Mark 12 And so He started (or: begins) to be speaking to them in parables (illustrations from things cast or placed alongside for comparison): "A person (or: man; human) planted a vineyard, then put (or: places) a fence around it, dug a pit (or: excavates a trough for a vat; a place under the winepress where the extracted juice could be collected, or a hole to place a large press-vessel in, to steady it) and erected (or: constructs; builds) a tower. Next he leased it to tenant-farmers (or: let it out to cultivators and vineyard keepers) and traveled abroad.

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ And so He started (or: begins) to be speaking to them in parables (illustrations from things cast or placed alongside for comparison): "A person (or: man; human) planted a vineyard, then put (or: places) a fence around [it], dug a pit (or: excavates a trough for a vat; [a place under the winepress where the extracted juice could be collected, or a hole to place a large press-vessel in, to steady it]) and erected (or: constructs; builds) a tower. Next he leased it to tenant-farmers (or: let it out to cultivators and vineyard keepers) and traveled abroad. ² "Now in the appropriate season he commissioned a slave and sent him off, as an emissary, to the tenant-farmers (cultivators and vineyard keepers), to the end that he could take (or: receive) some of the fruits of the vineyard from the tenant-cultivators. ³ "But taking hold of (or: grabbing and seizing) him, they scourged (severely whipped and beat) [him] and sent [him] off empty (= empty-handed). ⁴ "Now again he commissioned and sent off another slave to them, and they battered that one's head [other MSS: they pelted with stones] and they dishonored [him] [other MSS: they sent {him} off in dishonor]. ⁵ "Then he commissioned and sent off another one, and that one they killed. And [there were] many other – some of whom [they] were, one after another, scourging (whipping and beating), on the one hand, yet others of whom, on the other hand, [they] kept on killing, one after another. ⁶ "He still had one person, and had kept on holding him: his beloved son. He then also commissioned and sent him off last, to them, collecting his thoughts and saying, 'They will proceed turning back on themselves and will continue respecting my son.' ⁷ "Yet those tenant-farmers said to themselves and toward each other, 'This one is the heir (the one receiving the allotment of the inheritance). Come! Let us (or: We should) kill him, and the inheritance will proceed to be ours!' [note: there was a law that the estate of a proselyte who dies and has no heir may be regarded as ownerless property which can be claimed by anyone, those presently occupying it having first choice – J. Jeremias] ⁸ "So seizing [him], they at once killed him, then threw him out of [their] midst – outside the vineyard. ⁹ "What will the owner of the vineyard proceed in doing? He will in succession be coming and then destroying the tenant-farmers! Next he will proceed to give the vineyard to other folks. ¹⁰ "Have you folks not yet read this Scripture? – 'A rock (or: stone) which the builders rejected and threw away after examining it, this one comes into being [the] head of [the] corner [note: could = the keystone, or, the cornerstone]. ¹¹ 'This [head] came into existence from beside [the] Lord [= Yahweh], and He (or: it) is Wonderful (or: marvelous; remarkable; or: Amazing) in our eyes'?" [Ps. 118:22-23] ¹² So they further continued seeking [a way] to take a strong grasp of Him (= to arrest Him), for in this experience they knew that He said the parable directing it toward them – and yet they were afraid of the crowd. Then, abandoning Him, they went off. ¹³ Next they commissioned some of the Pharisees and the Herodians (members of Herod's political party) and sent them off to Him so that they might catch (or: trap, as in hunting or fishing) Him by a word (or: in a question; with an argument; by some verbal snare; in [His] message). ¹⁴ On arrival, they proceeded to say to Him, "O teacher, we have seen and thus now know that you are constantly genuine (habitually exist being real and true [perhaps here: = truthful]) and [that] it is not a care or concern for you about anyone, for you are not continually looking into [the] face of humans (may here = not looking at men's outward appearance or being unduly influenced by man-made prestige; or: not showing consideration for people; or: not concerned for what response you get from mankind), but to the contrary, [your eyes are] upon truth. You habitually teach God's way (the path whose source is God [= the path of life which He directs]; the road of God [= the road He takes]). [Tell us,] is it lawfully allowed (permissible in the Torah) and ethically right to give [the] poll tax to Caesar, or not? ¹⁵ "Should (or: May) we give (= pay), or should (or: may) we not give?" Now He, having seen and perceived, and thus now knowing their close inspection of the Scriptures and attention to details (or: their perverse scholarship and hyper-criticism; their discernment from a low position), said to them, "Why do you men continue putting Me to the test (or: continually trying to examine me)? Bring Me a denarius (a Roman silver coin) so that I can see [it]." So they brought it. ¹⁶ He then says to them, "Whose [is] this image and inscription?" So they said to Him, "Caesar's." ¹⁷ So Jesus said, "Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar (or: Pay off to Caesar the things that come from Caesar), and to God what comes from and belongs to God." And they began marvelling (being amazed and astounded) at Him (or: upon who He is, and His ability in responding). ¹⁸ Now progressively approaching Him are [some] Sadducees – folks who normally say that there is to be no resurrection – and they began asking (or: questioning) Him, saying, ¹⁹ "O teacher, Moses wrote (or: writes) to us that, 'If anyone's brother should die, and should leave-down-behind a widow (or: wife) and yet should not leave a child remaining, that his brother should receive the widow and take her as a wife and then should cause a seed (= offspring; a posterity) to rise up out [of their union] for (or: to) his brother.' [Deut. 25:5-6] ²⁰ "There were seven brothers, and the first took a wife and, upon dying, leaves no seed (offspring). ²¹ "Next the second one took (or: received) her and then he died, leaving-down no seed, and the third similarly. ²² "So the seven also received (took; got) her and yet left behind no seed. Last of them all, the woman also died. ²³ "In the resurrection, then, whenever they may be rising (or: standing) up, of which of them will she continue being a wife – for the seven had (or: possessed) her as a wife?" ²⁴ Jesus affirmed to them, "Are you folks not, therefore (for this reason), constantly deceived and led astray, having not seen, perceived, thus not knowing or being acquainted with the Scriptures – nor yet God's power (or: the ability of God)? ²⁵ "For whenever they can be standing up again (or: should be rising up) from out of the midst of dead ones, men neither continue marrying (taking wives), nor [are women] continuing being given in marriage, but to the contrary, they continue being (or: constantly exist being), as it were, agents – within the atmospheres (or: like messengers in the midst of the heavens; or: as folks with the message, centered in the skies)! [comment: this may be foreshadowing the new arrangement where women are no longer “given” in marriage, but are equal, everyone being God’s agents] ²⁶ "But concerning (or: about) the dead folks – that they are continually (or: constantly; habitually; progressively; repeatedly) being aroused and raised up – did (or: do) you folks not read within the scroll of Moses, at the thornbush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I [am] the God of Abraham, as well as Isaac's God and Jacob's God'? [Ex. 3:6] ²⁷ "He is not a God of dead folks, but to the contrary, of continuously living ones. You men are continuing much deceived, habitually wandering astray (= missing the point)." ²⁸ Now while approaching, one of the scribes (experts in the Law; Torah interpreters; scholars; theologians), hearing their discussing and questioning together [and] seeing (perceiving) that He beautifully gave a discerning answer to them, made inquiry upon Him, "Which and of what sort is [the] foremost (= most important) implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive) of them all?" ²⁹ So Jesus gave a decided reply to him, "Foremost (= Most important) is, 'Be habitually listening and hearing [and, thus, obeying], O Israel, [the] Lord [= Yahweh] [is] our God. [The] Lord [Yahweh] is (continually exists being) one. [note: the Sh’ma] ³⁰ 'And so, you folks will be loving [the] Lord [= Yahweh] your God from out of the midst of your whole heart, and from out of the midst of your whole soul, and from out of the midst of your whole intellect (throughout the midst of your entire comprehension and full mental ability), and from out of the midst of your whole strength.' [Deut. 6:4-5] ³¹ " [The] second one [is] the same [or, with other MSS: And {the} second one [is] like this one], 'You folks will continue loving your near-one (or: neighbor; associate) as he were (or: like) yourself.' [Lev. 19:18] There is no other investment with authorization (implanted goal; impartation of the finished product within; inward directive) greater than these!" ³² The scribe (scholar) said to Him, "Teacher, in truth you spoke beautifully (= you gave a fine answer), that He is one and there is no other more than (or: besides) Him. ³³ "And this 'to be constantly loving Him' from a whole heart and from the whole understanding, even out of the whole strength, and then to be habitually loving the near-one (neighbor; associate) as he were (or: like) oneself – it is excessively more than the effect of all of the whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices." ³⁴ Then Jesus, seeing and perceiving him, that he responded intelligently from considered discernment, said to him, "You are (exist being) not far from God's reign (the sovereign influence, activity and kingdom of and from God)." And so no one any longer continued daring to ask Him a question. ³⁵ Then, in giving a considered response while continuing in teaching within the temple courts (or: grounds), Jesus began to say, "How are the scribes (scholars; theologians) normally saying that the Christ (the Anointed One; = the Messiah) is David's son (or: a son of David; = a descendant of David)? ³⁶ "David, himself (or: This same David), within the midst of the Set-apart Breath-effect (or: in union with the Holy Spirit; in the Sacred Attitude) said, 'The Lord [= Yahweh] said to my Lord (Master), "Continue sitting at My right, until when I should place (or: put) Your enemies down under Your feet [other MSS: {as} a foot-stool for Your feet]."' [Ps. 110:1] ³⁷ "David himself (or: This very David) keeps terming Him 'Lord' ('Master'); so from where (from what source) is He his son?" And the large crowd continued listening to Him with pleasure. ³⁸ Then within His teaching He went on to say, "Be constantly noting (looking out for; observing and considering; wary of) the scribes (scholars and theologians) – those continually wanting to be walking around in robes and [desiring] greetings within the marketplaces, ³⁹ "as well as front seats (= places of honor) in the synagogues, and prominent reclining places at dinners; ⁴⁰ "those habitually eating-down (devouring; consuming) the houses of the widows and those constantly making long prayers as a 'front' (for 'appearances;' as a pretense; for a pretext) – these will continue taking to themselves and receiving a more excessive result of judgment!" ⁴¹ Later, sitting down opposite and across from but facing the [temple] treasury, He began watching how the crowd continued throwing (casting; tossing) copper coins into the treasury collection box, and [how] many rich folks, one after another, kept on throwing many [coins]. ⁴² Now there is coming one woman – a destitute widow. She threw two small, thin copper coins (leptons; mites) – which is of very little value (a quadrans; a farthing; = a value of a fraction of a Roman cent). ⁴³ So, calling His disciples to Himself, He said to them, "Truly (Amen), I now say to you men that this destitute widow threw more than all those continuously throwing [money] into the treasury collection box, ⁴⁴ "for everyone threw from out of their exceeding excess (or: surplus), yet she, from out of her poverty (need; want; deficiency; being behind) threw [in] all, as much as she had – her entire livelihood (the whole of what gives her a living)."