New King James Version

New Living Translation

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

Then He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to [a]vinedressers and went into a far country.

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Parable of the Evil Farmers

Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: “A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.

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Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.

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At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop.

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

3

But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.

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Again he sent them another servant, [b]and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.

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The owner then sent another servant, but they insulted him and beat him over the head.

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And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.

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The next servant he sent was killed. Others he sent were either beaten or killed,

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Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

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until there was only one left — his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’

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But those [c]vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

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“But the tenant farmers said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’

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So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

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So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard.

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“Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.

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“What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?” Jesus asked. “I’ll tell you — he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.

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Have you not even read this Scripture:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.

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Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.

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This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

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This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see.’a”

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And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

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The religious leadersb wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story against them — they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.

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The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?

Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words.

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Taxes for Caesar

Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.

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When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and [d]care about no one; for You do not [e]regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

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“Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us — is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

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Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?”
But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.”

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Should we pay them, or shouldn’t we?”
Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin,c and I’ll tell you.”

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So they brought it.
And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

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When they handed it to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.

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And Jesus answered and said to them, [f]“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
And they marveled at Him.

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“Well, then,” Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
His reply completely amazed them.

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The Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?

Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying:

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Discussion about Resurrection

Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees — religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question:

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“Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.

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“Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.d

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Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring.

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Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children.

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And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise.

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So the second brother married the widow, but he also died without children. Then the third brother married her.

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So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also.

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This continued with all seven of them, and still there were no children. Last of all, the woman also died.

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Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”

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So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.”

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Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore [g]mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?

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Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.

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

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For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.

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But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

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“But now, as to whether the dead will be raised — haven’t you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses,e ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’f

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He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly [h]mistaken.”

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So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error.”

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The Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment of All?

Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, [i]perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the [j]first commandment of all?”

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The Most Important Commandment

One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

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Jesus answered him, “The [k]first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

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Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.

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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.’ [l]This is the first commandment.

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

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And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

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The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’h No other commandment is greater than these.”

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So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.

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The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other.

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And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, [m]with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

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And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

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Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
But after that no one dared question Him.

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Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

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Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?

Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?

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Whose Son Is the Messiah?

Later, as Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, he asked, “Why do the teachers of religious law claim that the Messiah is the son of David?

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For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’

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For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’i

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Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”
And the common people heard Him gladly.

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Since David himself called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with great delight.

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Beware of the Scribes

Then He said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces,

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Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces.

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the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts,

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And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets.

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who devour widows’ houses, and [n]for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

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Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.”

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The Widow’s Two Mites

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much.

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The Widow’s Offering

Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts.

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Then one poor widow came and threw in two [o]mites, which make a [p]quadrans.

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Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.j

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So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury;

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Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.

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for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

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For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

Parallel

New King James Version

New Living Translation

Mark 12

Mark 12