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.
Then Jesus told [those Jewish leaders] a parable. [He wanted to show what God would do to those who rejected the former prophets and himself. He said], “A certain man planted a vineyard. He built a fence around it [in order to protect it]. He made a stone tank [to collect the juice that] they would press [out of the grapes]. He also built a tower [for someone to sit in to guard his vineyard]. Then he leased the vineyard to some men to care for it and [to] give him some of the [grapes] in return. Then he went away to another country.
2 At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard.
When the time came to harvest the [grapes], he sent a servant to the men [who were taking care of the vineyard] in order to receive from them his share of the grapes that the vineyard had produced.
3 But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
But [after the servant arrived], they grabbed him and beat him, and they did not give him any fruit. Then they sent him away.
4 Then he sent them another servant, and they struck him over the head and treated him shamefully.
Later the one who owned the vineyard sent another servant to them. But they beat that one on his head, and they insulted him.
5 He sent still another, and this one they killed. He sent many others; some they beat and others they killed.
Later he sent another servant. That man they killed. They mistreated many other servants [whom he sent]. Some they beat and some they killed.
6 Finally, having one beloved son, he sent him to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
The man still had one other [person with him]. It was his son. He loved him very much. So, finally he sent his son to them because he thought that they would respect him [and give him some of the grapes].
7 But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
But [when they saw his son coming], those men who were looking after the vineyard said to each other, ‘Look! Here comes the man who will some day inherit the vineyard! So let’s kill him in order that this vineyard will be ours!’
8 So they seized the son, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
They seized him and killed him. Then they threw his body outside 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.
So (do you know what the man who owns the vineyard will do?/I will tell you what the man who owns the vineyard will do [RHQ]). He will come, and he will kill those evil men who were taking care of his vineyard. Then he will arrange for other people to take care of it.
10 Have you never read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
[Now think carefully about these words], which you have read [in] the Scriptures: The men who were building the building rejected one stone. But others [put that same stone in its proper place, and] it has become the most important stone in the building [MET]!
11 This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
The Lord has done this, and we marvel as we look at it.”
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.
Then [the Jewish leaders] realized that he was accusing them when he told this story [about what those wicked people did]. So they wanted to seize him. But they were afraid of what the crowds [would do if they did that]. So they left him and went away.
13 Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words.
The [Jewish leaders] sent to [Jesus] some Pharisees [who thought that the Jews should pay only the tax that their own Jewish authorities required people to pay]. They also sent some members of the party that supported Herod [Antipas and the Roman government]. They wanted to make Jesus say something wrong [that would make one of those groups very angry with him].
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?”
After they arrived, they said to him [deceivingly], “Teacher, we know that you [teach] the truth. We also know that you are not concerned about [what] people [say about you, even if an important person does not like what you say]. Instead, you teach truthfully what God wants [us to do]. So [tell us what you think about this matter: ] Is it right that we pay taxes to the Roman government, or not [MTY]? Should we pay the taxes, or should we not pay them?”
15 But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.”
Jesus knew that they did not really want to know [what God wanted them to do]. So he said to them, “(I [know that] you are [just] trying to make me say something wrong for which you can arrest me./Why are you [just] trying to make me say something wrong for which you can arrest me?) [RHQ] [But I will answer your question anyway]. Bring me a coin so that I might [ask you something after] I look at it.”
16 So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.
After they brought him a coin, he asked them, “Whose picture is [on] this [coin]? And [whose] name [is on it]?” They replied, “It is a picture and the name of Caesar, [the man who rules the Roman government].”
17 Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him.
Then Jesus said to them, “[That is correct, so] give to the government [MTY] what they [require], and give to God what he [requires].” They were [frustrated at his answer but] amazed at what he said, [because they were not able to accuse him of anything because of what he said].
18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him:
[Men who belong to the] Sadducee [sect] deny that people become alive again after they die. [In order to discredit] Jesus [by ridiculing the idea that people will live again, some of] them came to him and asked him,
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 [Jews] that if a man who has no children dies, his brother should marry the dead man’s widow. [Then if those two bear children, everyone will consider that those children are the] children of the man who died, [and in that way the dead man will continue to have descendants].
20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children.
[So here is an example]. There were seven boys [in one family]. The oldest one married [a woman], but [he and his wife] did not bear any children. Then he [later] died.
21 Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise.
The second [brother followed this law and] married that woman and he, too, did not bear any children. Then he [later] died. The third [brother did] like [his other brothers did. But he also did not bear any children, and later died].
22 In this way, none of the seven left any children. And last of all, the woman died.
Eventually all seven [brothers married that woman, one by one], but they had no children, and one by one they died. Afterwards the woman died, too.
23 In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her.”
Therefore, [if it were true what some people say, that people will become alive again after they die], whose wife do you think that woman will be when people become alive again? ([Keep in mind that] she was married to all seven [brothers]!/She was married to all seven [brothers, so how can anyone decide] [RHQ]?)”
24 Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
Jesus replied to them, “You are certainly wrong [RHQ]. You do not know [what they have written in] the Scriptures [about this]. You also do not understand God’s power [to make people alive again].
25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.
[That woman will not be the wife of any of them], because when people have become alive again, instead of men having wives and women having husbands, they will be like the angels in heaven, [who do not marry].
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 as to people becoming alive again after they die, in the book that Moses [wrote, he said something about people who have died] that I am sure that you have read [RHQ]. When Moses [was looking at] the bush [that was burning], God said to him, ‘I am the God whom Abraham [worships] and the God whom Isaac [worships] and the God whom Jacob [worships].’
27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”
It is not dead people who worship God. It is living people who worship him. [Abraham, Isaac and Jacob died long before Moses lived, but God said that they were still worshipping him, so we know their spirits were still alive]! So your [claim that dead people do not become alive again] is very wrong.”
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?”
A man who taught the [Jewish] laws heard their discussion. He knew that Jesus answered the question well. So he stepped forward and asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important?”
29 Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.
Jesus answered, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, [you people of] Israel! [You must worship] the Lord, our God, our only Lord.
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.’
[You must show that you love him in all the ways that you live] Show it in all that you want and feel, in all that you think, and in all that you do!’
31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
The next [most important commandment] is: ‘You must love people you come in contact with as much as you love yourself.’ No other commandment is more important than these two!”
32 “Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there is no other but Him,
The man said to Jesus, “Teacher, [you have answered] well. You correctly said that he is the only [God] and that there is no other God [we must worship/obey].
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.”
You have also said correctly that we ([should/must show that we]) love God by all that we are, by all that we think, and by the way that we live. And you have said correctly that we must love (people with whom we come in contact/others) as much as we love ourselves. And you have also implied that doing these things [pleases God] more than offering/giving animals to him or burning [other] 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.
Jesus realized that this man had answered wisely. So he said to him, “[I perceive that] you will soon [decide to let] God rule your life.” After that, [the Jewish leaders] were afraid to ask him any more questions [like that to try to trap 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?
[Later], while he was teaching in the Temple [courtyard], Jesus said [to the people], “These men who teach the [Jewish] laws, (they must be wrong when they say that the Messiah is [merely] a descendant of [King] David!/why do they say that the Messiah is [merely] a descendant of [King] David?) [RHQ]
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.”’
The Holy Spirit caused David himself to say [about the Messiah], God said to my Lord, ‘Sit here beside me at the place where I will highly honor you! Sit here while I completely defeat your enemies! [MTY]’
37 David himself calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?” And the large crowd listened to Him with delight.
Therefore, [because] David himself calls [the Messiah] ‘my Lord,’ (the Messiah cannot be [just] a man who descended [from King David!]/how can the Messiah be [just] a man who descended [from King David]?) [RHQ] [He must be much greater than David]”! Many people listened to him gladly [as he taught those things].
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,
While Jesus was teaching [the people], he said to them, “Beware that you [do not act like] the men who teach our [Jewish] laws. They [like people to honor them, so] they put on long robes and walk around [in order to show people how important they are]. They also like people to greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces.
39 and to have the chief seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
[They like to sit] in the most important seats in our (synagogue/Jewish meeting place). At festivals, [they like to sit in] the seats where the most honored people sit.
40 They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”
They (swindle/take for themselves) the houses [and property] of widows by cheating them. [Then] they pretend [that they are good] by praying long prayers [publicly. God] will certainly punish them severely!”
41 As Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting money into it. And many rich people put in large amounts.
[Later], Jesus sat down [in the Temple courtyard opposite the boxes in which people put offerings. As he was sitting there], he watched as all the people put money in the box. Many rich people put in large amounts [of money].
42 Then one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amounted to a small fraction of a denarius.
Then a poor widow came along and put in two small copper coins, which had a very small value.
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.
He gathered his disciples around him and said to them, “The truth is that these other people have a lot of money, [but] they gave [only a small part of it]. But this woman, who is very poor, has put in all the money that she had to pay for the things she needs. [So God considers that] this poor widow has put more money into the box than all the other people!”
44 For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”
