The Gospel According to St. Mark

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 12 -

(Matthew 21:33–46; Luke 20:9–18)

And he began to speake vnto them in parables, A certaine man planted a vineyard, and copassed it with an hedge, and digged a pit for the winepresse, and built a tower in it, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a strange countrey.

And at the time, he sent to the husbandmen a seruant, that he might receiue of the husbandmen of the fruite of the vineyard.

But they tooke him, and beat him, and sent him away emptie.

And againe he sent vnto them another seruant, and at him they cast stones, and brake his head, and sent him away shamefully handled.

And againe he sent another, and him they slew, and many other, beating some, and killing some.

Yet had he one sonne, his deare beloued: him also he sent the last vnto them, saying, They will reuerence my sonne.

But ye husbandmen said among themselues, This is the heire: come, let vs kill him, and the inheritance shalbe ours.

So they tooke him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

What shall then the Lord of the vineyard doe? He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and giue the vineyard to others.

Haue ye not read so much as this Scripture? The stone which the builders did refuse, is made the head of the corner.

This was done of the Lord, and it is marueilous in our eyes.

Then they went about to take him, but they feared the people: for they perceiued that he spake that parable against them: therefore they left him, and went their way.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

(Matthew 22:15–22; Luke 20:19–26)

And they sent vnto him certaine of the Pharises, and of ye Herodians that they might take him in his talke.

And when they came, they saide vnto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou considerest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God truely, Is it lawfull to giue tribute to Cesar, or not?

Should we giue it, or should we not giue it? but he knew their hypocrisie, and said vnto them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a peny, that I may see it.

So they brought it, and he said vnto them, Whose is this image and superscription? and they said vnto him, Cesars.

Then Iesus answered, and saide vnto them, Giue to Cesar the things that are Cesars, and to God, those that are Gods: and they marueiled at him.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

(Matthew 22:23–33; Luke 20:27–40)

Then came the Sadduces vnto him, (which say, there is no resurrection) and they asked him, saying,

Master, Moses wrote vnto vs, If any mans brother die, and leaue his wife, and leaue no children, that his brother should take his wife, and rayse vp seede vnto his brother.

There were seuen brethren, and the first tooke a wife, and when he died, left no issue.

Then the seconde tooke her, and he died, neither did he yet leaue issue, and the third likewise:

So those seuen had her, and left no yssue: last of all the wife died also.

In the resurrection then, when they shall rise againe, whose wife shall she be of them? for seuen had her to wife.

Then Iesus answered, and saide vnto them, Are ye not therefore deceiued, because ye knowe not the Scriptures, neither the power of God?

For when they shall rise againe from the dead, neither men marry, nor wiues are married, but are as the Angels which are in heauen.

And as touching the dead, that they shall rise againe, haue ye not read in the booke of Moses, howe in the bush God spake vnto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob?

God is not ye God of the dead, but the God of the liuing. Ye are therefore greatly deceiued.

The Greatest Commandment

(Deuteronomy 6:1–19; Matthew 22:34–40)

Then came one of the Scribes that had heard them disputing together, and perceiuing that he had answered them well, he asked him, Which is the first commandement of all?

Iesus answered him, The first of all the commandements is, Heare, Israel, The Lord our God is the onely Lord.

Thou shalt therefore loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy minde, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandement.

And the second is like, that is, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. There is none other commandement greater then these.

Then that Scribe said vnto him, Well, Master, thou hast saide the trueth, that there is one God, and that there is none but he,

And to loue him with all the heart, and with all the vnderstanding, and with all the soule, and with all the strength, and to loue his neighbour as himselfe, is more then all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Then when Iesus saw that he answered discreetely, he saide vnto him, Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God. And no man after that durst aske him any question.

Whose Son Is the Christ?

(Matthew 22:41–46; Luke 20:41–44)

And Iesus answered and said teaching in the Temple, Howe say the Scribes that Christ is the sonne of Dauid?

For Dauid himselfe said by ye holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footestoole.

Then Dauid himselfe calleth him Lord: by what meanes is he then his sonne? and much people heard him gladly.

Beware of the Scribes

(Luke 20:45–47)

Moreouer he saide vnto them in his doctrine, Beware of the Scribes which loue to goe in long robes, and loue salutations in the markets,

And the chiefe seates in the Synagogues, and the first roumes at feastes,

Which deuoure widowes houses, euen vnder a colour of long prayers. These shall receiue the greater damnation.

The Widow’s Offering

(Luke 21:1–4)

And as Iesus sate ouer against the treasurie, he beheld how the people cast money into the treasurie, and many rich men cast in much.

And there came a certaine poore widowe, and she threw in two mites, which make a quadrin.

Then he called vnto him his disciples, and said vnto them, Verely I say vnto you, that this poore widowe hath cast more in, then all they which haue cast into the treasurie.

For they all did cast in of their superfluitie: but she of her pouertie did cast in all that she had, euen all her liuing.

(Matthew 21:33–46; Luke 20:9–18)

He began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine press, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country.

When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard.

They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty.

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

Again he sent another, and they killed him, and many others, beating some, and killing some.

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

But those farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.

Haven’t you even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner.

This was from the Lord. It is marvelous in our eyes’?” (a)

They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him and went away.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

(Matthew 22:15–22; Luke 20:19–26)

They sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words.

When they had come, they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don’t defer to anyone; for you aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

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

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

Jesus answered them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” They marveled greatly at him.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

(Matthew 22:23–33; Luke 20:27–40)

Some Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came to him. They asked him, saying,

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

There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring.

The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise;

and the seven took her and left no children. Last of all the woman also died.

In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife.”

Jesus answered them, “Isn’t this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God?

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

But about the dead, that they are raised, haven’t you read in the book of Moses about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? (b)

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken.”

The Greatest Commandment

(Deuteronomy 6:1–19; Matthew 22:34–40)

One of the scribes came and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?”

Jesus answered, “The greatest is: ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ (c) This is the first commandment.

The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (d) There is no other commandment greater than these.”

The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he;

and to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from God’s Kingdom.” No one dared ask him any question after that.

Whose Son Is the Christ?

(Matthew 22:41–46; Luke 20:41–44)

Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?

For David himself said in the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’ (e)

Therefore David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?” The common people heard him gladly.

Beware of the Scribes

(Luke 20:45–47)

In his teaching he said to them, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces,

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

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

The Widow’s Offering

(Luke 21:1–4)

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much.

A poor widow came and she cast in two small brass coins,(f) which equal a quadrans coin.(g)

He called his disciples to himself and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury,

for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.”

Footnotes

(a)12:11 ℘ Psalms 118:22-23

(b)12:26 ℘ Exodus 3:6

(d)12:31 ℘ Leviticus 19:18

(e)12:36 ℘ Psalms 110:1

(f)12:42 literally, lepta (or widow’s mites). Lepta are very small brass coins worth half a quadrans each, which is a quarter of the copper assarion. Lepta are worth less than 1% of an agricultural worker’s daily wages.

(g)12:42 A quadrans is a coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius. A denarius is about one day’s wages for an agricultural laborer.