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

MARK 12

Renters of a Vineyard

(Matthew 21.33-46; Luke 20.9-19)

1  t Jesus then told them this story:
A farmer once planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it and dug a pit to crush the grapes in. He also built a lookout tower. Then he rented out his vineyard and left the country.
2 When it was harvest time, he sent a servant to get his share of the grapes.

3 The renters grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him away without a thing.
4 The owner sent another servant, but the renters beat him on the head and insulted him terribly.

5 Then the man sent another servant, and they killed him. He kept sending servant after servant. They beat some of them and killed some.
6 The owner had a son he loved very much. Finally, he sent his son to the renters because he thought they would respect him. 7 But they said to themselves, “Someday he will own this vineyard. Let's kill him! That way we can have it all for ourselves.”

8 So they grabbed the owner's son, killed him, and threw his body out of the vineyard.
9 Jesus asked, “What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? He will come and kill those renters and let someone else have his vineyard.

10 t You surely know that the Scriptures say,
‘The stone the builders
tossed aside
is now the most important
stone of all.

11 This is something
the Lord has done,
and it is amazing to us.’ ”

12 The leaders knew that Jesus was really talking about them, and they wanted to arrest him. But because they were afraid of the crowd, they let him alone and left.

Paying Taxes

(Matthew 22.15-22; Luke 20.20-26)

14 They went to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are honest. You treat everyone with the same respect, no matter who they are. And you teach the truth about what God wants people to do. Tell us, should we pay taxes to the Emperor or not?”

15 Jesus knew what they were up to, and he said, “Why are you trying to test me? Show me a coin!”

16 They brought him a silver coin, and he asked, “Whose picture and name are on it?”
“The Emperor's,” they answered.

17 Then Jesus told them, “Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God.” The men were amazed at Jesus.

Life in the Future World

(Matthew 22.23-33; Luke 20.27-40)

18  t The Sadducees did not believe that people would rise to life after death. So some of them came to Jesus and said:
19  t Teacher, Moses wrote that if a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry the widow. Their first son would then be thought of as the son of the dead brother. 20 There were once seven brothers. The first one married, but died without having any children. 21 The second brother married his brother's widow, and he also died without having children. The same thing happened to the third brother, 22 and finally to all seven brothers. At last the woman died.

23 When God raises people from death, whose wife will this woman be? After all, she had been married to all seven brothers.

24 Jesus answered:
You are completely wrong! You don't know what the Scriptures teach. And you don't know anything about the power of God. 25 When God raises people to life, they won't marry. They will be like the angels in heaven. 26 t You surely know about people being raised to life. You know that in the story about Moses and the burning bush, God said, “I am the God worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”t

27 He isn't the God of the dead, but of the living. You Sadducees are all wrong.

The Most Important //Commandment

(Matthew 22.34-40; Luke 10.25-28)

28  t One of the teachers of the Law of Moses came up while Jesus and the Sadducees were arguing. When he heard Jesus give a good answer, he asked him, “What is the most important commandment?”
29  t Jesus answered, “The most important one says: ‘People of Israel, you have only one Lord and God. 30 You must love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’

31 t The second most important commandment says: ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ No other commandment is more important than these.”
32  t The man replied, “Teacher, you are certainly right to say there is only one God.

33 t It is also true that we must love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and that we must love others as much as we love ourselves. These commandments are more important than all the sacrifices and offerings that we could possibly make.”

34 When Jesus saw that the man had given a sensible answer, he told him, “You are not far from God's kingdom.” After this, no one dared ask Jesus any more questions.

About David's Son

(Matthew 22.41-46; Luke 20.41-44)

36 t The Holy Spirit led David to say,
‘The Lord said to my Lord:
Sit at my right sidet
until I make your enemies
into a footstool for you.’

37 If David called the Messiah his Lord, how can the Messiah be his son?”t
The large crowd enjoyed listening to Jesus teach.

Jesus Condemns the Pharisees //and the Teachers of the Law of Moses

(Matthew 23.1-36; Luke 20.45-47)

38 As Jesus was teaching, he said:
Guard against the teachers of the Law of Moses! They love to walk around in long robes and be greeted in the market. 39 They like the front seats in the synagogues and the best seats at banquets.

40 But they cheat widows out of their homes and pray long prayers just to show off. They will be punished most of all.

A Widow's Offering

(Luke 21.1-4)

43 Jesus told his disciples to gather around him. Then he said:
I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 44 Everyone else gave what they didn't need. But she is very poor and gave everything she had. Now she doesn't have a cent to live on.