TCNT MARK Chapter 12

The Parable of the Vineyard Owner

12 Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, built a tower, leased it to farmers, and left the country. 2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the farmers to receive from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they took him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent to them another servant, and they [fn]threw stones at him, struck him on the head, and [fn]sent him away after dishonoring him. 5 [fn]Again he sent another, and that one they killed. He also sent many others, some of whom they beat, and some of whom they killed. 6 Now he still had [fn]his one beloved son. He sent him to them [fn]as well, last of all, saying, ‘They will have respect for my son.’ 7 But [fn]the farmers said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What [fn]then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those farmers and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this Scripture:

‘The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone;

11 this was the Lord's doing,

and it is amazing in our eyes’?”

12 Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders were looking for a way to arrest Jesus because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.

The Question About Paying Taxes to Caesar

13 Later they sent to him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to trap him in his speech. 14 They came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that yoʋ are true and defer to no one, for yoʋ do not show partiality but teach the way of God in truth. [fn]Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Should we give, or should we not give?” But knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 So they brought one. Then he said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said [fn]to him, “Caesar's.” 17 [fn]In response Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they were [fn]amazed at him.

The Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection

18 Then some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and asked him, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no offspring. 21 The second married her and died, [fn]and he also left no offspring; the third did likewise. 22 In fact, [fn]the seven all married her and left no offspring. Last of all, the woman also died. 23 [fn]In the resurrection, when they rise again, which of them will she be the wife of? For the seven all had her as a wife.”

24 Jesus [fn]answered them, “Is this not why you are in error, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are they given in marriage. Instead, they are like [fn]the angels in heaven. 26 But as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the burning 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 [fn]the God of the living. You have [fn]therefore made a serious error.”

The Most Important Commandment

28 Now one of the scribes came up and heard them debating, and when he [fn]realized that Jesus had answered them well, he asked him, “Which is the most important commandment of all?” 29 Jesus answered [fn]him, “The most important [fn]of all the commandments is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord [fn]our God, the Lord is one. 30 And yoʋ shall love the Lord yoʋr God with all yoʋr heart, with all yoʋr soul, with all yoʋr mind, and with all yoʋr strength.’ [fn]This is the most important commandment. 31 [fn]And a second like it is this: ‘Yoʋ shall love yoʋr neighbor as yoʋrself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 Then the scribe said to him, “Yoʋ are right, Teacher. In truth yoʋ have said that God is one, and that there is no other besides him, 33 and that to love him with all yoʋr heart, with all yoʋr understanding, [fn]with all yoʋr soul, and with all yoʋr strength, and to love yoʋr neighbor as yoʋrself is greater than every whole burnt offering and sacrifice.” 34 When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, he said to him, “Yoʋ are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him questions anymore.

Whose Son Is the Christ?

35 As Jesus taught in the temple courts, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36 [fn]For David himself said in the Holy Spirit,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at my right hand

until I [fn]make yoʋr enemies a footstool for yoʋr feet.” ’

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ so how is he his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him gladly.

Beware of the Scribes

38 Jesus also said [fn]to them in his teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to receive greetings in the marketplaces, 39 and to have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets, 40 who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive a more severe judgment.”

The Widow's Offering

41 Later Jesus sat down across from the treasury and watched how the crowd was putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43 So Jesus called his disciples over and said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put more money into the treasury than all the others. 44 For they have all put in money out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, has put in all that she had, her entire livelihood.”