Mark 12:18-44

Christian Standard Bible

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

¹⁸ Sadducees,^(A) who say there is no resurrection,^(B) came to him and questioned him: ¹⁹ “Teacher,^(C) Moses^(D) wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife behind but no child,^(E) that man should take the wife^(F) and raise up offspring for his brother.^{[a](G) 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^[b] left offspring. Last of all, the woman died too. ²³ In the resurrection, when they rise,^[c] 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^(H) or the power^(I) of God?^{(J) 25} For when they rise^(K) from the dead,^(L) they neither marry nor are given in marriage^(M) but are like angels^(N) 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^(O) am the God of Abraham^(P) and the God of Isaac^(Q) 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 Primary Commands

²⁸ One^(S) of the scribes^(T) 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^[e] is Listen, Israel! The Lord^(U) our God, the Lord^(V) is one.^{[f] 30} Love^(W) the Lord your God^(X) with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,^(Y) and with all your strength.^{[g][h](Z) 31} The second is, Love your neighbor^(AA) as yourself.^[i](AB) There is no other command^(AC) 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^(AD) else except him.^{(AE) 33} And to love^(AF) him with all your heart, with all your understanding,^[j] and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”^(AG)

³⁴ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”^(AH) And no one dared^(AI) to question him any longer.

The Question about the Messiah

³⁵ While^(AJ) Jesus was teaching in the temple, he asked,^(AK) “How can the scribes^(AL) say that the Messiah^(AM) is the son of David?^{(AN) 36} David^(AO) himself says by the Holy Spirit: ^(AP)

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^(AT) also said in his teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes^(AU) and who want greetings in the marketplaces,^{(AV) 39} the best seats^(AW) in the synagogues,^(AX) and the places of honor^(AY) at banquets.^{(AZ) 40} They devour^(BA) widows’^(BB) houses and say long prayers^(BC) just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”

The Widow’s Gift

⁴¹ Sitting^(BD) across from the temple treasury,^(BE) he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich^(BF) people were putting in large sums. ⁴² Then a poor^(BG) widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. ⁴³ Summoning his disciples,^(BH) he said to them, “Truly I tell you,^(BI) this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.^{(BJ) 44} For they all gave out of their surplus,^(BK) but she out of her poverty^(BL) has put in everything she had^(BM) —all she had to live on.”^(BN)