Mark 12:35-44

Whose Son Is the Christ?

35 1And as 2Jesus taught in the temple, he said, "How can the scribes say that 3the Christ is the son of David?
36 David himself, 4in the Holy Spirit, declared, 5"'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies 6under your feet.'
37 David himself calls him Lord. So 7how is he his son?" And the great throng 8heard him gladly.

Beware of the Scribes

38 9And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces
39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and 10the places of honor at feasts,
40 11who devour widows' houses and 12for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."

The Widow's Offering

41 13And he sat down opposite 14the treasury and watched the people 15putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.
42 And a poor widow came and put in two 16small copper coins, which make a penny.[a]
43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, 17this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.
44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her 18poverty has put in everything she had, all 19she had to live on."

Cross References 19

  • 1. For ver. 35-37, see Matthew 22:41-45; Luke 20:41-44
  • 2. See Matthew 26:55
  • 3. See Matthew 1:1, 17
  • 4. [Luke 10:21; 1 Corinthians 12:3]
  • 5. Acts 2:34, 35; Hebrews 1:13; Cited from Psalms 110:1; [1 Corinthians 15:25; Hebrews 10:13]
  • 6. [Acts 7:49]
  • 7. [Romans 1:3, 4]
  • 8. Mark 6:20
  • 9. For ver. 38, 39, see Matthew 23:1, 2, 5-7; Luke 20:45, 46; [Luke 11:43]
  • 10. Luke 14:7, 8
  • 11. [Luke 11:39; Luke 16:14]
  • 12. [Matthew 6:5, 7]
  • 13. For ver. 41-44, see Luke 21:1-4
  • 14. Matthew 27:6; John 8:20
  • 15. 2 Kings 12:9
  • 16. Luke 12:59
  • 17. [2 Corinthians 8:2, 12]
  • 18. Philippians 4:11
  • 19. Luke 8:43

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Greek two lepta, which make a kodrantes; a kodrantes (Latin quadrans) was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer)
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.