Mark 12 · Verse 1

Mark 12:1

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.
Mark 12:1, King James Version

Mark 12:1 in other translations

BSBThen Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
WEBHe began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine press, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country.
ASVAnd 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.
YLTAnd he began to speak to them in similes: ‘A man planted a vineyard, and put a hedge around, and digged an under-wine-vat, and built a tower, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad;
DARBYAnd he began to say to them in parables, A man planted a vineyard, and made a fence round it and dug a wine-vat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and left the country.
BBEAnd he gave them teaching in the form of stories. A man had a vine-garden planted, and put a wall about it, and made a place for crushing out the wine, and put up a tower, and let it out to field-workers, and went into another country.
WebsterAnd he began to speak to them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a place for the wine-vat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

What does Mark 12:1 mean?

Barnes' Notes
MARK CHAPTER 12

Verses 1-12. See this parable explained in Barnes Notes on Mt 21:33-46

(n) "A certain man" Mt 21:33, Lk 20:9

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The parable of the vineyard let out to wicked husbandmen, Mar 12:1-12. The Pharisees and Herodians question him about paying tribute to Caesar, Mar 12:13-17. The Sadducees question him about the resurrection, Mar 12:18-27. A scribe questions him concerning the chief commandment of the law, Mar 12:28-34. Christ asks the scribes why the Messiah is called David's son, Mar 12:35-37. He warns his disciples against the scribes, Mar 12:38-40. Of the widow that cast two mites into the treasury, Mar 12:41-44. Verse 1 A certain man planted a vineyard - See this parable explained, Mat 21:33-41 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 12:1-12
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 the church, but have not brought forth fruit answerable. God at length sent his Son, his Well-beloved; and it might be expected that he whom their Master loved, they also should respect and love; but instead of honouring him because he was the Son and Heir, they therefore hated him. But the exaltation of Christ was the Lord's doing; and it is his doing to exalt him in our hearts, and to set up his throne there; and if this be done, it cannot but be marvellous in our eyes. The Scriptures, and faithful preachers, and the coming of Christ in the flesh, call on us to render due praise to God in our lives. Let sinners beware of a proud, carnal spirit; if they revile or despise the preachers of Christ, they would have done so their Master, had they lived when he was upon earth.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Mark 12:1 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532
ἤρξατοērxatoHe beganG757
αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846
ἐνeninG1722
παραβολαῖςparabolaisparablesG3850
λαλεῖν·laleinto speak:G2980
ἀμπελῶναampelōnaA vineyardG290
ἄνθρωποςanthrōposa manG444
ἐφύτευσενephuteusenplantedG5452
καὶkaiandG2532
περιέθηκενperiethēkenhe placed around [it]G4060
φραγμὸνphragmona fenceG5418
καὶkaiandG2532
ὤρυξενōruxendugG3736
ὑπολήνιονhupolēniona wine vatG5276
καὶkaiandG2532
ᾠκοδόμησενōkodomēsenbuiltG3618
πύργονpurgona towerG4444
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐξέδετοexedetorented outG1554
αὐτὸνautonitG846
γεωργοῖςgeōrgoisto farmersG1092
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀπεδήμησενapedēmēsentraveled abroadG589

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Mark 12:1

  • Isaiah 5:1-4

    Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

  • Mark 13:34

    For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

  • Song of Solomon 8:11-12

    Solomon had a vineyard at Baal–hamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver. My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.

  • Mark 4:2

    And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

  • Psalms 80:8-16

    Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. …

  • Matthew 25:14

    For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

  • Romans 11:17-24

    And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: …

  • Mark 4:33-34

    And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

  • Acts 7:46-47

    Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built him an house.

  • Acts 7:38

    This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

  • Romans 3:1-2

    What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

  • Romans 9:4-5

    Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 In a parable of the vineyard let out to wicked husbandmen Christ foretells the reprobation of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles.
13 He avoids the snare of the Pharisees and Herodians about paying tribute to Caesar;
18 convicts the Sadducees of error, who denied the resurrection;
28 resolves the scribe, who questioned of the first commandment;
35 refutes the opinion that the scribes held of Christ;
38 bidding the people to beware of their ambition and hypocrisy;
41 and commends the poor widow for her two mites, above all.

he began.
4:2,11-13,33,34; Eze 20:49; Mt 13:10-15,34,35; 21:28-33; 22:1-14
Lu 8:10; 22:9
A certain.
Mt 21:33-40; Lu 20:9-15
planted.
Ps 80:8-16; Isa 5:1-4; Jer 2:21; Lu 13:6-9; Joh 15:1-8; Ro 11:17-24
and set.
Ne 9:13,14; Ps 78:68,69; 147:19,20; Eze 20:11,12,18-20
Ac 7:38,46,47; Ro 3:1,2; 9:4,5
and let.
So 8:11,12; Isa 7:23
and went.
13:34; Mt 25:14; Lu 15:13; 19:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Mark 12:1

    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.

  • Mark 12:2

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

Read all of Mark 12

Mark 12:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y COMENZÓ á hablarles por parábolas: Plantó un hombre una viña, y la cercó con seto, y cavó un lagar, y edificó una torre, y la arrendó á labradores, y se partió lejos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il se mit à leur dire en paraboles: Un homme planta une vigne, et l’environna d’une clôture, et y creusa une fosse pour un pressoir, et y bâtit une tour; et il la loua à des cultivateurs et s’en alla hors du pays.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er fing an, in Gleichnissen zu ihnen zu reden: Ein Mensch pflanzte einen Weinberg und setzte einen Zaun um denselben und grub einen Keltertrog und baute einen Turm; und er verdingte ihn an Weingärtner und reiste außer Landes.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et cœpit illis in parabolis loqui: Vineam pastinavit homo, et circumdedit sepem, et fodit lacum, et ædificavit turrim, et locavit eam agricolis, et peregre profectus est.