The Parable of the Tenants

12 (A)And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted (B)a vineyard (C)and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and (D)leased it to tenants and (E)went into another country. When the season came, he sent a servant[a] to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. (F)And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. (G)Again (H)he sent to them another servant, and (I)they struck him on the head and (J)treated him shamefully. (K)And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. He had still one other, (L)a beloved son. (M)Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, (N)‘This is the heir. Come, (O)let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ And they took him and killed him and (P)threw him out of the vineyard. What will the owner of the vineyard do? (Q)He will (R)come and destroy the tenants and (S)give the vineyard to others. 10 (T)Have you not read (U)this Scripture:

(V)“‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;[b]
11 this was the Lord's doing,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12 And (W)they were seeking to arrest him (X)but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they (Y)left him and went away.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

13 (Z)And they sent to him some of (AA)the Pharisees and some of (AB)the Herodians, to (AC)trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, (AD)we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For (AE)you are not swayed by appearances,[c] but truly teach (AF)the way of God. Is it lawful to pay (AG)taxes to (AH)Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15 But, knowing (AI)their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why (AJ)put me to the test? Bring me (AK)a denarius[d] and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” 17 Jesus said to them, (AL)“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.

The Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection

18 And (AM)Sadducees came to him, (AN)who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that (AO)if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man[e] must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”

24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because (AP)you know neither the Scriptures nor (AQ)the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither (AR)marry nor (AS)are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, (AT)have you not read in (AU)the book of Moses, in (AV)the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, (AW)‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

The Great Commandment

28 (AX)And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, (AY)‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, (AZ)the Lord is one. 30 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 (BA)The second is this: (BB)‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment (BC)greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that (BD)he is one, and (BE)there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all (BF)the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, (BG)is much more than all (BH)whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (BI)And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Whose Son Is the Christ?

35 (BJ)And as (BK)Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that (BL)the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, (BM)in the Holy Spirit, declared,

(BN)“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
    until I put your enemies (BO)under your feet.”’

37 David himself calls him Lord. So (BP)how is he his son?” And the great throng (BQ)heard him gladly.

Beware of the Scribes

38 (BR)And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and (BS)the places of honor at feasts, 40 (BT)who devour widows' houses and (BU)for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

The Widow's Offering

41 (BV)And he sat down opposite (BW)the treasury and watched the people (BX)putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two (BY)small copper coins, which make a penny.[f] 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, (BZ)this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her (CA)poverty has put in everything she had, all (CB)she had to live on.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:2 Or bondservant; also verse 4
  2. Mark 12:10 Greek the head of the corner
  3. Mark 12:14 Greek you do not look at people's faces
  4. Mark 12:15 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
  5. Mark 12:19 Greek his brother
  6. Mark 12:42 Greek two lepta, which make a kodrantes; a kodrantes (Latin quadrans) was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer)

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.