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 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, that he might receive from 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 And they caught [him], and 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 unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded [him] in the head, and sent [him] away shamefully handled.
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; beating some, and killing some.
He sent another servant, and this one they killed. He sent many other servants, and they beat some of them and killed others.
6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, 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 those husbandmen said among themselves, 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 they took him, and 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 shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto 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 ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
Haven't you even read this Scripture: ‘The stone rejected by the builders has become the chief cornerstone.
11 This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
This is from the Lord, and it's marvelous to see!’?”
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.
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 send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to 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 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?
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 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].
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]. And he saith unto them, Whose [is] this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cæsar’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 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.
“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 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which 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, 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.
“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 dying left no seed.
Once there were seven brothers. The first one got married, and then died without having children.
21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.
The second married his widow, and then died, childless. The third did the same.
22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.
In fact all seven died without having children. In the end the woman died too.
23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, 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 said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither 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 from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are 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 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 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 the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.
He's not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are completely mistaken!”
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?
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 of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Jesus replied, “The first commandment is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God is one.
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.
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, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none 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 unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
“That's right, Teacher,” the man replied. “It's true as you said that God is one, and there is no other.
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.
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 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.]
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 answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes 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 said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine 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 the common people 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 unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and [love] salutations in the marketplaces,
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 the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues, and the best places at banquets.
40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.
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 sat over against the treasury, and 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 threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
Then a poor widow came along and put in just two small coins.
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:
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 did cast in all that she had, [even] all her 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.”
