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
New American Standard Bible
Parable of the Vine-growers
12 (A)And He began to speak to them in parables: “(B)A man (C)planted a vineyard and put a [a]fence around it, and dug a vat under the wine press and built a tower, and leased it to [b]vine-growers and went on a journey. 2 And at the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, in order to receive his share of the produce of the vineyard from the vine-growers. 3 And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 And again he sent them another slave, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully. 5 And he sent another, and that one they killed; and so with many others, beating some and killing others. 6 He had one more man to send, a beloved son; he sent him to them last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those vine-growers said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ 8 And they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What will the [c]owner of the vineyard do? He will come and put the vine-growers to death, and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not even read this Scripture:
‘(D)A stone which the builders rejected,
This has become the [d]chief cornerstone;
11 (E)This came about from the Lord,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
12 (F)And they were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the [e]people, for they understood that He told the parable against them. And so (G)they left Him and went away.
Jesus Answers the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes
13 (H)Then they *sent some of the Pharisees and (I)Herodians to Him in order to (J)trap Him in a statement. 14 They came and *said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and [f]do not care what anyone thinks; for You [g]are not partial to anyone, but You teach the way of God in truth. Is it [h]permissible to pay a [i]poll-tax to Caesar, or not? 15 Are we to pay, or not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a [j]denarius to look at.” 16 And they brought one. And He *said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar’s.” 17 And Jesus said to them, “(K)Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at Him.
18 (L)Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) *came to [k]Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that (M)if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and does not leave a child, his brother is to [l]marry the wife and raise up [m]children for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. 21 The second one [n]married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; 22 and so the seven together left no children. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, which one’s wife will she be? For each of the seven had her as his wife.” 24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not [o]understand the Scriptures nor 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 But [p]regarding the fact that the dead rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, (N)in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘(O)I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 (P)He is not the God [q]of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”
28 (Q)One of the scribes came up and heard them arguing, and (R)recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the [r]foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The [s]foremost is, ‘(S)Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one; 30 (T)and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘(U)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher; You have truly stated that (V)He is One, and there is no other besides Him; 33 (W)and to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, (X)is much more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (Y)And then, no one dared any longer to question Him.
35 (Z)And Jesus responded and began saying, as He (AA)taught in the temple area, “How is it that the scribes say that the [t]Christ is the (AB)son of David? 36 David himself said [u]in the Holy Spirit,
‘(AC)The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’
37 David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?” And (AD)the large crowd [v]enjoyed listening to Him.
38 (AE)And in His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like (AF)personal greetings in the marketplaces, 39 and seats of honor in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets, 40 (AG)who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive all the more condemnation.”
The Widow’s Coins
41 (AH)And Jesus sat down opposite (AI)the treasury, and began watching how the [w]people were (AJ)putting [x]money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large amounts. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two [y]lepta coins, which amount to a [z]quadrans. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all [aa]the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their [ab]surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, [ac]all she had (AK)to live on.”
Footnotes
- Mark 12:1 Or hedge
- Mark 12:1 Or tenant farmers, also vv 2, 7, 9
- Mark 12:9 Lit lord
- Mark 12:10 Lit head of the corner
- Mark 12:12 Lit crowd
- Mark 12:14 Lit it is not a concern to You about anyone
- Mark 12:14 Lit do not look at the face of people
- Mark 12:14 I.e., by Jewish law and tradition
- Mark 12:14 I.e., a tax on each person in the census
- Mark 12:15 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
- Mark 12:18 Lit Him
- Mark 12:19 Lit take
- Mark 12:19 Lit seed, also vv 20-22
- Mark 12:21 Lit took
- Mark 12:24 Or know
- Mark 12:26 Lit concerning the dead, that they rise
- Mark 12:27 Or of corpses
- Mark 12:28 Or first
- Mark 12:29 Or first
- Mark 12:35 I.e., Messiah
- Mark 12:36 Or by
- Mark 12:37 Lit was gladly hearing Him
- Mark 12:41 Lit crowd was
- Mark 12:41 I.e., copper coins
- Mark 12:42 The smallest Greek copper coin, about 1/128 of a laborer’s daily wage
- Mark 12:42 A small Roman copper coin, worth about 1/64 of a laborer’s daily wage
- Mark 12:43 Lit those who were putting in
- Mark 12:44 Or abundance
- Mark 12:44 Lit her whole livelihood
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