Mark 12
Jesus began to speak to them [the chief priests, scribes and elders who were questioning Him] in parables: "A man planted a vineyard and put a [1]wall around it, and dug a pit for the wine press and built a tower ; and he rented it out to tenant farmers and left the country.
And they were looking for a way to seize Him, but they were afraid of the crowd; for they knew that He spoke this parable in reference to [and as a charge against] them. And so they left Him and went away.
Then they sent some of the [3]Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus in order to trap Him into making a statement [that they could use against Him] .
They came and said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are truthful and have no personal bias toward anyone; for You are not influenced by outward appearances or social status, but in truth You teach the way of God. Is it lawful [according to Jewish law and tradition] to pay the [4]poll-tax to [[5]Tiberius] Caesar, or not?
Should we pay [the tax] or should we not pay?" But knowing their hypocrisy, He asked them, "Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a [6]coin (denarius) to look at."
So they brought one. Then He asked them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's."
Jesus said to them, "Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were greatly amazed at Him.
Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Him, and began questioning Him, saying,
"Teacher, Moses wrote for us [a law] that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but leaves no child, his brother is to [7]marry the widow and raise up children for his brother .
There were seven brothers; the first [one] took a wife, and died leaving no children.
The second brother married her, and died leaving no children; and the third likewise;
and so all seven [married her and died, and] left no children. Last of all the woman died also.
In the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For all seven [brothers] were married to her."
Jesus said to them, "Is this not why you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures [that teach the resurrection] nor the power of God [who is able to raise the dead] ?
Then one of the scribes [an expert in Mosaic Law] came up and listened to them arguing [with one another] , and noticing that Jesus answered them well, asked Him, "Which commandment is first and most important of all?"
Jesus answered, "The first and most important one is: 'Hear , O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord ;
The scribe said to Him, "Admirably answered, Teacher; You truthfully stated that He is One, and there is no other but Him ;
When Jesus saw that he answered thoughtfully and intelligently, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that, no one would dare to ask Him any more questions.
Jesus began to say, as He taught in [a portico or court of] the temple, "[9]How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?
In [the course of] His teaching He was saying, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes [displaying their prominence] , and like to receive respectful greetings in the market places,
And He sat down opposite the [temple] treasury, and began watching how the people were putting money into the [12]treasury. And many rich people were putting in [13]large sums.
A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a [14]mite.
Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this poor widow put in [proportionally] more than all the contributors to the treasury.