The Parable of the Tenants

112:1 For 12:1–12 see parallels Matt. 21:33–46; Luke 20:9–18And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the wine press and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. 2When the season came, he sent a servant12:2 Or bondservant; also verse 4 to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. 5And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. 6He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10Have you not read this Scripture:

12:10 For 12:1–12 see parallels Matt. 21:33–46; Luke 20:9–18“ ‘The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone;12:10 Greek the head of the corner

11this was the Lord's doing,

and it is marvellous in our eyes’?”

12And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

1312:13 For 12:13–27 see parallels Matt. 22:15–32; Luke 20:20–38And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances,12:14 Greek you do not look at people's faces but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius12:15 A denarius was a day's wage for a labourer and let me look at it.” 16And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” 17Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marvelled at him.

The Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection

18And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man12:19 Greek his brother must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”

24Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 12:26 Ex. 3:6‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

The Great Commandment

2812:28 For 12:28–34 see parallel Matt. 22:34–40, 46And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29Jesus answered, “The most important is, 12:29 Deut. 6:4, 5‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30And you shall love 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: 12:31 Lev. 19:18‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbour as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Whose Son Is the Christ?

3512:35 For 12:35–37 see parallels Matt. 22:41–45; Luke 20:41–44And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared,

12:36 Ps. 110:1“ ‘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 is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.

Beware of the Scribes

3812:38 For 12:38–40 see parallels Matt. 23:1, 2, 5–7; Luke 20:45, 46And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the market-places 39and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at feasts, 40who devour widows' houses and for a pretence make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

The Widow's Offering

4112:41 For 12:41–44 see parallel Luke 21:1–4And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.12:42 Greek two lepta, which make a kodrantes; a kodrantes (Latin quadrans) was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a labourer) 43And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”