Devine Scripture

Mark 12:20

What does Mark 12:20 mean?

A plain-English look at Mark 12:20 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Mark 12:20 means

The Sadducees proceed to construct a hypothetical scenario involving seven brothers. The first brother marries a woman but dies without having any children. This detail of being \"sowing no seed\" is critical, as it necessitates the application of the levirate marriage law. This complex, multi-layered example is designed to maximize the absurdity of the resurrection in their minds, setting the groundwork for their ultimate question about the woman's marital status in the afterlife, if resurrection were true.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

There were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

There were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

There were seven brothers: and the first took a wife, and at his death there were no offspring;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

`There were then seven brothers, and the first took a wife, and dying, he left no seed;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife and died leaving no issue.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

There were seven brethren; and the first took a wife, and dying did not leave seed;

Context

This verse begins the Sadducees’ elaborate hypothetical case, immediately applying the levirate marriage law described in the previous verse. It initiates a chain of events involving multiple brothers marrying the same woman. This detailed, extended example builds the false premise that Jesus will need to address, making the theological dispute concrete and challenging, and leading directly into the subsequent deaths of the other brothers.

v.19Teacher, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave a wife behind him, and leave no child, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

v.20This passage

v.21and the second took her, and died, leaving no seed behind him; and the third likewise:

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Matthew 22:25

    Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first married and deceased, and having no seed left his wife unto his brother;

  • Luke 20:29

    There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died childless;

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