Mark 12:18-27

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him: ¹

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. ^[a]

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, ^[b] 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’ ^[c]?

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

Cross References

• 1. (Matthew 22:23–33; Luke 20:27–40)

Footnotes

• [a] Deuteronomy 25:5
• [b] Literally In the resurrection, when they rise,
• [c] Exodus 3:6