1. Fri: Ezekiel 33
  2. Sat: Psalms 33-36
  3. Sun: Exodus 26-28
Monday · Week 18
The Gospels & Acts

Mark 12-13

Week 18 · about 10 min
  1. Tue: Isaiah 46-48
  2. Wed: 2 Samuel 1-6
  3. Thu: Galatians 4-6

Jesus answers his critics in the temple, watches people give, and teaches about the end of the age.

Two Small Coins

And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

Mark 12:43 (KJV)

The debates here are mostly the same as in Matthew 22. Mark adds a scribe who answers wisely, and Jesus tells him, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.” Then Jesus warns about religious leaders who “devour widows’ houses.” Right after that, he sits down across from the offering box and watches. Rich people put in large amounts. A poor widow drops in two tiny coins, “which make a farthing.” Jesus calls his disciples over so they won’t miss it. She gave more than all of them, because she gave everything she had. Chapter 13 looks ahead to the end of the age and closes with one word: “Watch.”

Reflect: What would it look like for you to give something that actually costs you?

Mark 12

1And he began to speak unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country.

2And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard.

3And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

4And again he sent unto them another servant; and him they wounded in the head, and handled shamefully.

5And he sent another; and him they killed: and many others; beating some, and killing some.

6He had yet one, a beloved son: he sent him last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.

7But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.

8And they took him, and killed him, and cast him forth out of the vineyard.

9What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

10Have ye not read even this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner:

11This was from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes?

12And they sought to lay hold on him; and they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spake the parable against them: and they left him, and went away.

13And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might catch him in talk.

14And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest not for any one: for thou regardest not the person of men, but of a truth teachest the way of God: Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

15Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

16And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s.

17And Jesus said unto them, Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. And they marveled greatly at him.

18And there come unto him Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

19Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave a wife behind him, and leave no child, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

20There were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed;

21and the second took her, and died, leaving no seed behind him; and the third likewise:

22and the seven left no seed. Last of all the woman also died.

23In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

24Jesus said unto them, Is it not for this cause that ye err, that ye know not the scriptures, nor the power of God?

25For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as angels in heaven.

26But as touching the dead, that they are raised; have ye not read in the book of Moses, in the place concerning the Bush, how God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

27He is not the God of the dead, but of the living: ye do greatly err.

28And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, What commandment is the first of all?

29Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one:

30and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.

31The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

32And the scribe said unto him, Of a truth, Master, thou hast well said that he is one; and there is none other but he:

33and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

34And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

35And Jesus answered and said, as he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that the Christ is the son of David?

36David himself said in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.

37David himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

38And in his teaching he said, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and to have salutations in the marketplaces,

39and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts:

40they which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; these shall receive greater condemnation.

41And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

42And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing.

43And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all they which are casting into the treasury:

44for they all did cast in of their superfluity; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Mark 13

1And as he went forth out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, behold, what manner of stones and what manner of buildings!

2And Jesus said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left here one stone upon another, which shall not be thrown down.

3And as he sat on the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,

4Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are all about to be accomplished?

5And Jesus began to say unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray.

6Many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and shall lead many astray.

7And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be not troubled: these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet.

8For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: there shall be earthquakes in divers places; there shall be famines: these things are the beginning of travail.

9But take ye heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in synagogues shall ye be beaten; and before governors and kings shall ye stand for my sake, for a testimony unto them.

10And the gospel must first be preached unto all the nations.

11And when they lead you to judgment, and deliver you up, be not anxious beforehand what ye shall speak: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

12And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child; and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.

13And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

14But when ye see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not (let him that readeth understand), then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains:

15and let him that is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house:

16and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloke.

17But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days!

18And pray ye that it be not in the winter.

19For those days shall be tribulation, such as there hath not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never shall be.

20And except the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he chose, he shortened the days.

21And then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ; or, Lo, there; believe it not:

22for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, the elect.

23But take ye heed: behold, I have told you all things beforehand.

24But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

25and the stars shall be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens shall be shaken.

26And then shall they see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

27And then shall he send forth the angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

28Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh;

29even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors.

30Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, until all these things be accomplished.

31Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

32But of that day or that hour knoweth no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

33Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

34It is as when a man, sojourning in another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, to each one his work, commanded also the porter to watch.

35Watch therefore: for ye know not when the lord of the house cometh, whether at even, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning;

36lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Revised Version (RV). Revised Version (RV), 1885, public domain.