Mark
Chapter 12
1 He started to tell them stories. A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, made a pit for the grape juice, built a watchtower, rented it to farmers, and then he went away to another place.
2 During the right time, he sent a worker to the farmers to collect some of the vineyard’s fruit from them.
3 They grabbed him, hit him, and sent him away with nothing.
4 He sent them another servant, but they threw stones at him, hurt his head, and sent him away badly treated.
5 He sent another, whom they killed, and many more, beating some and killing others.
6 Still having one beloved son, he sent him to them last, thinking, They will respect my son.
7 But the farmers said to each other, “This is the heir; come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.”
8 They seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 What will the owner of the vineyard do then? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.
10 Have you not read this part of the Scripture: The stone the builders did not want is now the most important stone.
11 This was what God did, and it is amazing to us.
12 They tried to arrest him but were afraid of the crowd because they knew the story was about them, so they left him and went away.
13 Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to trap him by what he said.
14 When they arrived, they said to him, “Teacher, we know you are honest and don’t favor anyone, because you don’t judge by appearances but teach God’s way truthfully: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
15 Should we pay, or shouldn’t we? But knowing they were fake, he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Show me a coin so I can look at it.”
16 They brought it to him. He asked them, “Whose picture and title is this?” They answered, “Caesar’s.”
17 Jesus replied, “Give to the leader what belongs to the leader, and to God what belongs to God.” They were amazed at him.
18 The Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him, saying,
19 Teacher, Moses told us that if a man dies and leaves a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have children for his brother.
20 There were seven brothers. The first married but died without having children.
21 The second brother married her and then died, leaving no children; and the same happened with the third brother.
22 All seven men married her and had no children. Finally, the woman also died.
23 In the resurrection, when they come back to life, whose wife will she be among them? Because all seven were married to her.
24 Jesus answered them, “Aren’t you mistaken because you don’t know the scriptures or God’s power?”
25 When they rise from the dead, they don’t marry or are married off; they are like the angels in heaven.
26 About the dead, that they come back to life: haven’t you read in Moses’ book, how in the bush God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
27 He is not the God of those who are dead, but the God of those who are alive; you are making a big mistake.
28 A teacher of the law came forward. After hearing them discuss, and noticing Jesus had given good answers, he asked, “What is the most important commandment?”
29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is, ‘Listen, Israel: God is our only Lord.’”
30 You should love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength: this is the first commandment.
31 The second command is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.
32 The teacher said to him, “Good, Teacher, you have spoken the truth: there is only one God, and no one else but Him.”
33 To love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love others as you love yourself, is more important than any burnt offerings and sacrifices.
34 When Jesus saw he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are close to God’s kingdom.” After that, no one dared to ask him more questions.
35 Jesus replied while teaching in the temple, “Why do the teachers say that the Messiah is David’s son?”
36 David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said, “God told my lord, ‘Sit at my right side until I make your enemies a place to rest your feet.’”
37 David himself calls him Lord; so how is he his son? And the people liked listening to him.
38 He taught them, “Be careful of the teachers of the law who like to wear long robes and enjoy being greeted with respect in the marketplaces.”
39 The best seats in the meeting places, and the places of honor at banquets:
40 They eat up widows’ homes and pretend to be pious with long prayers; they will face stricter punishment.
41 Jesus sat opposite the money box and watched how people put money into it; many rich people gave a lot.
42 A poor widow came and put in two small coins, worth a little.
43 He called his followers and told them, “I truly tell you, this poor widow has given more than anyone else who has donated to the treasury.”
44 Everyone else gave from their wealth, but she, in her poverty, gave everything she had to live on.