New Living Translation
Mark 12:1
1Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: “A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.
Mark 12:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.
- New International Version (NIV)Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.
Context of Mark 12:1
Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: “A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. 2At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. 3But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.
Read all of Mark 12Mark 12:1 word by word
Καὶ ἤρξατο αὐτοῖς ἐν παραβολαῖς λαλεῖν· ἀμπελῶνα ἄνθρωπος ἐφύτευσεν καὶ περιέθηκεν φραγμὸν καὶ ὤρυξεν ὑπολήνιον καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν πύργον καὶ ἐξέδετο αὐτὸν γεωργοῖς καὶ ἀπεδήμησενRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- he beganἄρχομαιarchomai · to rule/beginG756
- to speakλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- parablesπαραβολήparabolē · parableG3850
- manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- plantedφυτεύωphuteuō · to plantG5452
- a vineyardἀμπελώνampelōn · vineyardG290
- setπεριτίθημιperitithēmi · to put onG4060
- an hedge aboutφραγμόςphragmos · fenceG5418
- diggedὀρύσσωorussō · to digG3736
- the winefatὑπολήνιονhupolēnion · troughG5276
- builtοἰκοδομέωoikodomeō · to buildG3618
- a towerπύργοςpurgos · towerG4444
- letἐκδίδωμιekdidōmi · to leaseG1554
- to husbandmenγεωργόςgeōrgos · farmerG1092
- went into a far countryἀποδημέωapodēmeō · to go abroadG589
Cross-references for Mark 12:1
- Mark 4:2He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
- Ezekiel 20:49Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord, they are saying of me, ‘He only talks in riddles!’”
- Matthew 13:10His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
- Matthew 21:28“But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’
- Matthew 22:1Jesus also told them other parables. He said,
- Luke 8:10He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’
- Luke 22:9“Where do you want us to prepare it?” they asked him.
- Matthew 21:33“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.
- Luke 20:9Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years.
- Psalms 80:8You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine; you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land.
- Isaiah 5:1Now I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a rich and fertile hill.
- Jeremiah 2:21But I was the one who planted you, choosing a vine of the purest stock—the very best. How did you grow into this corrupt wild vine?
- Luke 13:6Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed.
- John 15:1“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.
- Romans 11:17But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.
- Nehemiah 9:13“You came down at Mount Sinai and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and instructions that were just, and decrees and commands that were good.
Commentaries on Mark 12:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1A certain man planted a vineyard - See this parable explained, Matthew 21:33-41; (note).Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-12Verses 1-12 See this parable explained in the notes at Matthew 21:33-46. See this parable explained in the notes at Matthew 21:33-46.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The parable of the vineyard and husbandmen. (1-12) Question about tribute. (13-17) Concerning the resurrection. (18-27) The great command of the law. (28-34) Christ the Son and yet the Lord of David. (35-40) The poor widow commended. (41-44) Verses 1-12 Christ showed in parables, that he would lay aside the Jewish church. It is sad to think what base usage God's faithful ministers have met with in all ages, from those who have enjoyed the privileges of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1speak to them: This refers to the religious leaders mentioned earlier in 11:27 (also in 12:12). The beginning description of the story comes from Isaiah 5:1–7. The people Jesus was speaking to knew the book of Isaiah well. They would have quickly recognized this symbolic story, in which each part of the vineyard had a special meaning.Read the comment
Topics related to Mark 12:1
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries