ManyBibles

Mark 12

7 translations · read through 12 traditions.

NCB · New Consensus Bible

1And 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 winepress, and built a tower, and leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey. 2And at the proper time he sent a servant to the tenant farmers, so that he might receive from the tenant farmers some of the fruits of the vineyard. 3And taking him, they beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4And again he sent to them another servant; and that one they stoned, struck on the head, and sent away dishonored. 5And again he sent another; and that one they killed, and many others, beating some and killing some. 6Therefore, still having one, his beloved son, he sent him also to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 7But those tenant farmers said to themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 8And taking him, they killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenant farmers, and will give the vineyard to others. 10Have you not read this very Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected, this has become the head of the corner; 11this was from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? 12And they sought to seize him, but they feared the crowd, for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them. And leaving him, they went away. 13And they send to him some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, so that they might catch him in a word. 14And coming, they say to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and you do not care what anyone thinks; for you do not look at the face of men, but in truth you teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar, or not? 15Should we give, or should we not give?" But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, so that I may see it." 16And they brought it. And he says to them, "Whose is this image and the inscription?" And they said to him, "Caesar's." 17And Jesus answering said to them, "Give the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God." And they marveled greatly at him. 18And Sadducees come to him, who are of the kind who say there is no resurrection, and they were asking him, saying, 19"Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if someone's brother dies and leaves behind a wife and does not leave a child, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and dying, he left no offspring. 21And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring himself; and the third likewise; 22and the seven left no offspring. Last of all, the woman also died. 23In the resurrection, therefore, when they resurrect, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife." 24And Jesus said to them, "Are you not deceived because of this, not knowing 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 the heavens. 26But concerning the dead, that they are raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? 27He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living; you are therefore greatly deceived." 28And one of the scribes came up, having heard them debating, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him, "Which is a first commandment of all?" 29Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30and you shall love the Lord your God out of all your heart, and out of all your soul, and out of all your mind, and out of all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31And the second is like it, this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 32And the scribe said to him, "Well said, Teacher; you have spoken in truth that he is one God, and there is no other besides him; 33and to love him out of all the heart, and out of all the understanding, and out of all the soul, and out of all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all the whole burnt offerings and the sacrifices." 34And Jesus, seeing that he answered intelligently, said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one any longer dared to question him. 35And Jesus answering said, teaching in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36For David himself said in the Holy Spirit: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies as a footstool for your feet."' 37David himself therefore calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?" And the large crowd heard him gladly. 38And in his teaching he said to them, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk around in robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, 39and the first-seats in the synagogues, and the first-couches at the feasts; 40those devouring the houses of widows, and for a pretense making long prayers; these will receive a more severe judgment." 41And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and he was observing how the crowd casts copper coins into the treasury. And many rich people were casting in much; 42and one poor widow came and cast in two lepta, which is a quadrans. 43And having called his disciples to him, he said to them, "Truly I say to you, that this poor widow has cast in more than all of those casting into the treasury; 44for they all cast in out of their abundance, but she, out of her lack, cast in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

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What the traditions agree on

Readers broadly affirm that God measures the value of an offering by the giver's inward disposition and the proportion of their sacrifice rather than the monetary amount. Several traditions note that Jesus' command to render to Caesar establishes the legitimate but limited authority of temporal government, just as rendering to God is rooted in the human soul bearing the image of God, while some traditions highlight that His identity as David’s son and Lord demonstrates the hypostatic union.… Sign in to read the full consensus →

Held by most, but not all

  • God measures the value of an offering by the inward disposition and the proportion of the sacrifice, rather than the monetary amount given. (8 affirm)

Where the traditions differ

  • Jesus' declaration that God is the God of the living proves the ongoing, conscious existence of the departed patriarchs and saints prior to the final resurrection.

    catholic: AFFIRM; orthodox: AFFIRM; oriental-orthodox: AFFIRM; reformed: AFFIRM; adventist: DENY

  • Jesus' response to the Sadducees refutes the concept of a conscious immortal soul, proving that the dead remain unconscious until the future bodily resurrection.

    catholic: DENY; orthodox: DENY; oriental-orthodox: DENY; reformed: DENY; adventist: AFFIRM

  • The ongoing life of the departed in God provides the theological basis for the liturgical practices of praying for the dead and invoking the intercession of the saints.

    catholic: AFFIRM; orthodox: AFFIRM; oriental-orthodox: AFFIRM; adventist: DENY

  • The command to love God and neighbor functions as the summary of the moral law, affirming that the Decalogue remains the abiding ethical rule of life for believers.

    catholic: QUALIFY; anglican: AFFIRM; reformed: AFFIRM; adventist: AFFIRM

  • The command to love God perfectly functions as an impossible standard that exposes human inability and drives the terrified conscience to Christ for justification.

    lutheran: AFFIRM; reformed: AFFIRM; methodist: DENY

  • The command to love God entirely and one's neighbor as oneself describes the attainable earthly reality of entire sanctification and perfect love.

    lutheran: DENY; reformed: DENY; methodist: AFFIRM

  • The widow's offering establishes the ultimate ascetic standard of total material renunciation and absolute dependence on God.

    catholic: QUALIFY; orthodox: AFFIRM; oriental-orthodox: AFFIRM; lutheran: QUALIFY; anabaptist: DENY

How each tradition reads it

Each reading was generated in isolation — no tradition sees another’s answer.

Catholic

In the temple precincts, Jesus engages in a series of direct confrontations with the religious authorities. He begins with a provocative parable about murderous tenants, signaling divine judgment on the current leadership. Various factions then attempt to trap him: the Pharisees and Herodians on the politically charged issue of Roman taxation, and the Sadducees on the theological reality of the resurrection. Jesus navigates these traps, refutes the Sadducees by appealing to Moses, defines the core of the law as the total love of God and neighbor, and asserts his messianic authority over David. The chapter concludes with Jesus contrasting the hypocritical, self-serving piety of the scribes with the quiet, total self-gift of a poor widow. Reception: The Catholic communion receives this chapter through a deeply typological and anthropological lens. The parable of the vineyard is read as salvation history: the beloved son killed and cast out prefigures Christ's Passion outside the gates of Jerusalem, while the transfer of the vineyard signifies the establishment of the Church (Bede the Venerable, Commentary on the Gospel of Mark). The instruction on taxation is expanded by the Latin Fathers into a theology of the Imago Dei. Just as the coin bears the image of the emperor and belongs to him, the human soul bears the image of God and must be entirely returned to its Creator (Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos). Christ's response to the Sadducees establishes two major dogmatic trajectories. First, his teaching that the resurrected state involves neither marriage nor giving in marriage forms the scriptural bedrock for the celibate monastic vocation. Both Latin and Eastern Catholic traditions—especially Eastern asceticism—understand monasticism as an earthly anticipation of this eschatological 'angelic life' (John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew). Second, Christ's declaration that the Lord is the God of the living is cited as proof of the ongoing, conscious life of the patriarchs and saints. This provides scriptural warrant for the Communion of Saints; because the patriarchs are alive in God, the saints can actively intercede for the pilgrim Church (Jerome, Against Vigilantius). Furthermore, Christ's exposition of the Psalms regarding David's son is read as an early revelation of the hypostatic union—Christ is human by lineage, but divine as David's Lord.

Eastern Orthodox

In this chapter, Jesus engages in a series of public disputes in the temple courtyard, establishing his authority against various factions of the religious establishment. He first tells the parable of the wicked tenants, implicitly identifying himself as the beloved Son who will be killed, and warning that the vineyard will be given to others. He then evades a trap set by the Pharisees and Herodians regarding taxes to Caesar by distinguishing between the emperor's image on a coin and what belongs to God. Addressing the Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, Jesus uses the Torah to prove that God is the God of the living. He identifies the greatest commandments as loving God and neighbor, challenges the scribes' understanding of the Messiah's lineage by quoting Psalm 110, warns the crowds about the hypocrisy of the scribes, and finally commends a poor widow for her total self-offering of two small coins. Reception: The Eastern Orthodox tradition reads Mark 12 heavily through its anthropological and eschatological implications, drawing upon Patristic commentaries, particularly those synthesized by Blessed Theophylact. The command to 'render to God the things that are God’s' (v. 17) is understood not merely as a division of earthly and spiritual duties, but profoundly as an anthropological mandate: just as the denarius bears the image (eikon) of the earthly emperor, the human soul bears the image of the heavenly King and must be offered back to Him in its entirety. Furthermore, Christ's response to the Sadducees (v. 27) serves as a cornerstone of Orthodox eschatology. By declaring that God 'is not the God of the dead, but of the living,' the tradition affirms that physical death does not sever a person from the Body of Christ. This text historically combatted both materialism and heretical views of soul-sleep, affirming the continuous, conscious reality of the Communion of Saints. Finally, Christ's exegesis of Psalm 110 (vv. 35-37) is received as central Christological proof of His dual nature—being both the son of David according to the flesh, and the pre-eternal Lord according to His divinity.

Oriental Orthodox

In the final days before his crucifixion, Jesus enters the temple and asserts his supreme authority through a series of confrontations with religious leaders. He first tells the parable of the wicked tenants, framing himself as the eschatological, beloved Son sent after the prophets, whose rejection will result in judgment upon the current leadership and the transfer of the vineyard. Jesus then evades traps set by the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees regarding imperial taxes and the resurrection, establishing that total allegiance belongs to God, who is the God of the living. He summarizes the entirety of the law as wholehearted love for God and neighbor. Finally, Jesus questions the scribes' understanding of the Messiah by demonstrating from the Psalms that the Christ is David's Lord, not merely his son, and he contrasts the hypocritical piety of the scribes with the total, sacrificial giving of a poor widow. Reception: The Oriental Orthodox tradition receives this chapter as a profound witness to the single incarnate nature of God the Word (the miaphysite Christology) and the consubstantiality of the Son. Verses 35-37 are a crucial Christological locus. Cyril of Alexandria and Severus of Antioch deploy Jesus' question—how the Christ can be both David's son and David's Lord—to defend the hypostatic union against those who would divide Christ into two subjects. The tradition insists it is the exact same, single subject who is Lord by his divine nature and became a son of David according to the flesh without mingling or alteration. Furthermore, Athanasius of Alexandria draws heavily on the parable of the vineyard (verses 1-12) in his defense of Nicaea, noting the absolute distinction Jesus makes between the 'servants' (prophets, who are creatures) and the 'beloved son' (who is the heir, of the exact same essence as the Lord of the vineyard). The widow's offering (verses 41-44) is received as a foundational paradigm for the Coptic, Syriac, and Ethiopian ascetic traditions; her kenosis (self-emptying) mirrors the Incarnation and establishes the monastic ideal of renouncing all earthly security to depend entirely on God.

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Every translation

The same chapter in 7 public-domain translations.

WEB · World English Bible

1He began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine press, 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 Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner. 11This was from the Lord. It is marvelous in our eyes’?” 12They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him and went away. 13They sent some of the Pharisees and the 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 don’t defer to anyone; for you aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. 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.” 17Jesus answered them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” They marveled greatly at him. 18Some Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came to him. They asked him, saying, 19“Teacher, Moses 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.’ 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.” 24Jesus answered them, “Isn’t this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God? 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 Moses about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 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, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?” 29Jesus answered, “The greatest is: ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 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, with all the understanding, all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from God’s Kingdom.” No one dared ask him any question after that. 35Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36For David himself said in the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’ 37Therefore David 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 to get 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.” 41Jesus 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 brass coins, which equal a quadrans coin. 43He called his disciples to himself and said to them, “Most certainly 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.”

KJV · King James Version

1And he 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. 2And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 3And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. 4And 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. 5And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. 6Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. 7But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. 8And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. 10And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: 11This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 12And 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. 13And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. 14And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, 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: Is it lawful to give tribute to Cesar, or not? 15Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. 16And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cesar’s. 17And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cesar the things that are Cesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him. 18Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, 19Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 20Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. 21And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. 22And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. 23In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. 24And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? 25For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. 26And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. 28And 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? 29And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30And 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. 31And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 32And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 33And 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, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 34And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. 35And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? 36For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 37David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly. 38And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, 39And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: 40Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. 41And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 42And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

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Differences that change the meaning (100)
  • v1 [stylistic]: Varies the verb and preposition for communication. — “to” (WEB, YLT, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “speak unto” (KJV, ASV) vs “say to” (DARBY)
  • v1 [lexical]: Uses different terms for 'parables' and varying prepositions. — “in” (WEB, ASV, DARBY, DRC) vs “by parables” (KJV, WEBSTER) vs “in similes” (YLT)
  • v1 [lexical]: Translates the verb for leasing out the vineyard differently. — “and let” (KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “rented” (WEB) vs “gave” (YLT)
  • v1 [lexical]: Uses different terms for the vineyard workers. — “husbandmen” (KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “a farmer” (WEB)
  • v2 [grammatical]: Rephrases the clause about receiving the produce, using different nouns and structures. — “husbandmen of” (KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “farmer his share” (WEB) vs “he may receive from” (YLT)
  • v2 [grammatical]: Singular versus plural for the produce. — “fruit” (WEB, KJV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “fruits” (ASV)
  • v4 [lexical]: Uses different terms for 'servant' or rephrases the object. — “servant” (KJV, ASV, YLT, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “to them” (WEB) vs “bondman” (DARBY)
  • v5 [stylistic]: Varies the phrasing of the final action of killing. — “killing some” (WEB, KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “killing” (YLT) vs “others they killed” (DRC)
  • v6 [grammatical]: Varies the introductory conjunctions and the form of the verb 'have'. — “Having yet therefore” (KJV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “still having” (WEB) vs “He had” (ASV) vs “Therefore” (DRC)
  • v6 [lexical]: Varies the phrasing and terms of endearment for the son. — “son his wellbeloved” (KJV, WEBSTER) vs “beloved” (YLT, DARBY) vs “beloved son” (WEB) vs “a beloved” (ASV) vs “most dear to him” (DRC)
  • v6 [lexical]: Uses different verbs for showing honor. — “reverence” (KJV, ASV, YLT, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “respect” (WEB) vs “have respect for” (DARBY)
  • v7 [lexical]: Varies the conjunction and the noun for the workers. — “But those husbandmen” (KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “farmers” (WEB) vs “and” (YLT) vs “the” (DRC)
  • v7 [stylistic]: Different ways of expressing reciprocal communication. — “among themselves” (WEB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEBSTER) vs “to one another” (DARBY) vs “one to another” (DRC)
  • v7 [grammatical]: Contraction, subjunctive, or imperative phrasing for 'let us'. — “let us” (KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “let’s” (WEB) vs “we may” (YLT)
  • v7 [grammatical]: Varies the verb and sentence structure for expressing future possession. — “will” (WEB, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “the inheritance shall” (KJV, ASV, DRC) vs “ours” (YLT)
  • v8 [stylistic]: Varies the adverb or preposition for being cast outside. — “out of” (WEB, KJV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “forth” (ASV, DARBY) vs “forth without” (YLT)
  • v9 [lexical]: Varies the noun for the workers or uses a demonstrative. — “the husbandmen” (KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “farmers” (WEB) vs “those” (DRC)
  • v9 [stylistic]: (vv 9, 19, 32, 34, 36) Updates 'unto' to 'to'. — “to” (WEB, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “unto” (KJV, ASV)
  • v10 [stylistic]: Varies the article and modifiers for 'scripture'. — “this scripture The” (WEB, KJV, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “even” (ASV) vs “A” (YLT)
  • v10 [grammatical]: Uses different relative pronouns or a verbal phrase for the builders. — “which the builders” (WEB, KJV, ASV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “that” (YLT) vs “they that builded” (DARBY)
  • v10 [lexical]: Varies the translation and structure for 'head of the corner'. — “head of the corner” (WEB, KJV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “same was made the” (ASV) vs “a” (YLT) vs “corner-stone” (DARBY)
  • v11 [grammatical]: Different prepositions and verb structures for expressing agency. — “from” (WEB, ASV, YLT) vs “This was” (KJV, WEBSTER) vs “is of” (DARBY) vs “By” (DRC)
  • v11 [lexical]: Uses different synonyms for 'marvelous'. — “wonderful” (YLT, DARBY, DRC) vs “marvelous” (WEB, WEBSTER) vs “marvellous” (KJV, ASV)
  • v12 [lexical]: Varies the verb for attempting to seize. — “sought” (KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “tried” (WEB) vs “were seeking” (YLT)
  • v12 [lexical]: Uses different idioms or terms for seizing. — “lay hold on” (KJV, ASV, YLT, WEBSTER) vs “seize” (WEB) vs “of” (DARBY) vs “hands” (DRC)
  • v12 [grammatical]: Different conjunctions connecting the clauses. — “and they” (ASV, YLT, DARBY) vs “they” (WEB, DRC) vs “but” (KJV, WEBSTER)
  • v12 [lexical]: Uses different terms for the large group of people. — “multitude” (WEB, ASV, YLT) vs “people” (KJV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “crowd” (DARBY)
  • v12 [lexical]: Uses different verbs for understanding or realizing. — “knew” (KJV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “perceived” (WEB, ASV)
  • v12 [stylistic]: Varies the expression of leaving or departing. — “away” (WEB, ASV, DARBY) vs “and went their way” (KJV) vs “they away” (YLT) vs “departed” (WEBSTER) vs “they” (DRC)
  • v13 [grammatical]: Varies the syntax and word order for sending men to Jesus. — “send unto him certain” (KJV, ASV, YLT) vs “sent some” (WEB) vs “to” (DARBY) vs “sent to” (WEBSTER) vs “sent to some” (DRC)
  • v14 [lexical]: (vv 14, 19) Uses different titles for a religious teacher. — “Teacher” (WEB, ASV, YLT, DARBY) vs “Master” (KJV, WEBSTER, DRC)
  • v14 [lexical]: Varies the expression for being truthful or honest. — “thou art true” (KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “you are honest” (WEB) vs “a speaker” (DRC)
  • v14 [lexical]: Varies the phrasing for teaching truthfully. — “teachest” (KJV, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “truly teach” (WEB) vs “of a truth” (ASV) vs “in truth” (YLT)
  • v14 [lexical]: Varies the phrasing for paying tribute to Caesar. — “Caesar” (YLT, DARBY, DRC) vs “give tribute to Cesar” (KJV, WEBSTER) vs “pay taxes Caesar” (WEB) vs “unto Cæsar” (ASV)
  • v15 [stylistic]: Varies the conjunction, noun, and verb for Jesus knowing their intent. — “to” (WEB, YLT, WEBSTER) vs “hypocrisy said unto” (KJV, ASV, DARBY) vs “wiliness saith to” (DRC)
  • v15 [lexical]: Uses different terms or transliterations for the Roman coin. — “denarius” (WEB, ASV, DARBY) vs “penny” (KJV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “denary” (YLT)
  • v16 [stylistic]: Varies the verb form and preposition for speaking. — “to” (YLT, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “saith unto” (KJV, ASV) vs “said to” (WEB) vs “says to” (DARBY)
  • v16 [lexical]: Varies the noun for the writing on the coin. — “superscription And” (KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “inscription” (WEB, DRC) vs “the inscription” (YLT)
  • v17 [lexical]: Uses different verbs and adverbs for their reaction. — “marvelled” (KJV, DRC) vs “wondered” (DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “marveled greatly” (WEB) vs “greatly” (ASV) vs “did wonder” (YLT)
  • v18 [grammatical]: Varies the sentence structure introducing the Sadducees. — “no resurrection and” (KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “came to him” (WEB) vs “not a rising again” (YLT)
  • v18 [lexical]: Uses different verbs for asking or demanding. — “asked” (WEB, KJV, ASV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “questioned” (YLT) vs “demanded of” (DARBY)
  • v19 [lexical]: Varies the pronoun or noun for a person. — “a man’s” (WEB, KJV, ASV, WEBSTER) vs “any one's” (YLT, DARBY) vs “any” (DRC)
  • v19 [grammatical]: Differences in verb mood or tense for dying. — “die” (KJV, ASV, DARBY, DRC) vs “dies” (WEB) vs “may” (YLT) vs “shall” (WEBSTER)
  • v19 [grammatical]: Varies the article and verb form for leaving a wife. — “leave his” (KJV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “a” (ASV, DARBY) vs “leaves a” (WEB) vs “may a” (YLT)
  • v19 [grammatical]: Differences in verb mood or tense for leaving children. — “leave” (KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “leaves” (WEB) vs “may” (YLT)
  • v19 [grammatical]: Varies the auxiliary verb for the obligation. — “should” (WEB, KJV, ASV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “may” (YLT) vs “shall” (DARBY)
  • v19 [lexical]: Varies the terms and prepositions for producing offspring. — “to” (YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “up seed unto” (KJV, ASV) vs “offspring for” (WEB)
  • v20 [lexical]: Uses different terms for siblings. — “brethren and” (KJV, ASV, DARBY, DRC) vs “brothers” (WEB, YLT, WEBSTER)
  • v20 [lexical]: Varies the phrasing for dying without offspring. — “dying left no seed” (KJV, ASV, WEBSTER) vs “offspring” (WEB) vs “he” (YLT) vs “did not leave” (DARBY) vs “died leaving issue” (DRC)
  • v21 [stylistic]: Different phrases indicating similarity. — “likewise” (WEB, KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “in like manner” (YLT, DRC)
  • v23 [stylistic]: Varies the phrasing for whose wife she will be. — “of them” (WEB, KJV, ASV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “wife” (YLT, DARBY)
  • v23 [grammatical]: Varies the preposition or phrasing for having her as a wife. — “to” (KJV, ASV, DRC) vs “as” (YLT, DARBY) vs “as a” (WEB) vs “for a” (WEBSTER)
  • v24 [grammatical]: Varies the conjunctions for the negative statement. — “nor” (WEB, ASV, DARBY, DRC) vs “scriptures neither” (KJV, WEBSTER) vs “Writings nor” (YLT)
  • v25 [lexical]: Varies the preposition or phrase for rising from the dead. — “from” (WEB, KJV, ASV, WEBSTER) vs “out of” (YLT) vs “among” (DARBY) vs “again” (DRC)
  • v25 [lexical]: Varies the phrasing for being given in marriage. — “are given in marriage” (WEB, KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “they” (YLT) vs “be married” (DRC)
  • v25 [grammatical]: Singular versus plural for heaven. — “heaven” (WEB, KJV, ASV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “the heavens” (YLT, DARBY)
  • v26 [stylistic]: Varies the introductory phrase for the topic of the dead. — “concerning” (YLT, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “But about” (WEB) vs “And as touching” (KJV) vs “But” (ASV) vs “But concerning” (DARBY)
  • v26 [grammatical]: Varies the verb phrase and word order for the dead rising. — “rise have ye not” (KJV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “are raised haven’t you” (WEB) vs “are raised” (ASV) vs “again you” (DRC)
  • v26 [stylistic]: (vv 26, 43) Varies the verb and preposition for speaking. — “spoke to” (WEB, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “spake unto” (KJV, ASV) vs “to” (YLT)
  • v28 [lexical]: Uses different verbs for asking. — “asked” (WEB, KJV, ASV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “questioned” (YLT) vs “demanded of” (DARBY)
  • v28 [grammatical]: Varies the phrasing for asking which is the first commandment. — “Which is” (KJV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “commandment” (WEB) vs “What commandment” (ASV) vs “was” (DRC)
  • v29 [textual]: Reflects a textual variant changing 'our God' to 'thy God' or adjusts the copula. — “our” (WEB, KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “is” (YLT) vs “thy” (DRC)
  • v30 [stylistic]: Modernizes 'thou shalt' to 'you shall'. — “And thou shalt” (KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “You shall” (WEB)
  • v30 [stylistic]: Modernizes 'thy' to 'your'. — “thy” (KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “your” (WEB)
  • v30 [lexical]: Varies the preposition and adjective for 'all/whole'. — “with all thy” (KJV, ASV, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “your” (WEB) vs “out of” (YLT) vs “whole” (DRC)
  • v31 [stylistic]: Varies spelling and formatting of 'neighbor'. — “thy neighbour” (KJV, YLT, DARBY, DRC) vs “neighbor” (ASV, WEBSTER) vs “your neighbor” (WEB)
  • v32 [stylistic]: Varies between 'no' and 'none'. — “none” (WEB, KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY) vs “no” (WEBSTER, DRC)
  • v32 [lexical]: Varies the phrase for 'except him'. — “but he” (WEB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEBSTER) vs “besides him” (DARBY, DRC)
  • v33 [grammatical]: Varies the possessive pronoun for neighbor. — “neighbor” (WEB, ASV, WEBSTER) vs “one's” (YLT, DARBY) vs “his neighbour” (KJV) vs “one’s” (DRC)
  • v33 [stylistic]: Varies the spelling or form of the reflexive pronoun. — “himself” (WEB, KJV, ASV, WEBSTER) vs “one's self” (YLT, DARBY) vs “one’s self” (DRC)
  • v33 [lexical]: Uses different words to express greater importance. — “more” (KJV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “important” (WEB) vs “much” (ASV) vs “a greater thing” (DRC)
  • v33 [lexical]: Uses different terms for complete burnt offerings. — “whole burnt offerings” (WEB, KJV) vs “burnt-offerings” (ASV, WEBSTER) vs “the burnt-offerings” (YLT, DARBY) vs “holocausts” (DRC)
  • v34 [grammatical]: Varies the verb form for seeing/perceiving. — “saw” (WEB, KJV, ASV, WEBSTER) vs “seeing” (DARBY, DRC) vs “having seen him” (YLT)
  • v34 [lexical]: Uses different adverbs or phrases for answering wisely. — “discreetly he” (KJV, ASV, WEBSTER) vs “wisely” (WEB, DRC) vs “with understanding” (YLT) vs “intelligently” (DARBY)
  • v34 [stylistic]: Modernizes archaic pronouns and verbs. — “Thou art” (KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “You are” (WEB)
  • v34 [stylistic]: Varies the phrasing for not daring to ask further questions. — “question” (KJV, ASV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “after that” (WEB) vs “more durst him” (YLT) vs “more” (DARBY)
  • v35 [grammatical]: Varies the syntax for introducing the scribes' claim. — “say” (KJV, ASV, YLT, WEBSTER) vs “do” (DARBY, DRC) vs “is it that” (WEB)
  • v36 [lexical]: Varies the preposition and verb for speaking by the Spirit. — “in” (WEB, ASV, YLT) vs “said by” (KJV, WEBSTER) vs “speaking in” (DARBY) vs “saith” (DRC)
  • v36 [lexical]: Uses different terms for the Spirit. — “Spirit” (WEB, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “Ghost” (KJV, DRC)
  • v36 [stylistic]: Varies between 'till' and 'until'. — “till” (KJV, ASV, YLT, WEBSTER) vs “until” (WEB, DARBY, DRC)
  • v36 [lexical]: Uses different verbs for placing enemies as a footstool. — “make thine” (KJV, ASV) vs “thy” (WEBSTER, DRC) vs “your” (WEB) vs “place” (YLT) vs “put” (DARBY)
  • v36 [grammatical]: Varies the article or pronoun before footstool. — “thy” (KJV, YLT, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “the” (WEB, ASV) vs “as” (DARBY)
  • v37 [lexical]: Varies the verb and syntax for David calling him Lord. — “calleth” (KJV, ASV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “calls” (WEB) vs “saith of” (YLT) vs “therefore calls” (DARBY)
  • v37 [grammatical]: Varies the phrasing for the resulting question. — “and whence is” (KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “so how can” (WEB)
  • v38 [lexical]: Varies the verbs expressing desire to walk in long robes. — “who like walk” (WEB) vs “which love to go” (KJV) vs “who desire walk” (ASV) vs “who will” (YLT) vs “who like walk about” (DARBY) vs “who” (WEBSTER) vs “who walk” (DRC)
  • v38 [lexical]: Uses different terms for the garments. — “robes” (WEB, ASV, DARBY, DRC) vs “clothing” (KJV, WEBSTER) vs “robes to walk” (YLT)
  • v38 [grammatical]: Singular versus plural for marketplaces. — “marketplaces” (WEB, KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “marketplace” (DRC)
  • v40 [grammatical]: Varies the relative pronoun or phrase for those devouring houses. — “who the” (DARBY, DRC) vs “those who” (WEB) vs “Which devour widows” (KJV) vs “they that” (ASV) vs “who are devouring the” (YLT) vs “Who” (WEBSTER)
  • v40 [grammatical]: Singular versus plural for prayers. — “prayers” (WEB, KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “prayer” (DRC)
  • v40 [grammatical]: Varies the future auxiliary verb. — “shall” (KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “will” (WEB)
  • v40 [lexical]: Uses different terms for the punishment they will receive. — “condemnation” (WEB, ASV) vs “greater damnation” (KJV, WEBSTER) vs “more abundant judgment” (YLT) vs “a severer judgment” (DARBY) vs “judgment” (DRC)
  • v41 [lexical]: Uses different terms and phrasing for the crowd putting in money. — “people cast money” (KJV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “multitude” (WEB, ASV) vs “multitude do put brass” (YLT) vs “crowd was casting” (DARBY)
  • v42 [grammatical]: Varies the syntax and verbs for the widow casting in money. — “came cast” (WEB, DARBY) vs “and she threw” (KJV, WEBSTER) vs “cast” (ASV, DRC) vs “did put” (YLT)
  • v42 [lexical]: Uses different terms or descriptions for the small coins. — “mites” (KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “small brass coins” (WEB)
  • v42 [lexical]: Uses different verbs for equivalence. — “make” (KJV, ASV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “equal” (WEB) vs “are” (YLT) vs “is” (DARBY)
  • v42 [lexical]: Uses different terms for the Roman coin value. — “farthing” (KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “quadrans coin” (WEB)
  • v43 [lexical]: Uses different terms to introduce a solemn statement. — “Verily” (KJV, ASV, YLT, DARBY, WEBSTER) vs “Most certainly” (WEB) vs “Amen” (DRC)
  • v43 [grammatical]: Varies the verb and syntax for casting in more. — “more” (ASV, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “gave” (WEB) vs “hath cast more in” (KJV) vs “put more” (YLT) vs “has more” (DARBY)
  • v43 [grammatical]: Varies the relative clauses for those putting money in. — “who” (DARBY, WEBSTER, DRC) vs “those who are giving” (WEB) vs “they which have cast” (KJV) vs “that are casting” (ASV) vs “those putting” (YLT)
  • v44 [lexical]: Varies the phrasing for giving all her livelihood. — “even all her living” (KJV, ASV, WEBSTER) vs “to live on” (WEB) vs “put in” (YLT) vs “the whole of” (DARBY) vs “whole” (DRC)

Behind this page

Source text. Greek (TAGNT, public-domain critical text). Greek New Testament (Public Domain / Critical Text)

Divine names: Kyrios (Lord), Theos (God).

Also consulted, but not counted in the consensus

Academic textual-historical analysis

Academic analysis identifies this chapter as a carefully constructed sequence of controversy dialogues, formally categorized by form critics as apophthegms or pronouncement stories. Set in the Jerusalem Temple precincts, the narrative depicts a series of dialectical encounters between Jesus and various Jewish factions: Pharisees, Herodians, Sadducees, and scribes. The chapter's historical matrix is deeply embedded in first-century realities. Making sense of the immediate context requires understanding the Roman provincial poll tax and the offense of the imperial denarius bearing a graven image, the Sadducean rejection of the resurrection based on their strict adherence to the written Torah regarding Levirate marriage, and the socio-economic mechanisms of the Temple treasury. The rhetoric relies heavily on Greco-Roman and Jewish dialectical forms, including trap questions, counter-interrogations, and concluding aphorisms.

Jewish interpretation

In this chapter, Jesus is depicted engaging in a series of public debates and teachings in the temple courts. He begins by delivering a parable about tenant farmers who beat and kill a vineyard owner's servants and his son, prompting the owner's judgment (verses 1-12). He then navigates a political trap regarding the lawfulness of paying taxes to Caesar by distinguishing between the things of Caesar and the things of God (verses 13-17). Following this, he disputes with Sadducees regarding the resurrection of the dead, using the book of Moses to argue that God is the God of the living (verses 18-27). A scribe asks him to identify the first commandment, to which Jesus recites the declaration that God is one and commands love of God and neighbor (verses 28-34). Finally, Jesus questions the scribal assumption that the Messiah is merely David's son (verses 35-37), warns against the ostentatious behavior of certain religious leaders, and commends a poor widow's small monetary offering over the larger gifts of the rich (verses 38-44).

Latter-day Saint

In the temple precincts, Jesus delivers the parable of the wicked tenants, implicitly condemning the religious leaders for rejecting Israel's prophets and ultimately God's son. He then skillfully navigates a series of intellectual and theological traps: answering the Pharisees and Herodians on paying taxes to Caesar, refuting the Sadducees' denial of the resurrection through a question about levirate marriage, and affirming the two greatest commandments for an inquiring scribe. He concludes by questioning the scribes' understanding of David's son and highlighting the complete, sacrificial offering of a poor widow.

Jehovah's Witnesses

In this narrative chapter, Jesus asserts his authority and identifies his impending rejection through the parable of the wicked tenants. He then masterfully navigates a series of hostile traps set by religious leaders: resolving a political dilemma regarding Roman taxation, refuting the Sadducees' denial of the resurrection, and summarizing the entirety of the Law into the commands to love God and neighbor. He concludes by questioning the scribes' understanding of the Messiah's identity and commending a poor widow's total financial sacrifice as the highest form of giving.

Translation choices the NCB made (80)
  • v1: "and put a fence around it, and dug a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey." — Preserves the polysyndeton structure of the source text connecting the sequence of agricultural preparations.
  • v1: "speak to" — Uses contemporary dignified English prepositions.
  • v1: "in parables" — Accurately reflects the standard dative usage of the source phrase.
  • v1: "leased" — Best conveys the formal agricultural tenancy agreement of the source text in modern terminology.
  • v1: "tenant farmers" — Accurately renders the plural subjects under a specific tenancy arrangement.
  • v2: "tenant farmers ... tenant farmers" — Preserves the source text's specific repetition anchoring the economic transaction.
  • v2: "receive from the tenant farmers some of" — Accurately translates the partitive genitive indicating a portion of the harvest.
  • v3: "And taking him, they beat him and sent him away empty-handed." — Mirrors the pacing of the aorist participle and sequential finite verbs in the source text.
  • v4: "struck on the head" — Directly translates the unique denominative verb found in the Greek.
  • v4: "sent ... sent away" — Preserves the repetitive framing of the mission and return.
  • v4: "another servant" — Renders the explicit noun phrase in the source text.
  • v5: "killed ... killing" — Preserves the cognate verb pairing of the source text.
  • v6: "one, his beloved son" — Preserves the singular numerical focus contrasted with the many servants in the source text.
  • v6: "Therefore, still having" — Accurately represents both the postpositive conjunction and the adverb of continuation.
  • v6: "beloved" — Standard lexical rendering for the modifier.
  • v6: "respect" — Translates the verb signifying healthy regard in modern English.
  • v7: "heir ... inheritance" — Preserves the cognate construction linking the son to the property.
  • v7: "let us" — Maintains a dignified hortatory subjunctive form appropriate to the context.
  • v7: "will be ours" — Updates archaic auxiliary to modern future tense indicator.
  • v8: "killed him, and cast him out" — Preserves the spatial and sequential arrangement of the source text verbs.
  • v9: "lord" — The rendering makes a deliberate choice to use lowercase for the parable's landowner, maintaining the narrative level rather than overtly allegorizing the title.
  • v9: "tenant farmers" — Consistently translates the specific noun for agricultural workers.
  • v10: "this very Scripture" — Captures the demonstrative emphasis provided by the dual usage of the article and demonstrative pronoun.
  • v10: "head of the corner" — Literally renders the architectural idiom of the original Greek.
  • v11: "Lord" — Accurately renders the mapped divine name.
  • v11: "marvelous" — Provides a strong contemporary translation of the adjective for something invoking awe.
  • v12: "the parable" — Preserves the exact inclusio with the opening of the discourse in verse 1.
  • v12: "sought to seize" — Reflects the continuous effort in the imperfect verb coupled with the complementary infinitive.
  • v12: "crowd" — Directly translates the term for a gathered mass of common people.
  • v12: "And they sought ... but they feared" — Renders the second coordinating conjunction adversatively based on the narrative context.
  • v13: "catch him in a word" — Preserves the specific metaphorical hunting language and singular noun of the Greek text.
  • v14: "true ... in truth" — Preserves the cognate connection between the adjective and noun in the source text.
  • v14: "God" — Correctly maps the divine title.
  • v14: "pay tribute to Caesar" — Translates the phrase accurately reflecting the specific Roman poll tax context.
  • v15: "Should we give, or should we not give?" — Preserves the repetitive, staccato phrasing and uses modern auxiliary verbs.
  • v15: "denarius" — Retains the precise historical Roman coin name essential to the historical setting.
  • v16: "this image and the inscription" — Preserves the definite articles for both subjects as they appear in the source text.
  • v17: "Give the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God" — Retains the precise balanced parallelism and chiasm of the source text.
  • v17: "God ... God" — Correctly maps the divine title.
  • v18: "who are of the kind who" — Captures the qualitative aspect of the relative pronoun identifying the group's defining characteristic.
  • v18: "say ... saying" — Preserves the repetition framing the speech event.
  • v19: "brother ... brother ... brother" — Preserves the threefold repetition emphasizing the Levirate law.
  • v19: "dies" — Modernizes the subjunctive conditional to standard contemporary English present tense.
  • v20: "left no offspring ... leaving no offspring ... left no offspring" — Consistently renders the sequential refrain across verses 20-22 while using modern terminology.
  • v22: "the seven" — Preserves the deliberate shift from singular brothers to the collective plural group.
  • v23: "resurrection ... when they resurrect" — Preserves the cognate figura etymologica connection between the noun and verb.
  • v24: "God" — Correctly maps the divine title.
  • v24: "Are you not deceived" — Reflects the interrogative particle grammatically expecting an affirmative answer.
  • v25: "marry nor are given in marriage" — Preserves the cognate verb pairing describing the reciprocal marital state.
  • v25: "when they rise from the dead" — The rendering makes a deliberate choice to use 'rise from the dead' (S, T), leaving the implications for an intermediate state prior to resurrection disputed among traditions.
  • v26: "the God of ... and the God of ... and the God of" — Preserves the formal threefold repetition of the divine title honoring the patriarchs.
  • v27: "the God of the dead, but the God of the living" — Preserves the double appearance of the noun creating a sharp semantic contrast.
  • v27: "greatly deceived" — Translates the alliterative phrase while accurately capturing the severe theological error it describes.
  • v28: "a first commandment" — Reflects the lack of a definite article in the Greek noun phrase.
  • v29: "our God" — Adheres to the manuscript basis containing the first-person plural pronoun.
  • v29: "the Lord our God, the Lord" — Accurately maps the sequence of the divine names.
  • v30: "out of all your ... and out of all your ... and out of all your ... and out of all your" — Preserves the exact fourfold prepositional repetition of the source text.
  • v30: "you shall love" — The rendering makes a deliberate choice to use the direct imperative phrasing "you shall love" (S), leaving the nature of this command as a summary, impossible standard, or attainable reality disputed among traditions.
  • v31: "You shall love" — Matches the parallel grammatical structure of the first command.
  • v32: "God" — Correctly maps the divine title.
  • v33: "out of all the ... and out of all the ... and out of all the ... and out of all the" — Directly echoes verse 30's grammatical structure representing totality.
  • v34: "God" — Correctly maps the divine title.
  • v34: "no one any longer" — Accurately reflects the emphatic double negative construction indicating finality.
  • v35: "the Christ" — Retains the definite article denoting the messianic title rather than treating it merely as a proper name.
  • v35: "the Christ is the son of David" — The rendering makes a deliberate choice to capitalize 'Christ' and leave 'son' lowercase based on standard translation conventions (S), leaving the christological implications of the hypostatic union widely affirmed among traditions.
  • v36: "said ... said" — Preserves the precise repetition of the verb indicating divine speech.
  • v36: "The Lord said to my Lord" — Correctly maps the dual usage of the title.
  • v36: "Holy Spirit" — The rendering makes a deliberate choice to capitalize 'Holy Spirit' as a divine person in keeping with standard English convention (S).
  • v37: "Lord" — Correctly maps the divine title.
  • v37: "therefore" — Accurately translates the coordinating conjunction drawing the logical conclusion.
  • v38: "robes ... greetings" — Translates the terms with standard contemporary equivalents that naturally approximate the sound repetition of the source.
  • v39: "first-seats ... first-couches" — Accurately reproduces the specific cognate prefix formation denoting priority.
  • v40: "these" — Captures the plural demonstrative pronoun identifying the subjects of judgment.
  • v40: "devouring ... making long prayers" — Preserves the semantic contrast using continuous participial phrasing mirroring the Greek syntax.
  • v41: "treasury ... treasury" — Preserves the structural repetition of the physical location.
  • v41: "many rich people were casting in much" — Mirrors the concentrated repetition and alliteration of the Greek phrasing.
  • v42: "one poor widow" — Renders the precise numeral highlighting her singularity against the collective wealthy group.
  • v43: "cast in more than all of those casting" — Retains the specific cognate participle phrase linking the comparative actions.
  • v44: "abundance ... lack" — Provides a direct and accurate semantic contrast in modern vocabulary.
  • v44: "cast in all that she had, her whole livelihood" — The rendering makes a deliberate choice to strictly translate the totality language of the source text (S), leaving the meaning of her offering as either an ultimate ascetic standard or an implicit condemnation disputed among traditions.
Limits worth knowing
  • This is AI-generated and source-grounded, and it is approved by no community that holds these traditions.
  • The readings were produced in isolated calls that do not see one another. Isolation prevents anchoring; it does not make them independent witnesses.
  • The Nicene-Trinitarian boundary, and the decision not to seat non-denominational Evangelicalism separately (it is a cross-traditional movement already present within several voting profiles), are editorial choices.
  • The roster, the grouping into three families, and the rule that families (not seat counts) carry consensus all shape the result. A different roster would produce a different synthesis.
  • One profile cannot exhaust a tradition; the synthesis reflects what the profiles said, not everything the traditions hold.
  • The non-voting panels (Academic, Jewish) never vote; LDS and Jehovah's Witness readings are a comparative appendix only.
  • Any profiles excluded for this chapter after failing the audit are named on the page and removed from the eligible roster for it.
  • The rendering is unreviewed by any tradition, and every contested wording it settled is listed in Choices Made — where the text forced a decision, the decision is documented rather than hidden behind a claim of preserved ambiguity.

See the full step-by-step working → · AI-generated Jul 18, 2026, gemini-3.1-pro-preview (high thinking) — every stage, v4 spec + Addendum B (claim-audited, cross-stage-checked)