World English Bible · Under Rome
Mark 12
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He began to speak to them . "A man planted a , put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the press, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country. When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the . They 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. Again he sent another, and they killed him, and many others, beating some, and killing some. Therefore still having one, his beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But those farmers said among themselves, 'This is the . Come, let's kill him, and the will be ours.' They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the . What therefore will of the do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the to others. Haven't you even read this : 'The stone which the builders rejected was made the . This was from . It is marvelous in our eyes'?" They tried to seize him, but they feared ; for they perceived that he spoke the against them. They left him and went away. They sent some of the and the Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words. When 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 of . Is it lawful to pay taxes to , or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give?" But he, knowing their , said to them, "Why do you me? Bring me a , that I may see it." They brought it. He said to them, "Whose is this and inscription?" They said to him, "." answered them, "Give to the things that are , and to the things that are ." They marveled greatly at him. Some , who say that there is no , came to him. They asked him, saying, "Teacher, wrote to us, 'If a man's brother dies and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves , that his brother should take his wife and raise up for his brother.' There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no . 21The second took her, and , leaving behind him. The third likewise; 22and the seven took her and left . Last of all the woman also . 23In the , when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife." answered them, "Isn't this because you are mistaken, not knowing nor the of ? For when they will rise from , they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like in . But about , that they are , haven't you read in the book of about the Bush, how spoke to him, saying, 'I am the of , the of , and the of '? He is not the of , but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken." One of the came and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, "Which is the greatest of all?" answered, "The greatest is: 'Hear, Israel, our , is one. You shall love your with all , with all your , with all , and with all your strength.' This is the first . The second is like this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other greater than these." The said to him, "Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he; and to love him with all , with all the , all the , and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and ." When saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from Kingdom." No one dared ask him any question after that. responded, as he taught in , "How is it that the say that is ? For himself said in , ' said to my , "Sit , until I make your the of your feet."' Therefore himself calls him , so how can he be his son?" The common people heard him gladly. In his teaching he said to them, "Beware of the , who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces, and to get the best seats in the and the best places at feasts, those who devour ' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation." sat down opposite the and saw how cast money into the . Many who were rich cast in much. 42A came and she cast in two small brass coins, which equal a quadrans coin. He called his to himself and said to them, "Most certainly I tell you, this gave more than all those who are giving into the , for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her , gave all that she had to live on."
A public domain modern English translation, free to read and share. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.