English Standard Version
Mark 12:28
28And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"
Mark 12:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
- New International Version (NIV)One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
Context of Mark 12:28
26And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? 27He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong." And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?" 29Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'
Read all of Mark 12Mark 12:28 word by word
Καὶ προσελθὼν εἷς τῶν γραμματέων, ἀκούσας αὐτῶν συζητούντων, ἰδὼν ὅτι καλῶς ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς, ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτόν· ποία ἐστὶν ἐντολὴ πρώτη πάντων;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
- of the scribesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- of the scribesγραμματεύςgrammateus · scribeG1122
- cameπροσέρχομαιproserchomai · to come near/agreeG4334
- and having heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- reasoning togetherσυζητέωsuzēteō · to debateG4802
- and perceivingεἴδωeidō · to perceive: seeG1492
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- he had answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
- wellκαλῶςkalōs · wellG2573
- askedἐπερωτάωeperōtaō · to questionG1905
- Whichποῖοςpoios · what?G4169
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the firstπρῶτοςprōtos · first: bestG4413
- commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
- of allπᾶςpas · allG3956
Cross-references for Mark 12:28
- Matthew 22:34But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
- Matthew 5:19Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
- Matthew 19:18He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,
- Matthew 23:23"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
- Luke 11:42"But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
Commentaries on Mark 12:28
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28-34Verses 28-34 See the notes at Matthew 22:34-40. Mark 12:28 Perceiving that he answered them well - That is, with wisdom, and with a proper understanding of the law. In this case the opinion of the Saviour corresponded with that of the Pharisees; and the question which this scribe put to him now seems to have been one of the very few candid inquiries of him by the Jews for the purpose of obtaining information. Jesus answered it in the spirit of kindness…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 28-34Verses 28-34 Those who sincerely desire to be taught their duty, Christ will guide in judgment, and teach his way. He tells the scribe that the great commandment, which indeed includes all, is, that of loving God with all our hearts. Wherever this is the ruling principle in the soul, there is a disposition to every other duty. Loving God with all our heart, will engage us to every thing by which he will be pleased. The sacrifices only represented the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 28“Which commandment is the most important of all?”: The Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) contains 613 separate commandments, and Jewish teachers frequently debated about which were more important than others. No command was considered unimportant, but some were recognized as more fundamental than others (see Matthew 22:40). Rabbi Hillel’s answer to this question was, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor”…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. And one of the scribes--"a lawyer," says Matthew (Mt 22:35); that is, teacher of the law. came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him--manifestly in no bad spirit. When Matthew (Mt 22:35) therefore says he came "tempting," or "trying him," as one of the Pharisaic party who seemed to enjoy the defeat He had given to the Sadducees, we may suppose that though somewhat priding himself upon his…Read the comment
Topics related to Mark 12:28
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Mark 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
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