Mark 12

1And he began to speak unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country.

1Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: 'A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to some tenant farmers and went away on a journey.

2And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard.

2At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit from the vineyard.

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

3But the tenants grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him away with nothing.

4And again he sent unto them another servant; and him they wounded in the head, and handled shamefully.

4So the owner sent another servant to them. They hit this one over the head and treated him shamefully.

5And he sent another; and him they killed: and many others; beating some, and killing some.

5He sent another, and they killed him. He sent many others; some they beat, and others they killed.

6He had yet one, a beloved son: he sent him last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.

6He had only one person left to send, his dear son. He sent him last of all, thinking, 'They will respect my son.'

7But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.

7But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come on, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!'

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

8So they took him, killed him, and threw his body out of the vineyard.

9What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

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

10Have ye not read even this scripture: The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner;

10Haven't you read this scripture: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;

11This was from the Lord, And it is marvellous in our eyes?

11the Lord has done this, and it is amazing to see'?

12And they sought to lay hold on him; and they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spake the parable against them: and they left him, and went away.

12The leaders wanted to arrest him because they realized he had told this story against them, but they were afraid of the crowd. So they left him and went away.

13And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might catch him in talk.

13Later, they sent some Pharisees and followers of Herod to Jesus to trap him in something he said.

14And when they were come, they say unto him, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and carest not for any one; for thou regardest not the person of men, but of a truth teachest the way of God: Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not?

14They came to him and said, 'Teacher, we know you are honest and don't care about people's opinions. You don't take sides based on who people are, but you truly teach the way of God. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

15Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why make ye trial of me? bring me a denarius, that I may see it.

15Should we pay them or shouldn't we?' But Jesus knew they were being hypocrites. 'Why are you trying to trap me?' he asked. 'Bring me a silver coin so I can look at it.'

16And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cæsar’s.

16They brought him one, and he asked, 'Whose image is this? And whose name is written on it?' 'Caesar’s,' they replied.

17And Jesus said unto them, Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled greatly at him.

17Jesus told them, 'Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.' And they were completely amazed at him.

18And there come unto him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

18Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.

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.

19'Teacher,' they said, 'Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.

20There were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed;

20Now, there were seven brothers. The first one got married and died without having any children.

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

21The second brother married the widow, but he also died without leaving any children. The same thing happened with the third brother.

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

22In fact, none of the seven left any children. Finally, the woman died too.

23In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

23In the resurrection, when they rise from the dead, whose wife will she be? All seven of them were married to her.'

24Jesus said unto them, Is it not for this cause that ye err, that ye know not the scriptures, nor the power of God?

24Jesus said to them, 'Isn't this why you are wrong? You don't know the Scriptures or the power of God.

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

25When people rise from the dead, they won't marry or be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.

26But as touching the dead, that they are raised; have ye not read in the book of Moses, in the place concerning the Bush, how God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

26Now, about the dead being raised—haven't you read in the book of Moses, in the story about the burning bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

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

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

28And 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?

28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, 'Of all the commandments, which is the most important?'

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

29Jesus answered, 'The most important one is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

30and 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.

30Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.'

31The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these.'

32And the scribe said unto him, Of a truth, Teacher, thou hast well said that he is one; and there is none other but he:

32'Well said, Teacher,' the man replied. 'You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.

33and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.

33To love him with all your heart, all your understanding, and all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.'

34And 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.

34When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, he said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.' After that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

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

35While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he asked, 'How can the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?

36David himself said in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.

36David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, said: 'The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.'

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

37David himself calls him 'Lord.' How then can he be David's son?' The large crowd listened to him with great delight.

38And in his teaching he said, Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, andto have salutations in the marketplaces,

38As he taught, Jesus said, 'Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in long robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces.

39and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts:

39They love the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.

40they that devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; these shall receive greater condemnation.

40They cheat widows out of their homes and then make long prayers just to look good. These men will be punished most severely.'

41And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

41Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.

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

42But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all they that are casting into the treasury:

43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.

44for they all did cast in of their superfluity; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

44They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.'