Mark 12–13

1Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.

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

3But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.

4Then he sent them another servant, and they struck him over the head and treated him shamefully.

5He sent still another, and this one they killed. He sent many others; some they beat and others they killed.

6Finally, having one beloved son, he sent him to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

7But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

8So they seized the son, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

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

10Have you never read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

11This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.

13Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words.

14“Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?”

15But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.”

16So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.

17Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him.

18Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him:

19“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.

20Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children.

21Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise.

22In this way, none of the seven left any children. And last of all, the woman died.

23In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her.”

24Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?

25When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.

26But concerning the dead rising, have you not read about the burning bush in the Book of Moses, how God told 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. You are badly mistaken!”

28Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

29Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.

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

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

32“Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there is no other but Him,

33and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. This is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any further.

35While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, He asked, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?

36Speaking by the Holy Spirit, David himself declared: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’

37David himself calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?” And the large crowd listened to Him with delight.

38In His teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces,

39and to have the chief seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.

40They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

41As Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting money into it. And many rich people put in large amounts.

42Then one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amounted to a small fraction of a denarius.

43Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more than all the others into the treasury.

44For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

1As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look at the magnificent stones and buildings!”

2“Do you see all these great buildings?” Jesus replied. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

3While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately,

4“Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to be fulfilled?”

5Jesus began by telling them, “See to it that no one deceives you.

6Many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many.

7When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.

8Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, as well as famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

9So be on your guard. You will be delivered over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues. On My account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.

10And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations.

11But when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand what to say. Instead, speak whatever you are given at that time, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

12Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.

13You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

14So when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

15Let no one on the housetop go back inside to retrieve anything from his house.

16And let no one in the field return for his cloak.

17How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!

18Pray that this will not occur in the winter.

19For those will be days of tribulation unseen from the beginning of God’s creation until now, and never to be seen again.

20If the Lord had not cut short those days, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He has chosen, He has cut them short.

21At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.

22For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

23So be on your guard; I have told you everything in advance.

24But in those days, after that tribulation: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;

25the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’

26At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

27And He will send out the angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

28Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.

29So also, when you see these things happening, know that He is near, right at the door.

30Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.

31Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

32No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

33Be on your guard and stay alert! For you do not know when the appointed time will come.

34It is like a man going on a journey who left his house, put each servant in charge of his own task, and instructed the doorkeeper to keep watch.

35Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the master of the house will return—whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning.

36Otherwise, he may arrive without notice and find you sleeping.

37And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Keep watch!”