Mark 12

'Isa began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the winepress, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country. ²When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard. ³They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty. ⁴Again, he sent another servant to them; and they threw stones at him, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. ⁵Again he sent another; and they killed him; and many others, beating some, and killing some. ⁶Therefore still having one, his beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' ⁷But those farmers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' ⁸They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. ⁹What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰Haven't you even read this in Al-Kitab:

'The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.

¹¹This is Allah's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes'[1]?"

¹²They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left 'Isa, and went away. ¹³They sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words. ¹⁴When they had come, they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you are honest, and do not defer to anyone; for you aren't partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of Allah. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? ¹⁵Shall we give, or shall we not give?"

But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it."

¹⁶They brought it.

He said to them, "Whose is this image and inscription?"

They said to him, "Caesar's."

¹⁷'Isa answered them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to Allah the things that are Allah's."

They marveled greatly at him.

¹⁸There came to him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection. They asked him, saying, ¹⁹"Teacher, Musa wrote to us, 'If a man's brother dies, and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up offspring for his brother.'[2] ²⁰There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring. ²¹The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise; ²²and the seven took her and left no children. Last of all the woman also died. ²³In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife."

²⁴'Isa answered them, "Isn't this because you are mistaken, not knowing Al-Kitab, nor the power of Allah? ²⁵For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ²⁶But about the dead, that they are raised; haven't you read in the Book of Musa, about the bush, how Allah spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub[3]?' ²⁷He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken."

²⁸One of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the greatest of all?"

²⁹'Isa answered, "The greatest is, 'Hear, Israel: Allah is our God, Allah is one: ³⁰you shall love Allah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'[4] This is the first commandment. ³¹The second is like this, 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.'[5] There is no other commandment greater than these."

³²The scribe said to him, "Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he, ³³and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

³⁴When 'Isa saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of Allah."

No one dared ask him any question after that. ³⁵'Isa responded, as he taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that al-Masih is Ibn Dawud? ³⁶For Dawud himself said in the Holy Spirit,

'Allah said to my Lord,

"Sit at my right hand,

Until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."'[6]

³⁷Therefore Dawud himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?"

The common people heard him gladly. ³⁸In his teaching he said to them, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces, ³⁹and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts: ⁴⁰those who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

⁴¹'Isa sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much. ⁴²A poor widow came, and she cast in two small bronze coins,[7] which equal a quadrans coin.[8] ⁴³He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, "Most assuredly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury, ⁴⁴for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on."