Mark 12

New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel

Mark 12

1Then He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and set a fence around it, dug a wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to farmers, and went on a journey.Καὶ ἤρξατο αὐτοῖς ἐν παραβολαῖς λέγειν· Ἀμπελῶνα ἐφύτευσεν ἄνθρωπος καὶ περιέθηκε φραγμὸν καὶ ὤρυξεν ὑπολήνιον καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε πύργον καὶ ἐξέδοτο αὐτὸν γεωργοῖς καὶ ἀπεδήμησε.

2And at harvest time he sent a servant to the farmers, in order that he might receive his part from the fruit of the vineyard.καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς τοὺς γεωργοὺς τῷ καιρῷ δοῦλον, ἵνα παρὰ τῶν γεωργῶν λάβῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ καρποῦ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος.

3And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.οἱ δὲ λαβόντες αὐτὸν ἔδειραν καὶ ἀπέστειλαν κενόν.

4Again he sent them another servant, and that one they wounded in the head with stones, and they sent him away shamefully treated.καὶ πάλιν ἀπέστειλε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἄλλον δοῦλον, κἀκεῖνον λιθοβολήσαντες ἐκεφαλαίωσαν καὶ ἀπέστειλαν ἠτιμωμένον.

5And again he sent another, and that one they killed, and so with many others, beating some and killing others.καὶ πάλιν ἄλλον ἀπέστειλε, κἀκεῖνον ἀπέκτειναν· καὶ πολλοὺς ἄλλους, τοὺς μὲν δέροντες, τοὺς δὲ ἀποκτένοντες.

6Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he even sent him to them last, saying, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’ἔτι οὖν ἕνα υἱὸν ἔχων ἀγαπητὸν αὐτοῦ, ἀπέστειλε καὶ αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔσχατον λέγων ὅτι Ἐντραπήσονται τὸν υἱόν μου.

7But those farmers said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ἐκεῖνοι δὲ οἱ γεωργοὶ εἶπον πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ὅτι Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ κληρονόμος· δεῦτε, ἀποκτείνωμεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἡμῶν ἔσται ἡ κληρονομία.

8And taking him they killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.καὶ λαβόντες αὐτὸν ἀπέκτειναν καὶ ἐξέβαλον ἔξω τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος.

9Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and will destroy the farmers, and give the vineyard to others.τί οὖν ποιήσει ὁ κύριος τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος; ἐλεύσεται καὶ ἀπολέσει τοὺς γεωργοὺς καὶ δώσει τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ἄλλοις.

10Have you not even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.οὐδὲ τὴν γραφὴν ταύτην ἀνέγνωτε· Λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας·

11This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”παρὰ Κυρίου ἐγένετο αὕτη, καὶ ἔστι θαυμαστὴ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν;

12And they sought to lay hold of Him, but they feared the crowd, for they knew that He had spoken the parable against them. And leaving Him, they went away.Καὶ ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν κρατῆσαι, καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν τὸν ὄχλον· ἔγνωσαν γὰρ ὅτι πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὴν παραβολὴν εἶπε. καὶ ἀφέντες αὐτὸν ἀπῆλθον.

13Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, in order that they might catch Him in His discourse.Καὶ ἀποστέλλουσι πρὸς αὐτόν τινας τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν ἵνα αὐτὸν ἀγρεύσωσι λόγῳ.

14And they came and said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and it does not make a difference to you about anyone; for You do not look on the face of men, but you teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?οἱ δὲ ἐλθόντες λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, Διδάσκαλε, οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀληθὴς εἶ καὶ οὐ μέλει σοι περὶ οὐδενός· οὐ γὰρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ διδάσκεις. ἔξεστι κῆνσον Καίσαρι δοῦναι ἢ οὔ; δῶμεν ἢ μὴ δῶμεν;

15Should we give, or should 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.”ὁ δὲ εἰδὼς αὐτῶν τὴν ὑπόκρισιν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Τί με πειράζετε; φέρετέ μοι δηνάριον ἵνα ἴδω.

16So they brought one. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar's.”οἱ δὲ ἤνεγκαν. καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Τίνος ἡ εἰκὼν αὕτη καὶ ἡ ἐπιγραφή; οἱ δὲ εἶπον αὐτῷ, Καίσαρος.

17And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at Him.καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Ἀπόδοτε τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ. καὶ ἐθαύμασαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ.

18Then some Sadducees came to Him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked Him, saying:Καὶ ἔρχονται Σαδδουκαῖοι πρὸς αὐτόν, οἵτινες λέγουσιν ἀνάστασιν μὴ εἶναι, καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν αὐτὸν λέγοντες,

19“Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies and leaves behind a wife and leaves no children, that his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.Διδάσκαλε, Μωσῆς ἔγραψεν ἡμῖν ὅτι Ἐάν τινος ἀδελφὸς ἀποθάνῃ καὶ καταλίπῃ γυναῖκα καὶ τέκνα μὴ ἀφῇ, ἵνα λάβῃ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξαναστήσῃ σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ.

20Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and he died, and left no offspring.ἑπτὰ ἀδελφοὶ ἦσαν. καὶ ὁ πρῶτος ἔλαβε γυναῖκα καὶ ἀποθνῄσκων οὐκ ἀφῆκε σπέρμα.

21And the second took her, and died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise.καὶ ὁ δεύτερος ἔλαβεν αὐτὴν καὶ ἀπέθανε καὶ οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ἀφῆκε σπέρμα· καὶ ὁ τρίτος ὡσαύτως.

22So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also.καὶ ἔλαβον αὐτὴν οἱ ἑπτὰ καὶ οὐκ ἀφῆκαν σπέρμα. ἐσχάτη πάντων ἀπέθανε καὶ ἡ γυνή.

23Therefore, in the resurrection, when they shall arise, whose wife of them will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει, ὅταν ἀναστῶσι, τίνος αὐτῶν ἔσται γυνή; οἱ γὰρ ἑπτὰ ἔσχον αὐτὴν γυναῖκα.

24Jesus answered and said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Οὐ διὰ τοῦτο πλανᾶσθε, μὴ εἰδότες τὰς γραφὰς μηδὲ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ;

25For whenever they rise from among the dead, neither do they marry nor are they given in marriage, but they are like angels in heaven.ὅταν γὰρ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῶσιν, οὔτε γαμοῦσιν οὔτε γαμίσκονται, ἀλλ᾽ εἰσὶν ὡς ἄγγελοι οἱ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.

26But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in connection with the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?περὶ δὲ τῶν νεκρῶν, ὅτι ἐγείρονται, οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ Μωσέως, ἐπὶ τοῦ βάτου, ὡς εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς λέγων, Ἐγὼ ὁ Θεὸς Ἁβραὰμ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ;

27He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. Therefore you are greatly mistaken.”οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς νεκρῶν, ἀλλὰ Θεὸς ζώντων· ὑμεῖς οὖν πολὺ πλανᾶσθε.

28Then one of the scribes came, after he heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”Καὶ προσελθὼν εἷς τῶν γραμματέων, ἀκούσας αὐτῶν συζητούντων, εἰδὼς ὅτι καλῶς αὐτοῖς ἀπεκρίθη, ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτόν, Ποία ἐστὶ πρώτη πάντων ἐντολή;

29Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.’ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὅτι Πρώτη πάντων τῶν ἐντολῶν· Ἄκουε, Ἰσραήλ· Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, Κύριος εἷς ἐστι·

30‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.καὶ ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος σου. αὕτη πρώτη ἐντολή.

31And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”καὶ δευτέρα ὁμοία αὕτη, Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν. μείζων τούτων ἄλλη ἐντολὴ οὐκ ἔστι.

32So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher, in truth You said that He is one, and there is no other besides Him.καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ γραμματεύς, Καλῶς, διδάσκαλε, ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας εἶπας ὅτι εἷς ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλος πλὴν αὐτοῦ·

33And to love Him with the whole heart, and with the whole understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”καὶ τὸ ἀγαπᾶν αὐτὸν ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς συνέσεως καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος, καὶ τὸ ἀγαπᾶν τὸν πλησίον ὡς ἑαυτόν πλεῖόν ἐστι πάντων τῶν ὁλοκαυτωμάτων καὶ θυσιῶν.

34Now when Jesus saw that he answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared any longer to question Him.καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ὅτι νουνεχῶς ἀπεκρίθη, εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Οὐ μακρὰν εἶ ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ. καὶ οὐδεὶς οὐκέτι ἐτόλμα αὐτὸν ἐπερωτῆσαι.

35Then Jesus answered and said, as He was teaching in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἔλεγε διδάσκων ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, Πῶς λέγουσιν οἱ γραμματεῖς ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς υἱός ἐστι Δαυίδ;

36For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” ’αὐτὸς γὰρ Δαυὶδ εἶπεν ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ, Λέγει ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου, Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου.

37Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how then is He his son?” And the large crowd was hearing Him gladly.αὐτὸς οὖν Δαυὶδ λέγει αὐτὸν Κύριον, καὶ πόθεν υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἐστι; καὶ ὁ πολὺς ὄχλος ἤκουεν αὐτοῦ ἡδέως.

38Then He said to them in His teaching, “Take heed of the scribes, who like to walk about in long robes, and like greetings in the marketplaces,Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ διδαχῇ αὐτοῦ, Βλέπετε ἀπὸ τῶν γραμματέων τῶν θελόντων ἐν στολαῖς περιπατεῖν καὶ ἀσπασμοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς

39and the first seats in the synagogues, and the first couches at the suppers;καὶ πρωτοκαθεδρίας ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς καὶ πρωτοκλισίας ἐν τοῖς δείπνοις,

40who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”οἱ κατεσθίοντες τὰς οἰκίας τῶν χηρῶν καὶ προφάσει μακρὰ προσευχόμενοι· οὗτοι λήψονται περισσότερον κρίμα.

41And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and was observing how the crowd was putting money into the treasury. And many rich people were putting in much.Καὶ καθίσας ὁ Ἰησοῦς κατέναντι τοῦ γαζοφυλακίου ἐθεώρει πῶς ὁ ὄχλος βάλλει χαλκὸν εἰς τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον. καὶ πολλοὶ πλούσιοι ἔβαλλον πολλά·

42Then one poor widow came and put in two lepta, which equals a quadrans.καὶ ἐλθοῦσα μία χήρα πτωχὴ ἔβαλε λεπτὰ δύο, ὅ ἐστι κοδράντης.

43And having summoned His disciples, He said to them, “Assuredly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who are putting into the treasury.καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἡ χήρα αὕτη ἡ πτωχὴ πλεῖον πάντων βέβληκε τῶν βαλλόντων εἰς τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον·

44For they all put in out of their excess, but this woman, out of her destitution, put in everything she had, her whole livelihood.”πάντες γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ περισσεύοντος αὐτοῖς ἔβαλον, αὕτη δὲ ἐκ τῆς ὑστερήσεως αὐτῆς πάντα ὅσα εἶχεν ἔβαλεν, ὅλον τὸν βίον αὐτῆς.

The Fathers on Mark 12

Saint Augustine comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.

On Mark 12:29

Saint Augustine

Latin Fathers · c. 400 AD · The Harmony of the Gospels

For truly what is thus effected by Christians is not a thing which belongs only to Christian times, but one which was predicted very long ago.

Read The Harmony of the Gospels →

On Mark 12:30, 34

Saint Augustine

Latin Fathers · c. 400 AD · The Harmony of the Gospels

Matthew then proceeds with his narrative in the following terms: “But when the Pharisees had heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

Read The Harmony of the Gospels →