Mark, 12

1. He went on to speak to them in parables, 'A man planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug out a trough for the winepress and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad.

1. And he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a pit for the wine press, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country.

2. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard.

2. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.

3. But they seized the man, thrashed him and sent him away empty handed.

3. And they took him and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.

4. Next he sent another servant to them; him they beat about the head and treated shamefully.

4. Again he sent to them another servant, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully.

5. And he sent another and him they killed; then a number of others, and they thrashed some and killed the rest.

5. And he sent another, and him they killed; and so with many others, some they beat and some they killed.

6. He had still someone left: his beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, "They will respect my son."

6. He had still one other, a beloved son; finally he sent him to them, saying, `They will respect my son.'

7. But those tenants said to each other, "This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours."

7. But those tenants said to one another, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'

8. So they seized him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.

8. And they took him and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

9. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and make an end of the tenants and give the vineyard to others.

9. What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and give the vineyard to others.

10. Have you not read this text of scripture: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;

10. Have you not read this scripture: `The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner;

11. this is the Lord's doing, and we marvel at it ?'

11. this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

12. And they would have liked to arrest him, because they realised that the parable was aimed at them, but they were afraid of the crowds. So they left him alone and went away.

12. And they tried to arrest him, but feared the multitude, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them; so they left him and went away.

13. Next they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to catch him out in what he said.

13. And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Hero'di-ans, to entrap him in his talk.

14. These came and said to him, 'Master, we know that you are an honest man, that you are not afraid of anyone, because human rank means nothing to you, and that you teach the way of God in all honesty. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or not?'

14. And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

15. Recognising their hypocrisy he said to them, 'Why are you putting me to the test? Hand me a denarius and let me see it.'

15. Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a coin, and let me look at it."

16. They handed him one and he said to them, 'Whose portrait is this? Whose title?' They said to him, 'Caesar's.'

16. And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's."

17. Jesus said to them, 'Pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar -- and God what belongs to God.' And they were amazed at him.

17. Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at him.

18. Then some Sadducees -- who deny that there is a resurrection -- came to him and they put this question to him,

18. And Sad'ducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying,

19. 'Master, Moses prescribed for us that if a man's brother dies leaving a wife but no child, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother.

19. "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the wife, and raise up children for his brother.

20. Now there were seven brothers; the first married a wife and then died leaving no children.

20. There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no children;

21. The second married the widow, and he too died leaving no children; with the third it was the same,

21. and the second took her, and died, leaving no children; and the third likewise;

22. and none of the seven left any children. Last of all the woman herself died.

22. and the seven left no children. Last of all the woman also died.

23. Now at the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be, since she had been married to all seven?'

23. In the resurrection whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife."

24. Jesus said to them, 'Surely the reason why you are wrong is that you understand neither the scriptures nor the power of God.

24. Jesus said to them, "Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?

25. For when they rise from the dead, men and women do not marry; no, they are like the angels in heaven.

25. For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

26. Now about the dead rising again, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him and said: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob?

26. And 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, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

27. He is God, not of the dead, but of the living. You are very much mistaken.'

27. He is not God of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong."

28. One of the scribes who had listened to them debating appreciated that Jesus had given a good answer and put a further question to him, 'Which is the first of all the commandments?'

28. And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?"

29. Jesus replied, 'This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one, only Lord,

29. Jesus answered, "The first is, `Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one;

30. and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.

30. and 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.'

31. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.'

31. The second is this, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

32. The scribe said to him, 'Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true, that he is one and there is no other.

32. And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he;

33. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any burnt offering or sacrifice.'

33. and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34. Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.' And after that no one dared to question him any more.

34. And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any question.

35. While teaching in the Temple, Jesus said, 'How can the scribes maintain that the Christ is the son of David?

35. And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, "How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?

36. David himself, moved by the Holy Spirit, said: The Lord declared to my Lord, take your seat at my right hand till I have made your enemies your footstool.

36. David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, declared, `The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I put thy enemies under thy feet.'

37. David himself calls him Lord; in what way then can he be his son?' And the great crowd listened to him with delight.

37. David himself calls him Lord; so how is he his son?" And the great throng heard him gladly.

38. In his teaching he said, 'Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted respectfully in the market squares,

38. And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go about in long robes, and to have salutations in the market places

39. to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets;

39. and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,

40. these are the men who devour the property of widows and for show offer long prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive.'

40. who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."

41. He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal.

41. And he sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the multitude putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.

42. A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny.

42. And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make a penny.

43. Then he called his disciples and said to them, 'In truth I tell you, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury;

43. And he called his disciples to him, and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.

44. for they have all put in money they could spare, but she in her poverty has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.'

44. For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living."