Devine Scripture

Mark 12:28

What does Mark 12:28 mean?

A plain-English look at Mark 12:28 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Mark 12:28 means

One of the scribes, observing Jesus’s skillful handling of the Sadducees’ difficult question, approaches Him with a genuine inquiry. Unlike the previous questioners who sought to entrap Jesus, this scribe was genuinely seeking truth, recognizing Jesus’s wisdom. His question, \"What commandment is the first of all?\" was a common point of theological debate among Jewish scholars. They often tried to identify the most important command among the 613 laws of Moses. This sincerity contrasts sharply with the earlier deceptive inquiries.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, What commandment is the first of all?

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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?

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, What commandment is the first of all?

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And one of the scribes came, and hearing their argument together, and seeing that he had given them a good answer, put the question to him, Which law is the first of all?

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And one of the scribes having come near, having heard them disputing, knowing that he answered them well, questioned him, `Which is the first command of all?'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And there came one of the scribes that had heard them reasoning together, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him which was the first commandment of all.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And one of the scribes who had come up, and had heard them reasoning together, perceiving that he had answered them well, demanded of him, Which is [the] first commandment of all?

Context

This verse introduces a new interaction, where a sincere scribe approaches Jesus after witnessing His masterful handling of the Sadducees. It provides a foil to the previous confrontational questions, indicating a genuine desire for understanding. This question about the greatest commandment sets the stage for Jesus's foundational teaching on love for God and neighbor, shifting the tone from debate to divine instruction.

v.27He is not the God of the dead, but of the living: ye do greatly err.

v.28This passage

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

Cross references

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

  • Luke 10:25

    And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

  • Matthew 5:19

    Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

  • Luke 20:39

    And certain of the scribes answering said, Teacher, thou hast well said.

  • Matthew 19:18

    He saith unto him, Which? And Jesus said, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

  • Matthew 22:34

    But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, gathered themselves together.

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