Mark 12

Jesus tells the parable of the wicked husbandmen and silences the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees who try to trap Him with questions about tribute, the resurrection, and the greatest commandment. He warns against the scribes and commends a poor widow who casts two mites into the treasury.

v	King James Version	Modern English
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.	He began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. He rented it to farmers and went away 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.	At harvest time He sent a servant to the farmers to collect some of the fruit of the vineyard from them.
3	And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.	But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
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.	He sent another servant to them. They struck Him on the head and treated Him shamefully.
5	And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.	He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others — they beat some and killed others.
6	Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.	He had one more to send — a beloved son. He sent Him last of all, saying, '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 those farmers said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill Him and the inheritance will be ours.'
8	And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.	They took Him, 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.	What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers and give 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:	Have You not read this scripture: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.'
11	This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?	'This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
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.	They wanted to arrest Him but were afraid of the crowd, because they understood He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.
13	And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.	They sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Him in His words.
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 Caesar, or not?	They came and said to Him, "Master, we know that You are truthful and show no partiality to anyone. You do not look at the outward appearance of men but teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful to pay taxes 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 or not?" Knowing their hypocrisy, He said to them, "Why are You testing Me? Bring Me a denarius so I can look at it."
16	And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's.	They brought one. He asked, "Whose image and inscription is this?" "Caesar's," they said.
17	And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.	Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." They were amazed at Him.
18	Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,	Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked,
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.	"Master, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother."
20	Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.	There were seven brothers. The first one took a wife and died without leaving children.
21	And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.	The second one married the widow and also died without leaving children. The third did the same.
22	And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.	In fact, none of the seven left children. Last of all, 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.	At the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her."
24	And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?	Jesus said to them, "Is this not the reason You are wrong — that You do not 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 neither marry nor are given in marriage. They are 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?	As for the dead rising — have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of 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 the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.	He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly 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 scribes came and heard them arguing. When He noticed that Jesus had given them a good answer, He asked Him, "Which is the first 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 answered, "The first is: 'Hear, O Israel — the Lord our God is one Lord.'"
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.	"'You shall love the Lord Your God with all Your heart, and with all Your soul, and with all Your mind, and with all Your strength.' This is the first commandment."
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 this: 'You shall love Your neighbor as Yourself.' There is no other commandment greater 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:	The scribe said to him, "Well said, Master. You have spoken the truth — that He is one and there is no other besides Him."
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.	"To love Him with all the heart, all the understanding, and all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself — that is worth more than all burnt 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.	When Jesus saw that He answered wisely, He said to Him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that no one dared 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 He was teaching in the temple, Jesus said, "How can the scribes say that the 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.	David himself, speaking by the Holy Ghost, said: 'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool.'
37	David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.	David himself calls him 'Lord.' How then can he be his son?" The large crowd listened to Him with 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,	In His teaching He said, "Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes and receive greetings in the marketplaces."
39	And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:	"They love the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts."
40	Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.	"They devour widows' houses and for a show make long prayers. These men will receive greater damnation."
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 across from the treasury and watched the crowd putting money into it. Many rich people put in large amounts.
42	And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.	But a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
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 said, "Truly I tell You, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others."
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.	"They all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in everything — all she had to live on."