Mark 12:28-44

The Primary Commandments

28 One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked Him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"^[a]

29 "This is the most important," ^[b] Jesus answered: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One. ^[c]

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. ^{[d] [e]}

31 "The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. ^[f] There is no other commandment greater than these."

32 Then the scribe said to Him, "You are right, Teacher! You have correctly said that He is One, and there is no one else except Him.

33 And to love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding,^[g] and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more [important] than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34 When Jesus saw that he answered intelligently, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one dared to question Him any longer.

The Question about the Messiah

35 So Jesus asked this question as He taught in the temple complex, "How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the Son of David?

36 David himself says by the Holy Spirit: The Lord declared to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.' ^[h]

37 David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how then can the Messiah be his Son?" And the large crowd was listening to Him with delight.

Warning against the Scribes

38 He also said in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes, and who want greetings in the marketplaces,

39 the front seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.

40 They devour widows' houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher punishment."

The Widow's Gift

41 Sitting across from the temple treasury, He watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums.

42 And a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little.^[i]/ 64 of a daily wage, was the smallest Roman coin.

43 Summoning His disciples, He said to them, "I assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury.

44 For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed-all she had to live on."

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit Which commandment is first of all?
• [b]. Other mss add of all the commandments
• [c]. Or The Lord our God is one Lord.
• [d]. Dt 6:4-5; Jos 22:5
• [e]. Other mss add This is the first commandment.
• [f]. Lv 19:18
• [g]. Other mss add with all your soul
• [h]. Ps 110:1
• [i]. Lit dropped in two lepta, which is a quadrans; the lepton was the smallest and least valuable Gk coin in use. The quadrans, 1