New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Mark 12
1
Jesus began to speak to the people by using stories. He said, "A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it. He dug a pit for a winepress. He also built a lookout tower. He rented the vineyard out to some farmers. Then he went away on a journey.
Reference
2
"At harvest time he sent a servant to the renters. He told the servant to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.
4
So the man sent another servant to the renters. They hit this one on the head and treated him badly.
5
The man sent still another servant. The renters killed him. The man sent many others. The renters beat up some of them. They killed the others.
6
"The man had one person left to send. It was his son, and he loved him. He sent him last of all. He said, 'They will respect my son.'
Reference
7
"But the renters said to each other, 'This is the one who will receive all the owner's property someday. Come, let's kill him. Then everything will be ours.'
9
"What will the owner of the vineyard do then? He will come and kill those renters. He will give the vineyard to others.
Reference
10
"Haven't you read what Scripture says, " 'The stone the builders didn't accept has become the most important stone of all.
Reference
11
The Lord has done it. It is wonderful in our eyes'?" --(Psalm 118:22,23)
Reference
References Lord
Psalm 118:23
12
Then the religious leaders looked for a way to arrest Jesus. They knew he had told the story against them. But they were afraid of the crowd. So they left him and went away.
Reference
13
Later the religious leaders sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus. They wanted to trap him with his own words.
Reference
14
They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of honor. You don't let others tell you what to do or say. You don't care how important they are. But you teach the way of God truthfully. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Corinthians 5:16
2 Corinthians 2:2
References God
2 Corinthians 5:11
1 Thessalonians 2:4
Galatians 1:10
Galatians 2:6
Truth
John 7:18
Word
2 Corinthians 2:17
15
Should we pay or shouldn't we?" But Jesus knew what they were trying to do. So he asked, "Why are you trying to trap me? Bring me a silver coin. Let me look at it."
Reference
16
They brought the coin. He asked them, "Whose picture is this? And whose words?" "Caesar's," they replied.
17
Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. And give to God what belongs to God." They were amazed at him.
Reference
18
The Sadducees came to Jesus with a question. They do not believe that people rise from the dead.
19
"Teacher," they said, "Moses wrote for us about a man who died and didn't have any children. But he did leave a wife behind. That man's brother must get married to the widow. He must have children to carry on his dead brother's name.
20
"There were seven brothers. The first one got married. He died without leaving any children.
21
The second one got married to the widow. He also died and left no child. It was the same with the third one.
22
In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too.
23
When the dead rise, whose wife will she be? All seven of them were married to her."
24
Jesus replied, "You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures. And you do not know the power of God.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ephesians 1:19
Hosea 6:2
Philippians 3:21
Isaiah 26:19
References God
Jeremiah 32:17
Hosea 6:6
References Jesus
Mark 10:27
Word
John 20:9
Matthew 22:29
Romans 15:4
25
When the dead rise, they won't get married. And their parents won't give them to be married. They will be like the angels in heaven.
Reference
26
"What about the dead rising? Haven't you read in the scroll of Moses the story of the bush? God said to Moses, 'I am the God of Abraham. I am the God of Isaac. And I am the God of Jacob.'--(Exodus 3:6)
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 33:20
References God
Exodus 3:16
Genesis 26:24
Genesis 32:9
Genesis 31:42
Resurrection
Luke 20:37
27
He is not the God of the dead. He is the God of the living. You have made a big mistake!"
Reference
28
One of the teachers of the law came and heard the Sadducees arguing. He noticed that Jesus had given the Sadducees a good answer. So he asked him, "Which is the most important of all the commandments?"
29
Jesus answered, "Here is the most important one. Moses said, 'Israel, listen to me. The Lord is our God. The Lord is one.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 23:9
References God
Deuteronomy 6:4
Galatians 3:20
Luke 10:27
Romans 3:30
1 Corinthians 8:4
James 2:19
Jude 1:25
Deuteronomy 30:6
References Jesus
1 Timothy 2:5
30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind and with all your strength.'--(Deuteronomy 6:4,5)
Reference
Love
Deuteronomy 6:5
31
And here is the second one. 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.'--(Leviticus 19:18) There is no commandment more important than these."
Reference
Love
Matthew 22:39
Luke 10:27
Leviticus 19:18
1 John 4:21
Galatians 5:14
Parallel theme
Leviticus 19:13
Word
Matthew 7:12
32
"You have spoken well, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one. There is no other God but him.
Reference
33
To love God with all your heart and mind and strength is very important. So is loving your neighbor as you love yourself. These things are more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 50:23
Sacrifice
Hosea 6:6
1 Samuel 15:22
Matthew 12:7
Matthew 9:13
Hebrews 10:8
Proverbs 21:3
34
Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely. He said to him, "You are not far from God's kingdom." From then on, no one dared to ask Jesus any more questions.
Reference
35
Jesus was teaching in the temple courtyard. He asked, "Why do the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David?
36
The Holy Spirit spoke through David himself. David said, " 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your control." ' --(Psalm 110:1)
Reference
Holy
Acts 1:16
Parallel theme
Hebrews 1:13
1 Corinthians 15:25
References Lord
Psalm 110:1
Spirit
Nehemiah 9:30
2 Samuel 23:2
37
David himself calls him 'Lord.' So how can he be David's son?" The large crowd listened to Jesus with delight.
38
As he taught, he said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in long robes. They like to be greeted in the market places.
Reference
39
They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues. They also love to have the places of honor at dinners.
40
They take over the houses of widows. They say long prayers to show off. God will punish those men very much."
Reference
41
Jesus sat down across from the place where people put their temple offerings. He watched the crowd putting their money into the offering boxes. Many rich people threw large amounts into them.
Reference
42
But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins. They were worth much less than a penny.
43
Jesus asked his disciples to come to him. He said, "What I'm about to tell you is true. That poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Corinthians 8:2
Chapter Summary
Mark 12 continues Jesus' final confrontations in Jerusalem, beginning with a parable about a vineyard in which an owner repeatedly sends servants to collect the fruit owed to him, only for the tenants to beat, reject, and eventually kill them.
The vineyard represents God's relationship with His people, the servants represent the messengers God has repeatedly sent, and the beloved son represents Jesus Himself, whose coming rejection and death are presented as the final expression of the leaders' rebellion against God.
Jesus then quotes the image of the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone, showing that the person rejected by human authorities can become central to God's purposes, while the religious leaders understand that the parable is directed against them and begin looking for an opportunity to arrest Him.
The leaders next attempt to trap Jesus with a political question about whether Jews should pay taxes to Caesar, hoping that either a rejection of Roman taxation or an endorsement of it will damage His position.
Jesus asks them to show Him a Roman denarius and then gives the famous principle that people should give Caesar what belongs to Caesar and God what belongs to God, refusing to reduce loyalty to God to a political slogan while also acknowledging legitimate civic responsibilities.
The Sadducees then attempt to discredit the resurrection by presenting an exaggerated scenario involving seven brothers who successively marry the same woman after each dies without children.
Jesus explains that their question is based on a misunderstanding of both Scripture and God's power, because resurrection life will not simply reproduce earthly institutions and relationships in exactly the same form.
He then appeals to God's declaration to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, using the covenant relationship to demonstrate that God's purposes extend beyond physical death and that God is the God of the living.
A teacher of the law then asks Jesus to identify the greatest commandment, and Jesus gives the foundational answer that people must love God completely with heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Jesus immediately adds that the second commandment is to love one's neighbor as oneself, showing that love for God and love for people cannot be separated into unrelated areas of religious life.
The teacher agrees that these commandments are more important than burnt offerings and sacrifices, and Jesus recognizes that he is not far from the kingdom of God because he understands that genuine obedience begins with love rather than ritual alone.
Jesus then challenges the religious understanding of the Messiah by asking how the Messiah can simply be David's son when David himself, speaking through the Spirit, calls the Messiah his Lord.
This question points toward a deeper understanding of Jesus' identity, because the Messiah is not merely another human descendant of David but possesses an authority and status greater than David himself.
Jesus then warns the crowd about teachers of the law who enjoy public recognition, prestigious clothing, honored seats, and visible religious status while exploiting vulnerable people and using long prayers to create an appearance of holiness.
The contrast becomes particularly powerful when Jesus sits near the temple treasury and watches wealthy people contribute large sums before observing a poor widow place two small coins into the offering box.
Jesus explains that the widow has actually given more than the wealthy donors because they contributed from their abundance while she gave everything she had to live on, revealing that God measures generosity not merely by the size of the gift but by the heart, sacrifice, and trust behind it.
Mark 12 therefore repeatedly contrasts outward appearance with inward reality, showing religious leaders who appear important but reject God's purposes, wealthy donors who give large amounts but retain abundant resources, and a poor widow whose tiny contribution reveals extraordinary devotion.
The chapter also contrasts human ideas of power with God's kingdom, because the vineyard tenants attempt to seize control, the religious leaders attempt to protect their authority, political opponents attempt to trap Jesus, and status-conscious teachers seek public honor, while Jesus consistently points toward submission to God, love, humility, service, and sacrifice.
The central message is that true faith is not measured by religious appearance, political positioning, social status, intellectual arguments, or the size of one's financial contribution, but by wholehearted love for God, genuine love for others, faith in God's power, obedience to His purposes, and willingness to give oneself completely to Him.
Mark 12 ultimately reveals Jesus as the rejected Son and true cornerstone who possesses authority greater than the religious leaders, understands Scripture more deeply than His opponents, exposes hypocrisy without fear, teaches that love is greater than empty ritual, and recognizes the wholehearted devotion of a poor widow whose tiny offering demonstrates the kind of faith God values most.
The vineyard represents God's relationship with His people, the servants represent the messengers God has repeatedly sent, and the beloved son represents Jesus Himself, whose coming rejection and death are presented as the final expression of the leaders' rebellion against God.
Jesus then quotes the image of the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone, showing that the person rejected by human authorities can become central to God's purposes, while the religious leaders understand that the parable is directed against them and begin looking for an opportunity to arrest Him.
The leaders next attempt to trap Jesus with a political question about whether Jews should pay taxes to Caesar, hoping that either a rejection of Roman taxation or an endorsement of it will damage His position.
Jesus asks them to show Him a Roman denarius and then gives the famous principle that people should give Caesar what belongs to Caesar and God what belongs to God, refusing to reduce loyalty to God to a political slogan while also acknowledging legitimate civic responsibilities.
The Sadducees then attempt to discredit the resurrection by presenting an exaggerated scenario involving seven brothers who successively marry the same woman after each dies without children.
Jesus explains that their question is based on a misunderstanding of both Scripture and God's power, because resurrection life will not simply reproduce earthly institutions and relationships in exactly the same form.
He then appeals to God's declaration to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, using the covenant relationship to demonstrate that God's purposes extend beyond physical death and that God is the God of the living.
A teacher of the law then asks Jesus to identify the greatest commandment, and Jesus gives the foundational answer that people must love God completely with heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Jesus immediately adds that the second commandment is to love one's neighbor as oneself, showing that love for God and love for people cannot be separated into unrelated areas of religious life.
The teacher agrees that these commandments are more important than burnt offerings and sacrifices, and Jesus recognizes that he is not far from the kingdom of God because he understands that genuine obedience begins with love rather than ritual alone.
Jesus then challenges the religious understanding of the Messiah by asking how the Messiah can simply be David's son when David himself, speaking through the Spirit, calls the Messiah his Lord.
This question points toward a deeper understanding of Jesus' identity, because the Messiah is not merely another human descendant of David but possesses an authority and status greater than David himself.
Jesus then warns the crowd about teachers of the law who enjoy public recognition, prestigious clothing, honored seats, and visible religious status while exploiting vulnerable people and using long prayers to create an appearance of holiness.
The contrast becomes particularly powerful when Jesus sits near the temple treasury and watches wealthy people contribute large sums before observing a poor widow place two small coins into the offering box.
Jesus explains that the widow has actually given more than the wealthy donors because they contributed from their abundance while she gave everything she had to live on, revealing that God measures generosity not merely by the size of the gift but by the heart, sacrifice, and trust behind it.
Mark 12 therefore repeatedly contrasts outward appearance with inward reality, showing religious leaders who appear important but reject God's purposes, wealthy donors who give large amounts but retain abundant resources, and a poor widow whose tiny contribution reveals extraordinary devotion.
The chapter also contrasts human ideas of power with God's kingdom, because the vineyard tenants attempt to seize control, the religious leaders attempt to protect their authority, political opponents attempt to trap Jesus, and status-conscious teachers seek public honor, while Jesus consistently points toward submission to God, love, humility, service, and sacrifice.
The central message is that true faith is not measured by religious appearance, political positioning, social status, intellectual arguments, or the size of one's financial contribution, but by wholehearted love for God, genuine love for others, faith in God's power, obedience to His purposes, and willingness to give oneself completely to Him.
Mark 12 ultimately reveals Jesus as the rejected Son and true cornerstone who possesses authority greater than the religious leaders, understands Scripture more deeply than His opponents, exposes hypocrisy without fear, teaches that love is greater than empty ritual, and recognizes the wholehearted devotion of a poor widow whose tiny offering demonstrates the kind of faith God values most.