Mark 12
1 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.
And he began to speake vnto them in parables, A certaine man planted a vineyard, and copassed it with an hedge, and digged a pit for the winepresse, and built a tower in it, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a strange countrey.
2 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.
And at the time, he sent to the husbandmen a seruant, that he might receiue of the husbandmen of the fruite of the vineyard.
3 But [after the servant arrived], they grabbed him and beat him, and they did not give him any fruit. Then they sent him away.
But they tooke him, and beat him, and sent him away emptie.
4 Later the one who owned the vineyard sent another servant to them. But they beat that one on his head, and they insulted him.
And againe he sent vnto them another seruant, and at him they cast stones, and brake his head, and sent him away shamefully handled.
5 Later he sent another servant. That man they killed. They mistreated many other servants [whom he sent]. Some they beat and some they killed.
And againe he sent another, and him they slew, and many other, beating some, and killing some.
6 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].
Yet had he one sonne, his deare beloued: him also he sent the last vnto them, saying, They will reuerence my sonne.
7 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!’
But ye husbandmen said among themselues, This is the heire: come, let vs kill him, and the inheritance shalbe ours.
8 They seized him and killed him. Then they threw his body outside the vineyard.
So they tooke him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
9 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.
What shall then the Lord of the vineyard doe? He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and giue the vineyard to others.
10 [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]!
Haue ye not read so much as this Scripture? The stone which the builders did refuse, is made the head of the corner.
11 The Lord has done this, and we marvel as we look at it.”
This was done of the Lord, and it is marueilous in our eyes.
12 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.
Then they went about to take him, but they feared the people: for they perceiued that he spake that parable against them: therefore they left him, and went their way.
13 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].
And they sent vnto him certaine of the Pharises, and of ye Herodians that they might take him in his talke.
14 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?”
And when they came, they saide vnto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou considerest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God truely, Is it lawfull to giue tribute to Cesar, or not?
15 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.”
Should we giue it, or should we not giue it? but he knew their hypocrisie, and said vnto them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a peny, that I may see it.
16 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].”
So they brought it, and he said vnto them, Whose is this image and superscription? and they said vnto him, Cesars.
17 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].
Then Iesus answered, and saide vnto them, Giue to Cesar the things that are Cesars, and to God, those that are Gods: and they marueiled at him.
18 [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,
Then came the Sadduces vnto him, (which say, there is no resurrection) and they asked him, saying,
19 “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].
Master, Moses wrote vnto vs, If any mans brother die, and leaue his wife, and leaue no children, that his brother should take his wife, and rayse vp seede vnto his brother.
20 [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.
There were seuen brethren, and the first tooke a wife, and when he died, left no issue.
21 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].
Then the seconde tooke her, and he died, neither did he yet leaue issue, and the third likewise:
22 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.
So those seuen had her, and left no yssue: last of all the wife died also.
23 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]?)”
In the resurrection then, when they shall rise againe, whose wife shall she be of them? for seuen had her to wife.
24 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].
Then Iesus answered, and saide vnto them, Are ye not therefore deceiued, because ye knowe not the Scriptures, neither the power of God?
25 [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].
For when they shall rise againe from the dead, neither men marry, nor wiues are married, but are as the Angels which are in heauen.
26 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].’
And as touching the dead, that they shall rise againe, haue ye not read in the booke of Moses, howe in the bush God spake vnto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob?
27 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.”
God is not ye God of the dead, but the God of the liuing. Ye are therefore greatly deceiued.
28 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?”
Then came one of the Scribes that had heard them disputing together, and perceiuing that he had answered them well, he asked him, Which is the first commandement of all?
29 Jesus answered, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, [you people of] Israel! [You must worship] the Lord, our God, our only Lord.
Iesus answered him, The first of all the commandements is, Heare, Israel, The Lord our God is the onely Lord.
30 [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!’
Thou shalt therefore loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy minde, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandement.
31 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!”
And the second is like, that is, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. There is none other commandement greater then these.
32 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].
Then that Scribe said vnto him, Well, Master, thou hast saide the trueth, that there is one God, and that there is none but he,
33 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.”
And to loue him with all the heart, and with all the vnderstanding, and with all the soule, and with all the strength, and to loue his neighbour as himselfe, is more then all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
34 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].
Then when Iesus saw that he answered discreetely, he saide vnto him, Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God. And no man after that durst aske him any question.
35 [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]
And Iesus answered and said teaching in the Temple, Howe say the Scribes that Christ is the sonne of Dauid?
36 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]’
For Dauid himselfe said by ye holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footestoole.
37 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].
Then Dauid himselfe calleth him Lord: by what meanes is he then his sonne? and much people heard him gladly.
38 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.
Moreouer he saide vnto them in his doctrine, Beware of the Scribes which loue to goe in long robes, and loue salutations in the markets,
39 [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.
And the chiefe seates in the Synagogues, and the first roumes at feastes,
40 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!”
Which deuoure widowes houses, euen vnder a colour of long prayers. These shall receiue the greater damnation.
41 [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].
And as Iesus sate ouer against the treasurie, he beheld how the people cast money into the treasurie, and many rich men cast in much.
42 Then a poor widow came along and put in two small copper coins, which had a very small value.
And there came a certaine poore widowe, and she threw in two mites, which make a quadrin.
43 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!”
Then he called vnto him his disciples, and said vnto them, Verely I say vnto you, that this poore widowe hath cast more in, then all they which haue cast into the treasurie.
For they all did cast in of their superfluitie: but she of her pouertie did cast in all that she had, euen all her liuing.
