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41 Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much. 42 A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins,[a] which equal a quadrans coin.[b] 43 He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury, 44 for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.”

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Footnotes

  1. 12:42 literally, lepta (or widow’s mites). Lepta are very small brass coins worth half a quadrans each, which is a quarter of the copper assarion. Lepta are worth less than 1% of an agricultural worker’s daily wages.
  2. 12:42 A quadrans is a coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius. A denarius is about one day’s wages for an agricultural laborer.

The Widow’s Coins

41 (A)And Jesus sat down opposite (B)the treasury, and began watching how the [a]people were (C)putting [b]money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large amounts. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two [c]lepta coins, which amount to a [d]quadrans. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all [e]the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their [f]surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, [g]all she had (D)to live on.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:41 Lit crowd was
  2. Mark 12:41 I.e., copper coins
  3. Mark 12:42 The smallest Greek copper coin, about 1/128 of a laborer’s daily wage
  4. Mark 12:42 A small Roman copper coin, worth about 1/64 of a laborer’s daily wage
  5. Mark 12:43 Lit those who were putting in
  6. Mark 12:44 Or abundance
  7. Mark 12:44 Lit her whole livelihood