Mark 12:18-34

18Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and questioned him:

19“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife behind but no child, that man should take the wife and raise up offspring for his brother.

20There were seven brothers. The first married a woman, and dying, left no offspring.

21The second also took her, and he died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise.

22None of the seven left offspring. Last of all, the woman died too.

23In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be, since the seven had married her?”

24Jesus spoke to them, “Isn’t this the reason why you’re mistaken: you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God?

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

26And as for the dead being raised — haven’t you read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to him: 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. You are badly mistaken.”

28One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which command is the most important of all?”

29Jesus answered, “The most important is Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

30Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

31The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.”

32Then 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.

33And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

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