Mark 12
1 And he began to speak to them in parables: A certain man planted a vineyard and made a hedge about it, and dug a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it to husbandmen; and went into a far country.
Then Jesus began to speak to them using illustrated stories. “Once there was a man who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to some farmers, and left on a journey.
2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant to receive of the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
When harvest-time came, he sent one of his servants to the tenant farmers to collect some of the grapes from the vineyard.
3 Who having laid hands on him, beat him, and sent him away empty.
But they grabbed hold of him, beat him up, and sent him away with nothing.
4 And again he sent to them another servant; and him they wounded in the head, and used him reproachfully.
So the man sent another servant. They hit him over the head and abused him.
5 And again he sent another, and him they killed: and many others, of whom some they beat, and others they killed.
He sent another servant, and this one they killed. He sent many other servants, and they beat some of them and killed others.
6 Therefore having yet one son, most dear to him; he also sent him unto them last of all, saying: They will reverence my son.
In the end the only one left was his son whom he loved, and eventually he sent him, thinking ‘they will respect my son.’
7 But the husbandmen said one to another: This is the heir; come let us kill him; and the inheritance shall be ours.
But the farmers said to themselves, ‘Here's the owner's heir—if we kill him, we can get what he would have inherited!’
8 And laying hold on him, they killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those husbandmen; and will give the vineyard to others.
Now what is the owner of the vineyard going to do? He will come and kill those farmers, and then he will lease the vineyard to others.
10 And have you not read this scripture, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner:
Haven't you even read this Scripture: ‘The stone rejected by the builders has become the chief cornerstone.
11 By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is from the Lord, and it's marvelous to see!’?”
12 And they sought to lay hands on him, but they feared the people. For they knew that he spoke this parable to them. And leaving him, they went their way.
The Jewish leaders tried to have him arrested because they realized that the illustration was directed at them, but they were afraid of the crowd. So they left him alone and went away.
13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians; that they should catch him in his words.
Later they sent some Pharisees with some of Herod's supporters to Jesus in an attempt to catch him out by what he said.
14 Who coming, say to him: Master, we know that thou art a true speaker, and carest not for any man; for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar; or shall we not give it?
They arrived and said, “Teacher, we know you are a truthful person and you don't look for approval, because you don't care about status or position. Instead you teach God's way in accordance with the truth. So is it right to pay tribute to Caesar or not?
15 Who knowing their wiliness, saith to them: Why tempt you me? bring me a penny that I may see it.
Should we pay up, or should we refuse?” Jesus, realizing how hypocritical they were, asked them, “Why are you trying to catch me out? Bring me a coin to look at.”
16 And they brought it him. And he saith to them: Whose is this image and inscription? They say to him, Caesar’s.
They gave him a coin. “Whose is this image, and whose inscription?” Jesus asked them. “Caesar's,” they replied.
17 And Jesus answering, said to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.
“Then give back to Caesar what belongs to him, and give back to God what belongs to him,” Jesus told them. They were amazed at his reply.
18 And there came to him the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying:
Then the Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, came and asked a question:
19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, that if any man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.
“Teacher, Moses instructed us that if a man dies, leaving his widow childless, then his brother should marry his wife, and have children by her on his behalf.
20 Now there were seven brethren; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no issue.
Once there were seven brothers. The first one got married, and then died without having children.
21 And the second took her, and died: and neither did he leave any issue. And the third in like manner.
The second married his widow, and then died, childless. The third did the same.
22 And the seven all took her in like manner; and did not leave issue. Last of all the woman also died.
In fact all seven died without having children. In the end the woman died too.
23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise again, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
In the resurrection, whose wife will she be, because she was the wife of all seven brothers?”
24 And Jesus answering, saith to them: Do ye not therefore err, because you know not the scriptures, nor the power of God?
Jesus told them, “This proves you're mistaken, and that you don't know the Scriptures or the power of God.
25 For when they shall rise again from the dead, they shall neither marry, nor be married, but are as the angels in heaven.
When the dead rise, they don't marry, and aren't given in marriage. They're like the angels in heaven.
26 And as concerning the dead that they rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spoke to him, saying: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
But concerning the resurrection, haven't you read in Moses' writings the story of the burning bush, where God spoke to Moses and told him, ‘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 therefore do greatly err.
He's not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are completely mistaken!”
28 And there came one of the scribes that had heard them reasoning together, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him which was the first commandment of all.
One of the religious teachers came and heard them arguing. He recognized that Jesus had given them a good answer. So he asked him, “Which is the most important commandment of all?”
29 And Jesus answered him: The first commandment of all is, Hear, O Israel: the Lord thy God is one God.
Jesus replied, “The first commandment is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God is one.
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the first commandment.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your spirit, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
31 And the second is like to it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these.
The second is ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There's no more important commandment than these.”
32 And the scribe said to him: Well, Master, thou hast said in truth, that there is one God, and there is no other besides him.
“That's right, Teacher,” the man replied. “It's true as you said that God is one, and there is no other.
33 And that he should be loved with the whole heart, and with the whole understanding, and with the whole soul, and with the whole strength; and to love one’s neighbour as one’s self, is a greater thing than all holocausts and sacrifices.
We are to love him with all our heart, all our understanding, and all our strength, and we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is far more important than offerings and sacrifices.”
34 And Jesus seeing that he had answered wisely, said to him: Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
Jesus saw that he gave a thoughtful answer, and said, “You're not far from the kingdom of God.” After this no one was brave enough to ask him any more questions.
35 And Jesus answering, said, teaching in the temple: How do the scribes say, that Christ is the son of David?
While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he asked, “Why do the religious teachers state that Christ is the son of David?
36 For David himself saith by the Holy Ghost: The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool.
As David himself declared, inspired by the Holy Spirit, that the Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.’
37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord, and whence is he then his son? And a great multitude heard him gladly.
Since David himself calls him Lord, how can he be David's son?” The large crowd listened to what Jesus said with great delight.
38 And he said to them in his doctrine: Beware of the scribes, who love to walk in long robes, and to be saluted in the marketplace,
Jesus continued to teach them, saying, “Beware of religious leaders! They love to walk around in long robes, to be greeted respectfully in the marketplaces.
39 And to sit in the first chairs, in the synagogues, and to have the highest places at suppers:
They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues, and the best places at banquets.
40 Who devour the houses of widows under the pretence of long prayer: these shall receive greater judgment.
They cheat widows out of what they own, and cover up the kind of people they really are with long-winded prayers. They will receive severe condemnation in the judgment.”
41 And Jesus sitting over against the treasury, beheld how the people cast money into the treasury, and many that were rich cast in much.
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury collection box, watching people tossing in coins. Many of the rich were extravagantly throwing in a lot of money.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing.
Then a poor widow came along and put in just two small coins.
43 And calling his disciples together, he saith to them: Amen I say to you, this poor widow hath cast in more than all they who have cast into the treasury.
He called his disciples together and told them, “I tell you the truth: this poor widow has put in more than all the rest together.
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want cast in all she had, even her whole living.
All of them gave from their wealth what they had, but she gave from her poverty what she didn't have. She put in all she had to live on.”
