Focused Passage

Mark 12:18-27

The Rejected Son, the Greatest Commandment, the Lord of David, and the Widow’s Offering

Mark 12 moves from the parable of the murderous tenants to hostile questions about taxes, resurrection, and the greatest commandment, then to Jesus' question about the Messiah as David's Lord, his warning against scribal hypocrisy, and his commendation of the poor widow's whole-life offering.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him:

19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.

20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children.

21 Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise.

22 In this way, none of the seven left any children. And last of all, the woman died.

23 In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her.”

24 Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?

25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.

26 But concerning the dead rising, have you not read about the burning bush in the Book of Moses, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 18

Original words

Then Καὶ G2532 Conjunction the Sadducees Σαδδουκαῖοι G4523 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural who οἵτινες G3748 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural say λέγουσιν G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural there is εἶναι G1510 Verb - Present Infinitive Active no μὴ G3361 Adverb resurrection ἀνάστασιν G386 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular came ἔρχονται G2064 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural to πρὸς G4314 Preposition [Jesus] αὐτόν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction questioned ἐπηρώτων G1905 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Him αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular - λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Verse 19

Original words

Teacher Διδάσκαλε G1320 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular Moses Μωϋσῆς G3475 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular wrote ἔγραψεν G1125 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular for us ἡμῖν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction if ἐάν G1437 Conjunction a man’s τινος G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular brother ἀδελφὸς G80 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular dies ἀποθάνῃ G599 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction leaves καταλίπῃ G2641 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular a wife γυναῖκα G1135 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular but καὶ G2532 Conjunction no μὴ G3361 Adverb - ἀφῇ G863 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular children τέκνον G5043 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular - ἵνα G2443 Conjunction vvv αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular vvv G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular [the man] ἀδελφὸς G80 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular is to marry λάβῃ G2983 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular [his brother’s] τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular widow γυναῖκα G1135 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction raise up ἐξαναστήσῃ G1817 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular offspring σπέρμα G4690 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular for τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular - αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular [him] ἀδελφῷ G80 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Deuteronomy 25:5
Verse 20

Original words

[Now] there were ἦσαν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural seven ἑπτὰ G2033 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural brothers ἀδελφοὶ G80 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction The G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular first [one] πρῶτος G4413 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular married ἔλαβεν G2983 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . γυναῖκα G1135 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction died ἀποθνῄσκων G599 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular leaving ἀφῆκεν G863 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular no οὐκ G3756 Adverb children σπέρμα G4690 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Verse 21

Original words

Then καὶ G2532 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular second [one] δεύτερος G1208 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular married ἔλαβεν G2983 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [the widow] αὐτήν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular [but] he also died καὶ G2532 Conjunction . . . ἀπέθανεν G599 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [and] left καταλιπὼν G2641 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular no μὴ G3361 Adverb children σπέρμα G4690 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular And καὶ G2532 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular third [did] τρίτος G5154 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular likewise ὡσαύτως G5615 Adverb
Verse 22

Original words

In this way καὶ G2532 Conjunction none οὐκ G3756 Adverb of the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural seven ἑπτὰ G2033 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural left ἀφῆκαν G863 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural [any] children σπέρμα G4690 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular And καὶ G2532 Conjunction last ἔσχατον G2078 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular of all πάντων G3956 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular woman γυνὴ G1135 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular died ἀπέθανεν G599 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 23

Original words

In ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular resurrection ἀναστάσει G386 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular [then] ὅταν G3752 Conjunction . . . ἀναστῶσιν G450 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural whose τίνος G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular . . . αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural wife γυνή G1135 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular will she be ἔσται G1510 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction [all] οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural seven ἑπτὰ G2033 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural were ἔσχον G2192 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural married γυναῖκα G1135 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular to her αὐτὴν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular

BSB notes

  • Literally In the resurrection, when they rise,
Verse 24

Original words

- G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular said Ἔφη G5346 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural vvv τοῦτο G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular Aren’t you mistaken πλανᾶσθε G4105 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural . . . Οὐ G3756 Adverb because διὰ G1223 Preposition vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb you do not know εἰδότες G1492 Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural the τὰς G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Plural Scriptures γραφὰς G1124 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural [or] μηδὲ G3366 Conjunction the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular power δύναμιν G1411 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 25

Original words

- γὰρ G1063 Conjunction When ὅταν G3752 Conjunction the dead rise ἀναστῶσιν G450 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural . . . ἐκ G1537 Preposition . . . νεκρῶν G3498 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural vvv οὔτε G3777 Conjunction they will neither marry γαμοῦσιν G1060 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural nor οὔτε G3777 Conjunction be given in marriage γαμίζονται G1061 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural Instead ἀλλ’ G235 Conjunction they will be εἰσὶν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural like ὡς G5613 Adverb [the] angels ἄγγελοι G32 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition - τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural heaven οὐρανοῖς G3772 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Verse 26

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction concerning Περὶ G4012 Preposition the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural dead νεκρῶν G3498 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction rising ἐγείρονται G1453 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb have you not read ἀνέγνωτε G314 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural about ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular [burning] bush Βάτου G942 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular Book βίβλῳ G976 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular of Moses Μωϋσέως G3475 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular how πῶς G4459 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular told εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular - λέγων G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular I [am] Ἐγὼ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular of Abraham Ἀβραὰμ G11 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular of Isaac Ἰσαὰκ G2464 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular of Jacob Ἰακώβ G2384 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Exodus 3:6
Verse 27

Original words

He is ἔστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular not οὐκ G3756 Adverb [the] God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular of [the] dead νεκρῶν G3498 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction of [the] living ζώντων G2198 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural vvv πολὺ G4183 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular You are badly mistaken πλανᾶσθε G4105 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.