佃户不但侮辱他,还把他打得头破血流。 园主再派一个奴仆前往,他们却把他杀掉了。园主后来派去的人不是挨打,就是被杀。 最后只剩下园主的爱子,园主就派他去,以为那些佃户会尊重他的儿子。 这班佃户却彼此商量说,‘这个就是园主的继承人。来吧!我们杀掉他,产业就归我们了。’

“于是他们抓住他,杀了他,把他抛到葡萄园外。 那么,园主会采取什么行动呢?他必定会来杀掉这些佃户,把葡萄园转给别人。 10 圣经上说,

“‘工匠丢弃的石头已成了房角石。
11 这是主的作为,
在我们看来奇妙莫测。’

你们没有读过这经文吗?”

12 他们听出这比喻是针对他们说的,就想逮捕耶稣,但又害怕百姓,只好先离开了。

纳税给凯撒的问题

13 后来,他们派了几个法利赛人和希律党人到耶稣那里,企图利用祂所说的话设计陷害祂。

14 他们上前对耶稣说:“老师,我们知道你诚实无伪,不看人的情面,因为你不以貌取人,而是按真理传上帝的道。那么,向凯撒纳税对不对呢? 15 我们该不该纳呢?”耶稣看破他们的阴谋,就说:“你们为什么试探我呢?拿一个银币来给我看。”

16 他们就拿来一个银币,耶稣问他们:“上面刻的是谁的像和名号?”

他们说:“凯撒的。”

17 耶稣说:“属于凯撒的东西应该给凯撒,属于上帝的东西应该给上帝。”

他们听了这话,都很惊奇。

论复活

18 撒都该人向来不相信有复活的事,他们来问耶稣: 19 “老师,摩西为我们写下律例,如果一个人死了,遗下妻子,又没有儿女,他的兄弟就当娶嫂嫂,替哥哥传宗接代。 20 有弟兄七人,老大结了婚,没有孩子就死了。 21 二弟把大嫂娶过来,也没有生孩子就死了,三弟也是一样, 22 七个人都没有留下孩子。最后,那女人也死了。 23 那么,到复活的时候,她将是谁的妻子呢?因为七个人都娶过她。”

24 耶稣说:“你们弄错了,因为你们不明白圣经,也不知道上帝的能力。 25 死人复活之后,将不娶也不嫁,就像天上的天使一样。 26 关于死人复活的事,你们没有读过摩西书有关火中荆棘的记载吗?上帝对摩西说,‘我是亚伯拉罕的上帝,以撒的上帝,雅各的上帝。’ 27 上帝不是死人的上帝,而是活人的上帝。你们大错了!”

最大的诫命

28 有一位律法教师听到他们的辩论,觉得耶稣的回答很精彩,就走过去问道:“诫命中哪一条最重要呢?”

29 耶稣回答道:“最重要的诫命是,‘听啊,以色列!主——我们的上帝是独一的主。 30 你要全心、全情、全意、全力爱主——你的上帝’; 31 其次就是‘要爱邻如己’。再也没有任何诫命比这两条更重要了。”

32 那位律法教师说:“老师,你说的对,上帝只有一位,除祂以外,别无他神。 33 我们要全心、全意、全力爱祂,又要爱邻如己。这样做比献什么祭都好。”

34 耶稣见他答得很有智慧,就告诉他:“你离上帝的国不远了。”此后,没人再敢问耶稣问题了。

基督的身份

35 耶稣在圣殿里教导的时候,问道:“律法教师为什么说基督是大卫的后裔呢? 36 大卫自己曾经受圣灵的感动,说,

“‘主对我主说,
你坐在我的右边,
等我使你的仇敌伏在你脚下。’

37 既然大卫自己称基督为主,基督又怎能是大卫的后裔呢?”百姓听得津津有味。 38 耶稣又教导他们,说:“你们要提防律法教师,他们爱穿着长袍招摇过市,喜欢人们在大街上问候他们, 39 又喜欢会堂里的上座和宴席中的首位。 40 他们侵吞寡妇的财产,还假意做冗长的祷告。这种人必受到更严厉的惩罚。”

穷寡妇的奉献

41 然后,耶稣走到圣殿的奉献箱对面坐下,看大家怎样奉献。很多财主奉献了大量的钱。 42 后来一个穷寡妇来了,投进了相当于一文钱的两个小铜钱。 43 耶稣叫门徒来,说:“我实在告诉你们,这位穷寡妇比其他人奉献的都多, 44 因为他们不过奉献了自己剩余的,但这穷寡妇却奉献了她赖以为生的。”

12 And he began to speak unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a [a]servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard. And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another [b]servant; and him they wounded in the head, and handled shamefully. And he sent another; and him they killed: and many others; beating some, and killing some. He had yet one, a beloved son: he sent him last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him forth out of the vineyard. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. 10 Have ye not read even this scripture:

[c]The stone which the builders rejected,
The same was made the head of the corner;
11 This was from the Lord,
And it is marvellous in our eyes?

12 And they sought to lay hold on him; and they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spake the parable against them: and they left him, and went away.

13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might catch him in talk. 14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and carest not for any one; for thou regardest not the person of men, but of a truth teachest the way of God: Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why make ye trial of me? bring me a [d]denarius, that I may see it. 16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s. 17 And Jesus said unto them, Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled greatly at him.

18 And there come unto him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, 19 Teacher, Moses wrote unto us, [e]If a man’s brother die, and leave a wife behind him, and leave no child, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 20 There were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed; 21 and the second took her, and died, leaving no seed behind him; and the third likewise: 22 and the seven left no seed. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. 24 Jesus said unto them, Is it not for this cause that ye err, that ye know not the scriptures, nor the power of God? 25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as angels in heaven. 26 But as touching the dead, that they are raised; have ye not read in the book of Moses, in the place concerning the Bush, how God spake unto him, saying, [f]I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living: ye do greatly err.

28 And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, What commandment is the first of all? 29 Jesus answered, The first is, [g]Hear, O Israel; [h]The Lord our God, the Lord is one: 30 and thou shalt love the Lord thy God [i]with all thy heart, and [j]with all thy soul, and [k]with all thy mind, and [l]with all thy strength. 31 The second is this, [m]Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 32 And the scribe said unto him, Of a truth, Teacher, thou hast well said that he is one; and there is none other but he: 33 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices. 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

35 And Jesus answered and said, as he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself said in the Holy Spirit,

[n]The Lord said unto my Lord,
Sit thou on my right hand,
Till I make thine enemies [o]the footstool of thy feet.

37 David himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he his son? And [p]the common people heard him gladly.

38 And in his teaching he said, Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and to have salutations in the marketplaces, 39 and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts: 40 they that devour widows’ houses, [q]and for a pretence make long prayers; these shall receive greater condemnation.

41 And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast [r]money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 42 And there came [s]a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all they that are casting into the treasury: 44 for they all did cast in of their superfluity; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:2 Greek bondservant.
  2. Mark 12:4 Greek bondservant.
  3. Mark 12:10 Ps. 118:22f.
  4. Mark 12:15 See marginal note on 6:37.
  5. Mark 12:19 Dt. 25:5.
  6. Mark 12:26 Ex. 3:6.
  7. Mark 12:29 Dt. 6:4ff.
  8. Mark 12:29 Or, The Lord is our God; the Lord is one
  9. Mark 12:30 Greek from.
  10. Mark 12:30 Greek from.
  11. Mark 12:30 Greek from.
  12. Mark 12:30 Greek from.
  13. Mark 12:31 Lev. 19:18.
  14. Mark 12:36 Ps. 110:1.
  15. Mark 12:36 Some ancient authorities read underneath thy feet.
  16. Mark 12:37 Or, the great multitude
  17. Mark 12:40 Or, even while for a pretence they make
  18. Mark 12:41 Greek brass.
  19. Mark 12:42 Greek one.

Parable of the tenant farmers

12 Jesus spoke to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and built a tower. Then he rented it to tenant farmers and took a trip. When it was time, he sent a servant to collect from the tenants his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But they grabbed the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again the landowner sent another servant to them, but they struck him on the head and treated him disgracefully. He sent another one; that one they killed. The landlord sent many other servants, but the tenants beat some and killed others. Now the landowner had one son whom he loved dearly. He sent him last, thinking, They will respect my son. But those tenant farmers said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ They grabbed him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

“So what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this scripture, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 11 The Lord has done this, and it’s amazing in our eyes?”[a]

12 They wanted to arrest Jesus because they knew that he had told the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.

A question about taxes

13 They sent some of the Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you’re genuine and you don’t worry about what people think. You don’t show favoritism but teach God’s way as it really is. Does the Law allow people to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay taxes or not?”

15 Since Jesus recognized their deceit, he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a coin. Show it to me.” 16 And they brought one. He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

17 Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” His reply left them overcome with wonder.

A question about the resurrection

18 Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Jesus and asked, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a widow but no children, the brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.[b] 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman; when he died, he left no children. 21 The second married her and died without leaving any children. The third did the same. 22 None of the seven left any children. Finally, the woman died. 23 At the resurrection, when they all rise up, whose wife will she be? All seven were married to her.”

24 Jesus said to them, “Isn’t this the reason you are wrong, because you don’t know either the scriptures or God’s power? 25 When people rise from the dead, they won’t marry nor will they be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like God’s angels. 26 As for the resurrection from the dead, haven’t you read in the scroll from Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to Moses, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?[c] 27 He isn’t the God of the dead but of the living. You are seriously mistaken.”

God’s most important command

28 One of the legal experts heard their dispute and saw how well Jesus answered them. He came over and asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

29 Jesus replied, “The most important one is Israel, listen! Our God is the one Lord, 30 and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your mind, and with all your strength.[d] 31 The second is this, You will love your neighbor as yourself.[e] No other commandment is greater than these.”

32 The legal expert said to him, “Well said, Teacher. You have truthfully said that God is one and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love God with all of the heart, a full understanding, and all of one’s strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself is much more important than all kinds of entirely burned offerings and sacrifices.”

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered with wisdom, he said to him, “You aren’t far from God’s kingdom.” After that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Jesus corrects the legal experts

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, “Why do the legal experts say that the Christ is David’s son? 36 David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said, The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right side until I turn your enemies into your footstool.’[f] 37 David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ so how can he be David’s son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight.

38 As he was teaching, he said, “Watch out for the legal experts. They like to walk around in long robes. They want to be greeted with honor in the markets. 39 They long for places of honor in the synagogues and at banquets. 40 They are the ones who cheat widows out of their homes, and to show off they say long prayers. They will be judged most harshly.”

A poor widow’s contribution

41 Jesus sat across from the collection box for the temple treasury and observed how the crowd gave their money. Many rich people were throwing in lots of money. 42 One poor widow came forward and put in two small copper coins worth a penny.[g] 43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I assure you that this poor widow has put in more than everyone who’s been putting money in the treasury. 44 All of them are giving out of their spare change. But she from her hopeless poverty has given everything she had, even what she needed to live on.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:11 Ps 118:22-23
  2. Mark 12:19 Deut 25:5; Gen 38:8
  3. Mark 12:26 Exod 3:6, 15-16
  4. Mark 12:30 Deut 6:4-5
  5. Mark 12:31 Lev 19:18
  6. Mark 12:36 Ps 110:1
  7. Mark 12:42 Or two lepta (the smallest Greek copper coin, each worth 1/128 of a single day’s pay), that is, a kodrantes (the smallest Roman coin, equal in value to two lepta)

The Parable of the Tenants(A)

12 Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard.(B) He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all,(C) saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

“But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;(D)
11 the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’[a]?”(E)

12 Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd;(F) so they left him and went away.(G)

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar(H)

13 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians(I) to Jesus to catch him(J) in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax[b] to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”(K)

And they were amazed at him.

Marriage at the Resurrection(L)

18 Then the Sadducees,(M) who say there is no resurrection,(N) came to him with a question. 19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.(O) 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection[c] whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures(P) or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.(Q) 26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’[d]?(R) 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

The Greatest Commandment(S)

28 One of the teachers of the law(T) came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[e] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[f](U) 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[g](V) There is no commandment greater than these.”

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.(W) 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”(X)

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”(Y) And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.(Z)

Whose Son Is the Messiah?(AA)(AB)

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts,(AC) he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?(AD) 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit,(AE) declared:

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet.”’[h](AF)

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

The large crowd(AG) listened to him with delight.

Warning Against the Teachers of the Law

38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.(AH) 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

The Widow’s Offering(AI)

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put(AJ) and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”(AK)

Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:11 Psalm 118:22,23
  2. Mark 12:14 A special tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens
  3. Mark 12:23 Some manuscripts resurrection, when people rise from the dead,
  4. Mark 12:26 Exodus 3:6
  5. Mark 12:29 Or The Lord our God is one Lord
  6. Mark 12:30 Deut. 6:4,5
  7. Mark 12:31 Lev. 19:18
  8. Mark 12:36 Psalm 110:1