Mark 12

A Story About God’s Son

1 Jesus began to use stories to teach the people. He said, “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it and dug a hole for a winepress and built a tower. Then he leased the land to some farmers and left for a trip. 2 When it was time for the grapes to be picked, he sent a servant to the farmers to get his share of the grapes. 3 But the farmers grabbed the servant and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Then the man sent another servant. They hit him on the head and showed no respect for him.

5 So the man sent another servant, whom they killed. The man sent many other servants; the farmers beat some of them and killed others.

6 “The man had one person left to send, his son whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
7 “But the farmers said to each other, ‘This son will inherit the vineyard. If we kill him, it will be ours.’

8 So they took the son, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 “So what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those farmers and will give the vineyard to other farmers.

10 Surely you have read this Scripture:
‘The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone.

11 The Lord did this, and it is wonderful to us.’ ” t

12 The Jewish leaders knew that the story was about them. So they wanted to find a way to arrest Jesus, but they were afraid of the people. So the leaders left him and went away.

Is It Right to Pay Taxes or Not?

13 Later, the Jewish leaders sent some Pharisees and Herodians 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are an honest man. You are not afraid of what other people think about you, because you pay no attention to who they are. And you teach the truth about God’s way. Tell us: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

15 Should we pay them, or not?”
But knowing what these men were really trying to do, Jesus said to them, “Why are you trying to trap me? Bring me a coin to look at.”

16 They gave Jesus a coin, and he asked, “Whose image and name are on the coin?”
They answered, “Caesar’s.”

17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and give to God the things that are God’s.” The men were amazed at what Jesus said.

Some Sadducees Try to Trick Jesus

18 Then some Sadducees came to Jesus and asked him a question. (Sadducees believed that people would not rise from the dead.)19 They said, “Teacher, Moses wrote that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, then that man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.20 Once there were seven brothers. The first brother married and died, leaving no children.21 So the second brother married the widow, but he also died and had no children. The same thing happened with the third brother.22 All seven brothers married her and died, and none of the brothers had any children. Finally the woman died too.

23 Since all seven brothers had married her, when people rise from the dead, whose wife will she be?”
24 Jesus answered, “Why don’t you understand? Don’t you know what the Scriptures say, and don’t you know about the power of God? 25 When people rise from the dead, they will not marry, nor will they be given to someone to marry. They will be like the angels in heaven. 26 Surely you have read what God said about people rising from the dead. In the book in which Moses wrote about the burning bush, 

27 God is the God of the living, not the dead. You Sadducees are wrong!”

The Most Important Command

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard Jesus arguing with the Sadducees. Seeing that Jesus gave good answers to their questions, he asked Jesus, “Which of the commands is most important?”
29 Jesus answered, “The most important command is this: ‘Listen, people of Israel! The Lord our God is the only Lord. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second command is this: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ 32 The man answered, “That was a good answer, Teacher. You were right when you said God is the only Lord and there is no other God besides him.

33 One must love God with all his heart, all his mind, and all his strength. And one must love his neighbor as he loves himself. These commands are more important than all the animals and sacrifices we offer to God.”

34 When Jesus saw that the man answered him wisely, Jesus said to him, “You are close to the kingdom of God.” And after that, no one was brave enough to ask Jesus any more questions.
35 As Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David?

36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, said:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit by me at my right side, until I put your enemies under your control.” ’ t

37 David himself calls the Christ ‘Lord,’ so how can the Christ be his son?” The large crowd listened to Jesus with pleasure.
38 Jesus continued teaching and said, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around wearing fancy clothes, and they love for people to greet them with respect in the marketplaces. 39 They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues and at feasts.

40 But they cheat widows and steal their houses and then try to make themselves look good by saying long prayers. They will receive a greater punishment.”

True Giving

41 Jesus sat near the Temple money box and watched the people put in their money. Many rich people gave large sums of money.

42 Then a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which were only worth a few cents.
43 Calling his followers to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people. 44 They gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had; she gave all she had to live on.”

Mark 12

1 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.2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard.3 And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and him they wounded in the head, and handled shamefully.5 And he sent another; and him they killed: and many others; beating some, and killing some.6 He had yet one, a beloved son: he sent him last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him forth out of the vineyard.9 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: 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 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, 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, 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, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one:30 and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.31 The second is this, 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, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.

37 David himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he his son? And 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, 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 money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.42 And there came 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.