Mark 12
1 AND he began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and digged a wine-press, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went abroad.
Jesus began to speak to them in parables, ‘A man once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a wine-press, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad.
2 And in the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, to receive from them a share of the produce of the grape harvest;
3 But they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
but they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and they cut the account short with him, by stoning him, and sent him away shamefully treated.
A second time the owner sent a servant to them; this man, too, the tenants struck on the head, and insulted.
5 And again he sent another; and him, they slew; and many others, some of whom they beat, and others they killed.
He sent another, but him they killed; and so with many others – some they beat and some they killed.
6 Now he had yet one son, his beloved, and he sent him unto them last, saying, They will reverence my son.
He had still one son, who was very dear to him; and him he sent to them last of all. “They will respect my son,” he said.
7 But these husbandmen said to each other, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be our own.
But those tenants said to one another “Here is the heir! Come, let us kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.”
8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
So they seized him, and killed him, and threw his body outside the vineyard.
9 What then will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and give his vineyard to others.
What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and put the tenants to death, and he will let the vineyard to others.
10 Have ye never read this scripture? “The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner:
‘Have you never read this passage of scripture? – “The stone which the builders despised has now itself become the cornerstone;
11 this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.”
this cornerstone has come from the Lord, and is marvellous in our eyes.”’
12 And they sought to seize him, and were afraid of the people: for they knew that he had spoken this parable against them: and leaving him, they departed.
After this his enemies were eager to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd; for they saw that it was at them that he had aimed the parable. So they left him alone, and went away.
13 And they sent unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might entrap him in discourse.
Afterwards they sent to Jesus some of the Pharisees and Herodians, to set a trap for him in the course of conversation.
14 And they come and say to him, Master, we know that thou art true, 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 pay tribute to Caesar, or not?
These men came to him and said, ‘Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and are not afraid of anyone, for you pay no regard to a person’s position, but teach the way of God honestly; are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not?
15 shall we pay, or shall we not pay it? but he, perceiving their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a denarius, that I may see it.
Should we pay, or should we not pay?’ Knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you testing me? Bring me a coin to look at.’
16 And they brought it. And he said unto them, Whose figure and inscription is this? they say unto him, Caesar’s.
And, when they had brought it, he asked, ‘Whose head and title are these?’ ‘The Emperor’s,’ they said;
17 And Jesus addressing them, said, Render the things which are Caesar’s, to Caesar; and what belongs to God, to God. And they marvelled at him.
and Jesus replied, ‘Pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God.’ And they were amazed at him.
18 And the Sadducees come to him, who say that there is no resurrection; and they put a question to him, saying,
Next came some Sadducees – the men who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this –
19 Master, Moses left it in writing for us, that if a man’s brother die, and leave a wife, and leave no children; that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed for his brother.
‘Teacher, in our scriptures Moses decreed that, should a man’s brother die, leaving a widow but no child, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.
20 Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and dying left no issue:
There were once seven brothers. The eldest married, but died and left no family;
21 and the second took her, and died, and neither did he leave issue; and the third in like manner.
and the second married his widow, and died without family; and so did the third.
22 And the seven had her, and left no issue. Last of all died also the wife.
All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all.
23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife of them shall she be? for the seven had the very same wife.
At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?’
24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, from not knowing the scriptures, and the power of God?
‘Is not the reason of your mistake,’ answered Jesus, ‘your ignorance of the scriptures and of the power of God?
25 For when they rise from the dead, they will neither marry, nor be given in marriage; but they are as the angels which are in heaven.
When people rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in heaven.
26 But concerning the dead, that they do rise; have ye not read in the book of Moses, how God spake to him at the bush, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
‘As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to 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 the God of the living. Ye are therefore vastly erroneous.
He is not God of dead people, but of living. You are greatly mistaken.’
28 And one of the scribes coming, and hearing them questioning him, perceiving that he had answered them admirably, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
Then came up one of the teachers of the Law who had heard their discussions. Knowing that Jesus had answered them wisely, he asked him this question, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’
29 Then Jesus replied to him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear O Israel; the Lord thy God is one Lord:
‘The most important,’ answered Jesus, ‘is – “Hear, Israel; the Lord our God is the one Lord;
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. This is the first commandment.
and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”
31 And the second, like it, is this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: there is no greater commandment than these.
The second is this – “You must love your neighbour as you love yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these.’
32 And the scribe said unto him, Admirably, Master! thou hast spoken the very truth: for there is one God; and there is no other besides him:
‘Wisely answered, teacher!’ exclaimed the teacher of the Law. ‘It is true, as you say, that there is one God, and that there is no other besides him;
33 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength; and to love his neighbour as himself, is better than all burnt offerings, and sacrifices.
and to love him with all one’s heart, and with all one’s understanding, and with all one’s strength, and to love one’s neighbour as one loves oneself is far beyond all burnt offerings and sacrifices.’
34 And Jesus perceiving that he had answered as a man of intelligence, said to him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man thenceforth presumed to question him.
Seeing that he had answered with discernment, Jesus said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one ventured to question him further.
35 And Jesus addressing them said, as he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that the Messiah is the Son of David?
While Jesus was teaching in the Temple Courts, he asked, ‘How is it that the teachers of the Law say that the Christ is to be David’s son?
36 for David himself saith by the Spirit, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thy enemies the foot-stool for thy feet.
David said himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit – “The Lord said to my lord: Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies beneath your feet.”
37 David himself therefore calleth him Lord; and whence then is he his son? And a vast multitude heard him with delight.
David himself calls him “lord,” how comes it, then, that he is to be his son?’ The mass of the people listened to Jesus with delight.
38 And he spake to them in the course of his teaching, Beware of the scribes, who love to go about in trailing robes, and like salutations in the places of concourse,
In the course of his teaching, Jesus said, ‘See that you are on your guard against the teachers of the Law, who delight to walk about in long robes, and to be greeted in the streets with respect,
39 and the principal seats in the synagogues, and the first couch at suppers:
and to have the best seats in the synagogues, and places of honour at dinner.
40 who devour widows’ houses, and in pretence make long prayers: such shall receive greater damnation.
They are the men who rob widows of their homes, and make a pretence of saying long prayers. Their sentence will be all the heavier.’
41 And as Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, he saw a multitude casting money into the treasury: and many who were rich cast in many pieces.
Then Jesus sat down opposite the chests for the Temple offerings, and watched how the people put money into them. Many rich people were putting in large sums;
42 And one poor widow coming, cast in two mites, which is a farthing.
but one poor widow came and put in two small coins, worth very little.
43 And having called his disciples, he said unto them, I tell you truly, that this poor widow hath cast in more than all who have cast into the treasury:
Then, calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others who were putting money into the chests;
44 for all they have cast in of their superfluities; but she from her indigence hath cast in all that she had, even her whole substance.
for everyone else put in something from what he had to spare, while she, in her need, put in all she had – everything that she had to live on.’
