Mar 12 | Mont | STEP | Presently Jesus began to speak to them in parables. "There was once a man," he said, "who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine-press, built a tower, rented it to tenants, and went abroad.

‏ Mark 12

1 Presently Jesus began to speak to them in parables. "There was once a man," he said, "who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine-press, built a tower, rented it to tenants, and went abroad. 2 At vintage-time he sent a slave to the vine-dressers to collect some of the proceeds of the vineyard; 3 but they seized him, and flogged him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Then he sent another slave to them; and this man they knocked over the head and handled shamefully. 5 And he sent another; and him they killed; and many others; beating some, and killing some. 6 He had still one, a Son beloved, He sent him last to them, saying, "‘They will reverence my Son.’ 7 "But those tenants said to themselves. ‘Here is the heir! Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 "So they took him and killed him, and threw his body out of the vineyard. 9 What will the owner of the Vineyard do?" "He will come and put the tenants to death," they said, "and will give the vineyard to others." 10 "Have you not read this Scripture?" (he continued) "The very stone which the builders rejected Has now become the corner-stone; 11 This is the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes." 12 And they kept seeking to lay hold on him, but were afraid of the crowd, for they knew well that he had spoken this parable about them; so they left him and went away.

13 But they sent some of the Pharisees to Jesus afterward, and some of the Herodians to entrap him in conversation. 14 So when they came, they said. "Teacher, we know that you are sincere and are not afraid of any one, for you do not regard the face of men; nay, but you reach the way of God in truth. Is it right to pay poll- tax to Caesar or not? 15 Shall we pay, or not pay?" But he, knowing well their hypocrisy, said to them. "Why are you testing me? Bring me a dollar for me to look at." 16 And they brought it. "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" "Caesar’s," they answered. 17 And Jesus said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God, the things that are God’s." They were amazed at him.

18 Then came up some Sadducees, men who say there is no resurrection. They too questioned him, saying. 19 "Teacher, Moses taught us that if a man’s brother die, and leave a wife behind him, but no child, that his brother is to marry the widow and to raise up a family for his brother. 20 There were once seven brothers, the eldest of whom married a wife, and died leaving no family. 21 The second married her, and died without offspring; the third likewise; 22 and the seven had her, and died without issue. 23 And last of all the woman too died. In the resurrection whose wife shall she be? For the seven had her as wife." 24 "Is not this the reason for your error," Jesus answered them, "that you know not the Scripture nor the power of God? 25 When they rise from the dead men do not marry, and women are not given in marriage, but they are as the angels are in heaven. 26 But in regard to the rising again of the dead, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27 God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are in grave error."

28 Just then up came one of the Scribes who had heard them arguing, and realized that Jesus had answered them admirably. "What commandment," he asked, "is the first of all?" 29 Jesus replied. "The first is. "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; 30 and 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. 31 "The second is this, "Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. Other command greater than these there is none." 32 "Admirably said, O Teacher," exclaimed the Scribe. "You have truthfully said that He is one, 33 and that beside him there is none other, and to love him with all one’s heart and with all one’s understanding and with all one’s might, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself is far beyond all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34 Jesus saw that he had answered with discrimination, and said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that no one ventured to question him.

35 While he was teaching in the Temple courts, Jesus in his turn asked. "How is it that the Scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself said in the Holy Spirit, "The Lord said to my Lord, ’Sit at my right hand until I make thy foes the footstool of thy feet.’ 37 "David himself then calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?" Now the great mass of the people were wont to listen to him with delight; 38 and in his teaching he said. "Look out for the Scribes who like to walk about in long robes, and to receive salutations in the street, and to have prominent places in the synagogues, 39 and seats of honor at dinner-parties; 40 they who consume the property of widows and make long, pretentious prayers. The greater shall their condemnation be."

41 Then Jesus took his seat opposite the treasury and watched the people putting their offerings into the chest. Many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 There came also a poor widow who dropped in two little coins, worth a cent. 43 On this he called his disciples to him, and said. "I tell you solemnly that this poor widow has put in more than all who have put their offerings into the treasury; 44 for they have all put in what they could spare out of their surplus, but she, out of her penury, has put in all that she possessed, her whole living."