< Mark 12 >

1 Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
And he began to speak to them in parables: “A man dug a vineyard, and surrounded it with a hedge, and dug a pit, and built a tower, and he loaned it out to farmers, and he set out on a long journey.
2 At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard.
And in time, he sent a servant to the farmers, in order to receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the farmers.
3 But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
But they, having apprehended him, beat him and sent him away empty.
4 Then he sent them another servant, and they struck him over the head and treated him shamefully.
And again, he sent another servant to them. And they wounded him on the head, and they treated him with contempt.
5 He sent still another, and this one they killed. He sent many others; some they beat and others they killed.
And again, he sent another, and him they killed, and many others: some they beat, but others they killed.
6 Finally, having one beloved son, he sent him to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
Therefore, having still one son, most dear to him, he sent him also to them, at the very end, saying, ‘For they will reverence my son.’
7 But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
But the settlers said one to another: ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him. And then the inheritance will be ours.’
8 So they seized the son, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
And apprehending him, they killed him. And they cast him out of the vineyard.
9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.
Therefore, what will the lord of the vineyard do?” “He will come and destroy the settlers. And he will give the vineyard to others.”
10 Have you never read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
“And so, have you not read this scripture?: ‘The stone which the builders have rejected, the same has been made the head of the corner.
11 This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
By the Lord has this been done, and it is wondrous in our eyes.’”
12 At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.
And they sought to take hold of him, but they feared the crowd. For they knew that he had spoken this parable about them. And leaving him behind, they went away.
13 Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words.
And they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to him, so that they might trap him with words.
14 “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?”
And these, arriving, said to him: “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and that you do not favor anyone; for you do not consider the appearance of men, but you teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give the tribute to Caesar, or should we not give it?”
15 But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.”
And knowing their skill in deception, he said to them: “Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, so that I may see it.”
16 So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.
And they brought it to him. And he said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.”
17 Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him.
So in response, Jesus said to them, “Then render to Caesar, the things that are of Caesar; and to God, the things that are of God.” And they wondered over him.
18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him:
And the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, approached him. And they questioned him, saying:
19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.
“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if any man’s brother will have died and left behind a wife, and not have left behind sons, his brother should take his wife to himself and should raise up offspring for his brother.
20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children.
So then, there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and he died without leaving behind offspring.
21 Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise.
And the second took her, and he died. And neither did he leave behind offspring. And the third acted similarly.
22 In this way, none of the seven left any children. And last of all, the woman died.
And in like manner, each of the seven received her and did not leave behind offspring. Last of all, the woman also died.
23 In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her.”
Therefore, in the resurrection, when they will rise again, to which of them will she be a wife? For each of the seven had her as wife.”
24 Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
And Jesus responded by saying to them: “But have you not gone astray, by knowing neither the scriptures, nor the power of God?
25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.
For when they will be resurrected from the dead, they shall neither marry, nor be given in marriage, but they are like the Angels in heaven.
26 But concerning the dead rising, have you not read about the burning bush in the Book of Moses, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
But concerning the dead who rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, how God spoke to him from the bush, 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. You are badly mistaken!”
He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Therefore, you have gone far astray.”
28 Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
And one of the scribes, who had heard them arguing, drew near to him. And seeing that he had answered them well, he questioned him as to which was the first commandment of all.
29 Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.
And Jesus answered him: “For the first commandment of all is this: ‘Listen, O Israel. The Lord your God is one God.
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart, and from your whole soul, and from your whole mind, and from your whole strength. This is the first commandment.’
31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
But the second is similar to it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
32 “Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there is no other but Him,
And the scribe said to him: Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth that there is one God, and there is no other beside him;
33 and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, which is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
and that he should be loved from the whole heart, and from the whole understanding, and from the whole soul, and from the whole strength. And to love one’s neighbor as one’s self is greater than all holocausts and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any further.
And Jesus, seeing that he had responded wisely, said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to question him.
35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, He asked, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?
And while teaching in the temple, Jesus said in answer: “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?
36 Speaking by the Holy Spirit, David himself declared: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’
For David himself said in the Holy Spirit: ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I set your enemies as your footstool.’
37 David himself calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?” And the large crowd listened to Him with delight.
Therefore, David himself calls him Lord, and so how can he be his son?” And a great multitude listened to him willingly.
38 In His teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces,
And he said to them in his doctrine: “Beware of the scribes, who prefer to walk in long robes and to be greeted in the marketplace,
39 and to have the chief seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
and to sit in the first chairs in the synagogues, and to have the first seats at feasts,
40 They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”
who devour the houses of widows under the pretense of long prayers. These shall receive the more extensive judgment.”
41 As Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting money into it. And many rich people put in large amounts.
And Jesus, sitting opposite the offertory box, considered the way in which the crowd cast coins into the offertory, and that many of the wealthy cast in a great deal.
42 Then one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amounted to a small fraction of a denarius.
But when one poor widow had arrived, she put in two small coins, which is a quarter.
43 Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more than all the others into the treasury.
And calling together his disciples, he said to them: “Amen I say to you, that this poor widow has put in more than all those who contributed to the offertory.
44 For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”
For they all gave from their abundance, yet truly, she gave from her scarcity, even all that she had, her entire living.”

< Mark 12 >