Mark 12

Parable of the tenant farmers

1 Jesus spoke to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and built a tower. Then he rented it to tenant farmers and took a trip.2 When it was time, he sent a servant to collect from the tenants his share of the fruit of the vineyard.3 But they grabbed the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.4 Again the landowner sent another servant to them, but they struck him on the head and treated him disgracefully.5 He sent another one; that one they killed. The landlord sent many other servants, but the tenants beat some and killed others.6 Now the landowner had one son whom he loved dearly. He sent him last, thinking, They will respect my son.7 But those tenant farmers said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

8 They grabbed him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 "So what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.10 Haven’t you read this scripture, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

11  The Lord has done this, and it’s amazing in our eyes? "t

12 They wanted to arrest Jesus because they knew that he had told the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.

A question about taxes

13 They sent some of the Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap him in his words.

14 They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know that you’re genuine and you don’t worry about what people think. You don’t show favoritism but teach God’s way as it really is. Does the Law allow people to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay taxes or not?"
15 Since Jesus recognized their deceit, he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a coin. Show it to me."

16 And they brought one. He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?"
Caesar’s, they replied.

17 Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." His reply left them overcome with wonder.

A question about the resurrection

18 Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Jesus and asked,19 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies , leaving a widow but no children, the brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. t20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman; when he died, he left no children.21 The second married her and died without leaving any children. The third did the same.22 None of the seven left any children. Finally, the woman died.

23 At the resurrection, when they all rise up, whose wife will she be? All seven were married to her."
24 Jesus said to them, "Isn’t this the reason you are wrong, because you don’t know either the scriptures or God’s power?25 When people rise from the dead, they won’t marry nor will they be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like God’s angels.26 As for the resurrection from the dead, haven’t you read in the scroll from Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to Moses, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? t

27 He isn’t the God of the dead but of the living. You are seriously mistaken."

God’s most important command

28 One of the legal experts heard their dispute and saw how well Jesus answered them. He came over and asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"
29 Jesus replied, "The most important one is Israel, listen! Our God is the one Lord, 30  and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your mind, and with all your strength. t

31 The second is this, You will love your neighbor as yourself .t No other commandment is greater than these.
32 The legal expert said to him, "Well said, Teacher. You have truthfully said that God is one and there is no other besides him.

33 And to love God with all of the heart, a full understanding, and all of one’s strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself is much more important than all kinds of entirely burned offerings and sacrifices."

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered with wisdom, he said to him, "You aren’t far from God’s kingdom." After that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Jesus corrects the legal experts

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, "Why do the legal experts say that the Christ is David’s son?36 David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said, The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right side until I turn your enemies into your footstool.’ t

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ so how can he be David’s son?" The large crowd listened to him with delight.
38 As he was teaching, he said, "Watch out for the legal experts. They like to walk around in long robes. They want to be greeted with honor in the markets.39 They long for places of honor in the synagogues and at banquets.

40 They are the ones who cheat widows out of their homes, and to show off they say long prayers. They will be judged most harshly."

A poor widow’s contribution

41 Jesus sat across from the collection box for the temple treasury and observed how the crowd gave their money. Many rich people were throwing in lots of money.42 One poor widow came forward and put in two small copper coins worth a penny.t43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I assure you that this poor widow has put in more than everyone who’s been putting money in the treasury.

44 All of them are giving out of their spare change. But she from her hopeless poverty has given everything she had, even what she needed to live on."

Mark 12

The Parable of the Tenants

1 Thent he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard.s He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Thent he leased it to tenant farmerss and went on a journey.2 At harvest time he sent a slavets to the tenants to collect from themt his portion of the crop.t3 Butt those tenantst seized his slave,t beat him,s and sent him away empty-handed.s4 Sot he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously.5 He sent another, and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten, others killed.6 He had one left, his one dear son.ts Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’8 Sot they seized him,t killed him, and threw his bodyt out of the vineyard.s9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroys those tenants and give the vineyard to others.s

10 Have you not read this scripture:
‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.ts

11 This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”s

12 Nowt they wanted to arrest him (but they feared the crowd), because they realized that he told this parable against them. Sot they left him and went away.s

Paying Taxes to Caesar

13 Thent they sent some of the Phariseess and Herodianss to trap him with his own words.t14 When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partialityt but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.s Is it rightt to pay taxests to Caesart or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”15 But he saw through their hypocrisy and saidt to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denariusts and let me look at it.”16 Sot they brought one, and he said to them, “Whose imagets is this, and whose inscription?” They replied,t “Caesar’s.”

17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”s And they were utterly amazed at him.

Marriage and the Resurrection

18 Sadduceess (who say there is no resurrection)s also came to him and asked him,t19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that mantmust marrytthe widow and father childrentfor his brother.’s20 There were seven brothers. The first one married,t and when he died he had no children.21 The second married her and died without any children, and likewise the third.22 None of the seven had children. Finally, the woman died too.23 In the resurrection, when they rise again,s whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”t24 Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you deceivedt for this reason, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God?25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angelss in heaven.26 Now as for the dead being raised,t have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush,s how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, thetGod of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?s

27 He is not the God of the dead but of the living.s You are badly mistaken!”

The Greatest Commandment

28 Nowt one of the experts in the lawt came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesust answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.30 Lovetthe Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’s31 The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’s There is no other commandment greater than these.”32 The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him.s33 And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strengths and to love your neighbor as yourselfs is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.

The Messiah: David’s Son and Lord

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he said, “How is it that the experts in the lawt say that the Christts is David’s son?s

36 David himself, by the Holy Spirit, said,
‘The Lord said to my lord,s
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet.”’s

37 If David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?”t And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

Warnings About Experts in the Law

38 In his teaching Jesust also said, “Watch out for the experts in the law.t They like walkingt around in long robes and elaborate greetingss in the marketplaces,39 and the best seats in the synagoguess and the places of honor at banquets.

40 Theyt devour widows’ property,t and as a show make long prayers. These men will receive a more severe punishment.”

The Widow’s Offering

41 Thent hes sat down opposite the offering box,tss and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts.42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins,s worth less than a penny.43 He called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth,t this poor widow has put more into the offering boxt than all the others.s

44 For they all gave out of their wealth.t But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.”s