Mark 12

Mark 12

Renters of a Vineyard

(Matthew 21.33-46; Luke 20.9-19)

1Jesus then told them this story:[#Is 5.1,2.]

9Jesus asked, “What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? He will come and kill those renters and let someone else have his vineyard.

10You surely know that the Scriptures say,[#Ps 118.22,23.]

‘The stone the builders

tossed aside

is now the most important

stone of all.

11This is something

the Lord has done,

and it is amazing to us.’ ”

12The leaders knew that Jesus was really talking about them, and they wanted to arrest him. But because they were afraid of the crowd, they let him alone and left.

Paying Taxes

(Matthew 22.15-22; Luke 20.20-26)

13The Pharisees got together with Herod's followers. Then they sent some men to trick Jesus into saying something wrong.[#12.13 People who were political followers of the family of Herod the Great and his son Herod Antipas.]

14They went to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are honest. You treat everyone with the same respect, no matter who they are. And you teach the truth about what God wants people to do. Tell us, should we pay taxes to the Emperor or not?”

15Jesus knew what they were up to, and he said, “Why are you trying to test me? Show me a coin!”

16They brought him a silver coin, and he asked, “Whose picture and name are on it?”

“The Emperor's,” they answered.

17Then Jesus told them, “Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God.” The men were amazed at Jesus.

Life in the Future World

(Matthew 22.23-33; Luke 20.27-40)

18The Sadducees did not believe that people would rise to life after death. So some of them came to Jesus and said:[#Ac 23.8.]

24Jesus answered:

The Most Important Commandment

(Matthew 22.34-40; Luke 10.25-28)

28One of the teachers of the Law of Moses came up while Jesus and the Sadducees were arguing. When he heard Jesus give a good answer, he asked him, “What is the most important commandment?”[#Lk 10.25-28.]

29Jesus answered, “The most important one says: ‘People of Israel, you have only one Lord and God.[#Dt 6.4,5.]

30You must love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’

31The second most important commandment says: ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ No other commandment is more important than these.”[#Lv 19.18.]

32The man replied, “Teacher, you are certainly right to say there is only one God.[#Dt 4.35,36.]

33It is also true that we must love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and that we must love others as much as we love ourselves. These commandments are more important than all the sacrifices and offerings that we could possibly make.”[#Ho 6.6.]

34When Jesus saw that the man had given a sensible answer, he told him, “You are not far from God's kingdom.” After this, no one dared ask Jesus any more questions.

About David's Son

(Matthew 22.41-46; Luke 20.41-44)

35As Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, “How can the teachers of the Law of Moses say the Messiah will come from the family of King David?

36The Holy Spirit led David to say,[#Ps 110.1.]

‘The Lord said to my Lord:

Sit at my right side

until I make your enemies

into a footstool for you.’

37If David called the Messiah his Lord, how can the Messiah be his son?”[#12.37 See the note at 10.47.]

The large crowd enjoyed listening to Jesus teach.

Jesus Condemns the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law of Moses

(Matthew 23.1-36; Luke 20.45-47)

38As Jesus was teaching, he said:

A Widow's Offering

(Luke 21.1-4)

41Jesus was sitting in the temple near the offering box and watching people put in their gifts. He noticed that many rich people were giving a lot of money.

42Finally, a poor widow came up and put in two coins worth only a few pennies.

43Jesus told his disciples to gather around him. Then he said:

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®) © 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Published by: American Bible Society