Mark 12
1 And he began to speak unto them by parables. A [certain] man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about [it], and digged [a place for] the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.
Then He began to speak to them in figurative language. "There was once a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, fenced it round, dug a pit for the wine-tank, and built a strong lodge. Then he let the place to vine-dressers and went abroad.
2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
At vintage-time he sent one of his servants to receive from the vine-dressers a share of the grapes.
3 And they caught [him], and beat him, and sent [him] away empty.
But they seized him, beat him cruelly and sent him away empty-handed.
4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded [him] in the head, and sent [him] away shamefully handled.
Again he sent to them another servant: and as for him, they wounded him in the head and treated him shamefully.
5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.
Yet a third he sent, and him they killed. And he sent many besides, and them also they ill-treated, beating some and killing others.
6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
He had still one left whom he could send, a dearly-loved son: him last of all he sent, saying, "'They will treat my son with respect.'
7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.
"But those men--the vine-dressers--said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him, and then the property will one day be ours.'
8 And they took him, and killed [him], and cast [him] out of the vineyard.
"So they took him and killed him, and flung his body outside the vineyard.
9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
What, therefore, will the owner of the vineyard do?" "He will come and put the vine-dressers to death," they said; "and will give the vineyard to others."
10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
"Have you not read even this passage," He added, "'The stone which the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone:
11 This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
this Cornerstone came from the Lord, and is wonderful in our esteem?'"
12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.
And they kept looking out for an opportunity to seize Him, but were afraid of the people; for they saw that in this parable He had referred to them. So they left Him and went away.
13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in [his] words.
Their next step was to send to Him some of the Pharisees and of Herod's partisans to entrap Him in conversation.
14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not?
So they came to Him. "Rabbi," they said, "we know that you are a truthful man and you do not fear any one; for you do not recognize human distinctions, but teach God's way truly. Is it allowable to pay poll-tax to Caesar, or not?
15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see [it].
Shall we pay, or shall we refuse to pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, replied, "Why try to ensnare me? Bring me a shilling for me to look at."
16 And they brought [it]. And he saith unto them, Whose [is] this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cæsar’s.
They brought one; and He asked them, "Whose is this likeness and this inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied.
17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.
"What is Caesar's," replied Jesus, "pay to Caesar--and what is God's, pay to God." And they wondered exceedingly at Him.
18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,
Then came to Him a party of Sadducees, a sect which denies that there is any Resurrection; and they proceeded to question Him.
19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave [his] wife [behind him], and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
"Rabbi," they said, "Moses made it a law for us: 'If a man's brother should die and leave a wife, but no child, the man shall marry the widow and raise up a family for his brother.'
20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.
There were once seven brothers, the eldest of whom married a wife, but at his death left no family.
21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.
The second married her, and died, leaving no family; and the third did the same.
22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.
And so did the rest of the seven, all dying childless. Finally the woman also died.
23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
At the Resurrection whose wife will she be? For they all seven married her."
24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
"Is not this the cause of your error," replied Jesus--"your ignorance alike of the Scriptures and of the power of God?
25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
For when they have risen from among the dead, men do not marry and women are not given in marriage, but they are as angels are in Heaven.
26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I [am] the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
But as to the dead, that they rise to life, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, 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 therefore do greatly err.
He is not the God of dead, but of living men. You are in grave error."
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
Then one of the Scribes, who had heard them disputing and well knew that Jesus had given them an answer to the point, and a forcible one, came forward and asked Him, "Which is the chief of all the Commandments?"
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
"The chief Commandment," replied Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is 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 thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, thy whole soul, thy whole mind, and thy whole strength.'
31 And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
"The second is this: 'Thou shalt love thy fellow man as thou lovest thyself.' "Other Commandment greater than these there is none."
32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
So the Scribe said to Him, "Rightly, in very truth, Rabbi, have you said that He stands alone, and there is none but He;
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 more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
and To love Him with all one's heart, with all one's understanding, and with all one's strength, and to love one's fellow man no less than oneself, is far better than all our 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.]
Perceiving that the Scribe had answered wisely Jesus said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." No one from that time forward ventured to put any question to Him.
35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?
But, while teaching in the Temple, Jesus asked, "How is it the Scribes say that the Christ is a son of David?
36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
David himself said, taught by the Holy Spirit, "'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, until I have made thy foes a footstool under thy feet.'
37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he [then] his son? And the common people heard him gladly.
"David himself calls Him 'Lord:' how then can He be his son?" And the mass of people found pleasure in listening to Jesus.
38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and [love] salutations in the marketplaces,
Moreover in the course of His teaching He said, "Be on your guard against the Scribes who like to walk about in long robes and to be bowed to in places of public resort,
39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
and to occupy the best seats in the synagogues and at dinner parties,
40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.
and who swallow up the property of widows and then mask their wickedness by making long prayers: these men will receive far heavier punishment."
41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
Having taken a seat opposite the Treasury, He observed how the people were dropping money into the Treasury, and that many of the wealthy threw in large sums.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
But there came one poor widow and dropped in two farthings, equal in value to a halfpenny.
43 And he called [unto him] his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
So He called His disciples to Him and said, "In solemn truth I tell you that this widow, poor as she is, has thrown in more than all the other contributors to the Treasury;
44 For all [they] did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, [even] all her living.
for they have all contributed out of what they could well spare, but she out of her need has thrown in all she possessed--all she had to live on."
