Mark 12 — NETB

12Verse 1Then he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey.^{Verse 2}At harvest time he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his portion of the crop.^{Verse 3}But those tenants seized his slave, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.^{Verse 4}So he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously.^{Verse 5}He sent another, and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten, others killed.^{Verse 6}He had one left, his one dear son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’^{Verse 7}But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’^{Verse 8}So they seized him, killed him, and threw his body out of the vineyard.^{Verse 9}What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.^{Verse 10}Have you not read this scripture:‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
^{Verse 11}This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”^{Verse 12}Now they wanted to arrest him (but they feared the crowd), because they realized that he told this parable against them. So they left him and went away.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

^{Verse 13}Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to trap him with his own words.^{Verse 14}When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”^{Verse 15}But he saw through their hypocrisy and said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”^{Verse 16}So they brought one, and he said to them, “Whose image is this, and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.”^{Verse 17}Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him.

Marriage and the Resurrection

^{Verse 18}Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) also came to him and asked him,^{Verse 19}“Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and father children for his brother.’^{Verse 20}There were seven brothers. The first one married, and when he died he had no children.^{Verse 21}The second married her and died without any children, and likewise the third.^{Verse 22}None of the seven had children. Finally, the woman died too.^{Verse 23}In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”^{Verse 24}Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you deceived for this reason, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God?^{Verse 25}For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.^{Verse 26}Now as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?^{Verse 27}He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

The Greatest Commandment

^{Verse 28}Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”^{Verse 29}Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{Verse 30}Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’^{Verse 31}The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”^{Verse 32}The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him.^{Verse 33}And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”^{Verse 34}When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.

The Messiah: David’s Son and Lord

^{Verse 35}While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he said, “How is it that the experts in the law say that the Christ is David’s son?^{Verse 36}David himself, by the Holy Spirit, said,‘The Lord said to my lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet.”’^{Verse 37}If David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

Warnings About Experts in the Law

^{Verse 38}In his teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces,^{Verse 39}and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.^{Verse 40}They devour widows’ property, and as a show make long prayers. These men will receive a more severe punishment.”

The Widow’s Offering

^{Verse 41}Then he sat down opposite the offering box, and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts.^{Verse 42}And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny.^{Verse 43}He called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others.^{Verse 44}For they all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.”