Mark, 12

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.

1. Using parables, Jesus went on to say, "A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a hole for the wine press and built a watch tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenants and went abroad.

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.

2. In due time he sent a servant to receive from the tenants his share of the fruit.

3. And they caught [him], and beat him, and sent [him] away empty.

3. But they seized the servant, struck him and sent him back 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.

4. Again the man sent another servant. They also 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.

5. He sent another and they killed him. In the same way they treated many others; some they struck and others they killed.

6. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.

6. One was still left, his beloved son. And so, last of all, he sent him to the tenants, for he said: '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.

7. But those tenants said to one another: 'This is the one who is to inherit the vineyard. Let's kill him and the property will be ours.'

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

8. So they seized him and 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.

9. Now, what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants 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:

10. And Jesus added, "Have you not read this text of the Scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected has become the keystone.

11. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

11. This was the Lord's doing; and we marvel at it.

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.

12. They wanted to arrest him for they realized that Jesus meant this parable for them, but they were afraid of the crowd. 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.

13. They sent to Jesus some Pharisees with members of Herod's party, with the purpose of trapping him in his own 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?

14. They came and said to Jesus, "Master, we know that you are true; you are not influenced by anyone, and your answers do not vary according to who is listening to you but you truly teach God's way. Tell us, is it against the Law to pay taxes to Caesar? Should we pay them 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].

15. But Jesus saw through their trick and answered, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a silver coin and let me see it."

16. And they brought [it]. And he saith unto them, Whose [is] this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's.

16. They brought him one and Jesus asked, "Whose head is this, and whose name?" They answered, "Caesar's."

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.

17. Then Jesus said, "Return to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." And they were greatly astonished.

18. Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

18. The Sadducees also came to Jesus. Since they claim that there is no resurrection, they questioned him in this way,

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.

19. "Master, in the Scriptures Moses gave us this law: 'If anyone dies and leaves a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife and give her a child who will be considered the child of his deceased brother.'

20. Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.

20. Now, there were seven brothers. The first married a wife, but he died without leaving any children.

21. And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.

21. The second took the wife and he, too, died leaving no children. The same thing happened to the third.

22. And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.

22. Finally the seven died leaving no children. Last of all the woman died.

23. In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

23. Now, in the resurrection, to which of them will she be wife? For the seven had her as wife."

24. And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

24. Jesus replied, "You could be wrong in this regard because you understand neither the Scriptures nor 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.

25. When they rise from the dead, men and women do not marry but 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?

26. Now, about the resurrection of the dead, have you never reflected on the chapter of the burning bush in the book of Moses? 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.

27. Now, he is the God, not of the dead but of the living. You are totally wrong."

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?

28. A teacher of the Law had been listening to this discussion and admired how Jesus answered them. So he came up and asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?"

29. And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

29. Jesus answered, "The first is: Hear, 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.

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

31. And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

31. And after this comes another one: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these two."

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:

32. The teacher of the Law said to him, "Well-spoken, Master; you are right when you say that he is one and there is no other.

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.

33. To love him with all our heart, with all our understanding and with all our strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves is more important than any burnt offering or sacrifice."

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].

34. Jesus approved this answer and said, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But 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?

35. As Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he said, "The teachers of the Law say that the Messiah is the son of David. How can that be?

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.

36. For David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit declared: The Lord said to my Lord: sit at my right until I put your enemies under your feet.

37. David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he [then] his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

37. If David himself calls him Lord, in what way can he be his son?" Many people came to Jesus and listened to him gladly.

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,

38. As he was teaching, he also said to them, "Beware of those teachers of the Law who enjoy walking around in long robes and being greeted in the marketplace,

39. And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

39. and who like to occupy reserved seats in the synagogues and the first places at feasts.

40. Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

40. They even devour the widow's and the orphan's goods while making a show of long prayers. How severe a sentence they will receive!"

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.

41. Jesus sat down opposite the Temple treasury and watched the people dropping money into the treasury box; and many rich people put in large offerings.

42. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

42. But a poor widow also came and dropped in two small coins.

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:

43. Then Jesus called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all those who gave offerings.

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.

44. For all of them gave from their plenty, but she gave from her poverty and put in everything she had, her very living."