Mark 12
Christian Standard Bible
The Parable of the Vineyard Owner
12 He(A) began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard,(B) put a fence around it, dug out a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away. 2 At harvest time he sent(C) a servant(D) to the farmers to collect some of the fruit(E) of the vineyard from them. 3 But they took him, beat(F) him, and sent him away empty-handed.(G) 4 Again he sent another servant to them, and they[a] hit him on the head and treated him shamefully.[b] 5 Then he sent another, and they killed that one. He also sent many others; some they beat, and others they killed. 6 He still had one to send, a beloved(H) son. Finally(I) he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenant farmers said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What then will the owner[c](J) of the vineyard do? He will come and kill the farmers and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this Scripture:(K)
The(L) stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.(M)
11 This came about from the Lord(N)
and is wonderful in our eyes?”[d]
12 They were looking for a way to arrest him but feared the crowd because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. So they left him and went away.
God and Caesar
13 Then(O) they sent some of the Pharisees(P) and the Herodians(Q) to Jesus to trap him in his words.(R) 14 When they came, they said to him, “Teacher, we know you are truthful and don’t care what anyone thinks, nor do you show partiality(S) but teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful to pay taxes(T) to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”
15 But knowing their hypocrisy,(U) he said to them, “Why are you testing(V) me? Bring me a denarius[e](W) to look at.” 16 They brought a coin. “Whose image(X) and inscription(Y) is this?” he asked them.
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
17 Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”(Z) And they were utterly amazed(AA) at him.
The Sadducees and the Resurrection
18 Sadducees,(AB) who say there is no resurrection,(AC) came to him and questioned him: 19 “Teacher,(AD) Moses(AE) wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife behind but no child,(AF) that man should take the wife(AG) and raise up offspring for his brother.[f](AH) 20 There were seven brothers. The first married a woman, and dying, left no offspring. 21 The second also took her, and he died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 None of the seven[g] left offspring. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise,[h] whose wife will she be, since the seven had married her?”
24 Jesus spoke to them, “Isn’t this the reason why you’re mistaken: you don’t know the Scriptures(AI) or the power(AJ) of God?(AK) 25 For when they rise(AL) from the dead,(AM) they neither marry nor are given in marriage(AN) but are like angels(AO) in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised—haven’t you read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to him: I(AP) am the God of Abraham(AQ) and the God of Isaac(AR) and the God of Jacob?[i](AS) 27 He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken.”
The Primary Commands
28 One(AT) of the scribes(AU) approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which command is the most important of all?”
29 Jesus answered, “The most important[j] is Listen, Israel! The Lord(AV) our God, the Lord(AW) is one.[k] 30 Love(AX) the Lord your God(AY) with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,(AZ) and with all your strength.[l][m](BA) 31 The second is, Love your neighbor(BB) as yourself.[n](BC) There is no other command(BD) greater than these.”
32 Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, teacher. You have correctly said that he is one, and there is no one(BE) else except him.(BF) 33 And to love(BG) him with all your heart, with all your understanding,[o] and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”(BH)
34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”(BI) And no one dared(BJ) to question him any longer.
The Question about the Messiah
35 While(BK) Jesus was teaching in the temple, he asked,(BL) “How can the scribes(BM) say that the Messiah(BN) is the son of David?(BO) 36 David(BP) himself says by the Holy Spirit: (BQ)
The Lord(BR) declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand(BS)
until I put your enemies under your feet.’[p](BT)
37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How, then, can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.
Warning against the Scribes
38 He(BU) also said in his teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes(BV) and who want greetings in the marketplaces,(BW) 39 the best seats(BX) in the synagogues,(BY) and the places of honor(BZ) at banquets.(CA) 40 They devour(CB) widows’(CC) houses and say long prayers(CD) just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”
The Widow’s Gift
41 Sitting(CE) across from the temple treasury,(CF) he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich(CG) people were putting in large sums. 42 Then a poor(CH) widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. 43 Summoning his disciples,(CI) he said to them, “Truly I tell you,(CJ) this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.(CK) 44 For they all gave out of their surplus,(CL) but she out of her poverty(CM) has put in everything she had(CN) —all she had to live on.”(CO)
Footnotes
- 12:4 Other mss add threw stones and
- 12:4 Other mss add and sent him off
- 12:9 Or lord
- 12:10–11 Ps 118:22–23
- 12:15 A denarius = one day’s wage
- 12:19 Gn 38:8; Dt 25:5
- 12:22 Other mss add had taken her and
- 12:23 Other mss omit when they rise
- 12:26 Ex 3:6,15–16
- 12:29 Other mss add of all the commands
- 12:29 Or the Lord our God is Lord alone.
- 12:30 Other mss add This is the first commandment.
- 12:30 Dt 6:4–5; Jos 22:5
- 12:31 Lv 19:18
- 12:33 Other mss add with all your soul
- 12:36 Ps 110:1
Mark 12
Lexham English Bible
The Parable of the Tenant Farmers in the Vineyard
12 And he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard, and put a fence around it, and dug a trough for the winepress, and built a watchtower, and leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey. 2 And he sent a slave to the tenant farmers at the proper time, so that he could collect some of the fruit of the vineyard from the tenant farmers. 3 And they seized him and[a] beat him[b] and sent him[c] away empty-handed. 4 And again he sent to them another slave, and that one they struck on the head and dishonored. 5 And he sent another, and that one they killed. And he sent[d] many others, some of whom they beat and some of whom they killed. 6 He had one more, a beloved son. Last of all he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenant farmers said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’ 8 And they seized and[e] killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What[f] will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenant farmers and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this scripture:
‘The stone which the builders rejected,
this has become the cornerstone.[g]
11 This came about from the Lord,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”[h]
12 And they were seeking to arrest him, and they were afraid of the crowd, because they knew that he had told the parable with reference to them. And they left him and[i] went away.
Paying Taxes to Caesar
13 And they sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to him so that they could catch him unawares in a statement. 14 And when they[j] came, they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and you do not care what anyone thinks,[k] because you do not regard the opinion of people[l] but teach the way of God in truth. Is it permitted to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” 15 But because he[m] knew their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius so that I can look at it!”[n] 16 So they brought one.[o] And he said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” And they said to him, “Caesar’s.” 17 And Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God!” And they were utterly amazed at him.
A Question About Marriage and the Resurrection
18 And Sadducees—who say there is no resurrection—came up to him and began to ask[p] him, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if someone’s brother dies and he leaves behind a wife and does not leave a child, that his brother should take the wife and father[q] descendants for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers, and the first took a wife. And when he[r] died, he did not leave descendants. 21 And the second took her, and he died without leaving descendants. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven did not leave descendants. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise, whose[s] wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife. 24 Jesus said to them, “Are you not deceived because of this, because you[t] do not know the scriptures or the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 Now concerning the dead, that they are raised, have you not read in the book of Moses in the passage about the bush[u] how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob’?[v] 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are very much mistaken!”
The Greatest Commandment
28 And one of the scribes came up and[w] heard them debating. When he[x] saw that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and from your whole soul and from your whole mind and from your whole strength.’[y] 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[z] There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “That is true, Teacher. You have said correctly[aa] that he is one and there is no other except him. 33 And to love him from your[ab] whole heart and from your[ac] whole understanding and from your[ad] whole strength, and to love your[ae] neighbor as yourself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And Jesus, when he[af] saw that he had answered thoughtfully, said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to put a question to him any longer.
David’s Son and Lord
35 And continuing, Jesus said while[ag] teaching in the temple courts,[ah] “How can the scribes say that the Christ is David’s son? 36 David himself said by the Holy Spirit,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies
under your feet.”’[ai]
37 David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ and how is he his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him gladly.
Warning to Beware of the Scribes
38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like walking around in long robes and greetings in the marketplaces 39 and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets, 40 who devour the houses of widows and pray lengthy prayers for the sake of appearance. These will receive more severe condemnation!”
A Poor Widow’s Offering
41 And he sat down opposite the contribution box and[aj] was observing how the crowd was putting coins into the contribution box. And many rich people were putting in many coins.[ak] 42 And one poor widow came and[al] put in two small copper coins[am] (that is, a penny).[an] 43 And summoning his disciples, he said to them, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow put in more than all those who put offerings[ao] into the contribution box. 44 For they all contributed[ap] out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in everything she had, her whole means of subsistence.”
Footnotes
- Mark 12:3 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“seized”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 12:3 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 12:3 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 12:5 The words “he sent” are not in the Greek text, but are an implied repetition from earlier in the verse
- Mark 12:8 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“seized”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 12:9 Some manuscripts have “What then”
- Mark 12:10 Literally “the head of the corner”
- Mark 12:11 A quotation from Ps 118:22–23
- Mark 12:12 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“left”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 12:14 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 12:14 Literally “it is not a care to you concerning anyone”
- Mark 12:14 Literally “because you do not look at the face of men”
- Mark 12:15 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“knew”) which is understood as causal
- Mark 12:15 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 12:16 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 12:18 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to ask”)
- Mark 12:19 Literally “raise up”
- Mark 12:20 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“died”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 12:23 Literally “who of them”
- Mark 12:24 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as causal
- Mark 12:26 Literally “at the bush”
- Mark 12:26 A quotation from Exod 3:6
- Mark 12:28 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came up”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 12:28 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 12:30 A quotation from Deut 6:4–5; Josh 22:5
- Mark 12:31 A quotation from Lev 19:18
- Mark 12:32 Literally “in accordance with truth”
- Mark 12:33 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 12:33 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 12:33 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 12:33 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 12:34 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 12:35 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“teaching”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 12:35 *Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
- Mark 12:36 A quotation from Ps 110:1
- Mark 12:41 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“sat down”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 12:41 Although often translated “large sums,” the plural here suggests large numbers of individual coins, which would make an impressive noise
- Mark 12:42 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 12:42 This coin was the lepton, worth 1/128 of a denarius
- Mark 12:42 This coin was the quadrans, the smallest Roman coin, worth 2 lepta
- Mark 12:43 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 12:44 Literally “put in”
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