Self-interpreting Bible

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Mark 12

1In the parable of the vineyard let out to wicked husbandmen Christ foretelleth the reprobation of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles: 13his reply to the insidious question concerning paying tribute to Caesar: 18he refuteth conclusively the Sadducees who questioned him concerning the resurrection: 28he sheweth which are the two great commandments of the law: 35he proposeth a difficulty to the scribes concerning the character of Christ: 38he cautioneth the people against their ambition and hypocrisy; 41and valueth the poor widow's two mites above all the gifts of the rich.


1 AND ahe began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the *winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

2 And bat the season he sent to the husbandmen ca servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the dfruit of the vineyard.

3 eAnd they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.

    5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, fand many others; beating some, and killing some.

    6 gHaving yet therefore one son, hhis wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.

    7 iBut those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the jheir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.

    8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

      9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? khe will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

      10 And have ye not read this scripture; lThe stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

      11 This was the Lord's doing, and it mis marvellous in our eyes?

      12 nAnd they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

      13 ¶oAnd they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the pHerodians, to catch him in his words.

      14 And when they were come, they say unto him, qMaster, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: rIs it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

      15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, sWhy *tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

      16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's.

        17 And Jesus answering said unto them, tRender to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. uAnd they marvelled at him.

        18 ¶vThen come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

        19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, wIf a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his xbrother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

        20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.

          21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.

            22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.

              23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

                24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because yye know not the zscriptures, neither athe power of God?

                25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are bas the angels which are in heaven.

                26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, chow in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

                27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: dye therefore do greatly err.

                28 ¶eAnd one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

                29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, fHear, 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: this is the first commandment.

                  31 And the second is like, namely this, gThou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

                  32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for hthere is one God; and there is none other but he:

                  33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, iis more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

                  34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, jThou art not far from the kingdom of God. kAnd no man after that durst ask him any question.

                  35 ¶lAnd Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?

                  36 For David himself said mby the Holy *Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

                  37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and nwhence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

                  38 ¶And he said unto them in his doctrine, oBeware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,

                  39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

                    40 pWhich devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: qthese shall receive greater damnation.

                    41 ¶rAnd Jesus sat over against sthe treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

                    42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

                      43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, t*Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

                      44 For uall they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even vall her living.