Thematic Bible
Mark 12:1 (show verse)
And Jesus began to speak to them in parables: "A man once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a wine-press, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad.
Mark 12:2 (show verse)
At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, to receive from them a share of the produce of the vintage;
Mark 12:3 (show verse)
But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty- handed.
Mark 12:4 (show verse)
A second time the owner sent a servant to them; this man, too, the tenants struck on the head, and insulted.
Mark 12:5 (show verse)
He sent another, but him they killed; and so with many others- -some they beat and some they killed.
Mark 12:6 (show verse)
He had still one son, who was very dear to him; and him he sent to them last of all. 'They will respect my son,' he said.
Mark 12:7 (show verse)
But those tenants said to one another 'Here is the heir! Come, let us kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.'
Mark 12:8 (show verse)
So they seized him, and killed him, and threw his body outside the vineyard.
Mark 12:9 (show verse)
What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and put the tenants to death, and he will let the vineyard to others.
Mark 12:10 (show verse)
Have you never read this passage of Scripture?--'The very stone which the builders despised has now itself become the corner- stone;
Mark 12:11 (show verse)
This corner-stone has come from the Lord, and is marvelous in our eyes.'"
Mark 12:12 (show verse)
After this his enemies were eager to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd; for they saw that it was at them that he had aimed the parable. So they let him alone, and went away.
Mark 12:13 (show verse)
Afterwards they sent to Jesus some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to set a trap for him in the course of conversation.
Mark 12:14 (show verse)
These men came to him and said: "Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and are not afraid of any one, for you pay no regard to a man's position, but teach the Way of God honestly; are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not?
Mark 12:15 (show verse)
Should we pay, or should we not pay?" Knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus said to them: "Why are you testing me? Bring me a florin to look at."
Mark 12:16 (show verse)
And, when they had brought it, he asked: "Whose head and title are these?" "The Emperor's," they said;
Mark 12:17 (show verse)
And Jesus replied: "Pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God." And they wondered at him.
Mark 12:18 (show verse)
Next came some Sadducees--the men who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this--
Mark 12:19 (show verse)
"Teacher, in our Scriptures Moses decreed that, should a man's brother die, leaving a widow but no child, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.
Mark 12:20 (show verse)
There were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest took a wife, but died and left no family;
Mark 12:21 (show verse)
And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third.
Mark 12:22 (show verse)
All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all.
Mark 12:23 (show verse)
At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?"
Mark 12:24 (show verse)
"Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God?
Mark 12:25 (show verse)
When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven.
Mark 12:26 (show verse)
As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?
Mark 12:27 (show verse)
He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."
Mark 12:28 (show verse)
Then came up one of the Teachers of the Law who had heard their discussions. Knowing that Jesus had answered them wisely, he asked him this question: "What is the first of all the commandments?"
Mark 12:29 (show verse)
"The first," answered Jesus, "is--'Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is the one Lord;
Mark 12:30 (show verse)
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.'
Mark 12:31 (show verse)
The second is this--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost love thyself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
Mark 12:32 (show verse)
"Wisely answered, Teacher!" exclaimed the Teacher of the Law. "It is true, as you say, that 'there is one God,' and that 'there is no other besides him';
Mark 12:33 (show verse)
And to 'love him with all one's heart, and with all one's understanding, and with all one's strength,' and to 'love one's neighbor as one loves oneself' is far beyond all 'burnt-offerings and sacrifices.'"
Mark 12:34 (show verse)
Seeing that he had answered with discernment, Jesus said to him: "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." After that no one ventured to question him further.
Mark 12:35 (show verse)
While Jesus was teaching in the Temple Courts, he asked: "How is it that the Teachers of the Law say that the Christ is to be David's son?
Mark 12:36 (show verse)
David said himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit-- 'The Lord said to my lord: "Sit at my right hand, Until I put thy enemies beneath thy feet.'"
Mark 12:37 (show verse)
David himself calls him 'lord,' how comes it, then, that he is to be his son?" The mass of the people listened to Jesus with delight.
Mark 12:38 (show verse)
In the course of his teaching, Jesus said: "See that you are on your guard against the Teachers of the Law, who delight to walk about in long robes, and to be greeted in the streets with respect,
Mark 12:39 (show verse)
And to have the best seats in the Synagogues, and places of honor at dinner.
Mark 12:40 (show verse)
They are the men that rob widows of their homes, and make a pretense of saying long prayers. Their sentence will be all the heavier."
Mark 12:41 (show verse)
Then Jesus sat down opposite the chests for the Temple offerings, and watched how the people put money into them. Many rich people were putting in large sums;
Mark 12:42 (show verse)
But one poor widow came and put in two farthings, which make a half-penny.
Mark 12:43 (show verse)
On this, calling his disciples to him, Jesus said: "I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others who were putting money into the chests;
Mark 12:44 (show verse)
For every one else put in something from what he had to spare, while she, in her need, put in all she had--everything that she had to live on."