Jesus Answers the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes

13 (A)Then they *sent some of the Pharisees and (B)Herodians to Him in order to (C)trap Him in a statement. 14 They came and *said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and [a]do not care what anyone thinks; for You [b]are not partial to anyone, but You teach the way of God in truth. Is it [c]permissible to pay a [d]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 [e]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, (D)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 (E)Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) *came to [f]Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that (F)if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and does not leave a child, his brother is to [g]marry the wife and raise up [h]children for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. 21 The second one [i]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 [j]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 [k]regarding the fact that the dead rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, (G)in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘(H)I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 (I)He is not the God [l]of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”

28 (J)One of the scribes came up and heard them arguing, and (K)recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the [m]foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The [n]foremost is, ‘(L)Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one; 30 (M)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: ‘(N)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 (O)He is One, and there is no other besides Him; 33 (P)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, (Q)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.” (R)And then, no one dared any longer to question Him.

35 (S)And Jesus responded and began saying, as He (T)taught in the temple area, “How is it that the scribes say that the [o]Christ is the (U)son of David? 36 David himself said [p]in the Holy Spirit,

(V)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 (W)the large crowd [q]enjoyed listening to Him.

38 (X)And in His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like (Y)personal greetings in the marketplaces, 39 and seats of honor in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets, 40 (Z)who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive all the more condemnation.”

The Widow’s Coins

41 (AA)And Jesus sat down opposite (AB)the treasury, and began watching how the [r]people were (AC)putting [s]money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large amounts. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two [t]lepta coins, which amount to a [u]quadrans. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all [v]the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their [w]surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, [x]all she had (AD)to live on.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:14 Lit it is not a concern to You about anyone
  2. Mark 12:14 Lit do not look at the face of people
  3. Mark 12:14 I.e., by Jewish law and tradition
  4. Mark 12:14 I.e., a tax on each person in the census
  5. Mark 12:15 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
  6. Mark 12:18 Lit Him
  7. Mark 12:19 Lit take
  8. Mark 12:19 Lit seed, also vv 20-22
  9. Mark 12:21 Lit took
  10. Mark 12:24 Or know
  11. Mark 12:26 Lit concerning the dead, that they rise
  12. Mark 12:27 Or of corpses
  13. Mark 12:28 Or first
  14. Mark 12:29 Or first
  15. Mark 12:35 I.e., Messiah
  16. Mark 12:36 Or by
  17. Mark 12:37 Lit was gladly hearing Him
  18. Mark 12:41 Lit crowd was
  19. Mark 12:41 I.e., copper coins
  20. Mark 12:42 The smallest Greek copper coin, about 1/128 of a laborer’s daily wage
  21. Mark 12:42 A small Roman copper coin, worth about 1/64 of a laborer’s daily wage
  22. Mark 12:43 Lit those who were putting in
  23. Mark 12:44 Or abundance
  24. Mark 12:44 Lit her whole livelihood

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