# Mark 12.28-33

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [Mark](/codex/john-mark/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 26. But 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? 27. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living: ye do greatly err.
>
> **28. And 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? 29. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one:</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">and 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.</span> 31. <span class="rl-speech">The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.</span> 32. And the scribe said unto him, Of a truth, Teacher, thou hast well said that he is one; and there is none other but he: 33. and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.**
>
> 34. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.</span> 35. And Jesus answered and said, <span class="rl-speech">as he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that the Christ is the son of David?</span> (Mark 12:26-35, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 26. But about the dead, that they are raised; haven’t you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken.”
>
> **28. One of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?” 29. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">“The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one:</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">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.’ This is the first commandment.</span> 31. <span class="rl-speech">The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”</span> 32. The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he, 33. and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”**
>
> 34. When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, <span class="rl-speech">“You are not far from God’s Kingdom.”</span> No one dared ask him any question after that. 35. Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? (Mark 12:26-35, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 26. And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.
>
> **28. 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? 29. And Jesus answered him, <span class="rl-speech">The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">And 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: this is the first commandment.</span> 31. <span class="rl-speech">And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.</span> 32. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 33. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.**
>
> 34. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.</span> 35. And Jesus answered and said, <span class="rl-speech">while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?</span> (Mark 12:26-35, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 26. 'And concerning the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the Book of Moses (at The Bush), how God spake to him, saying, I [am] the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; 27. he is not the God of dead men, but a God of living men; ye then go greatly astray.'
>
> **28. And one of the scribes having come near, having heard them disputing, knowing that he answered them well, questioned him, 'Which is the first command of all?' 29. and Jesus answered him, <span class="rl-speech">'The first of all the commands [is], Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one;</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">and thou shalt love the Lord thy God out of all thy heart, and out of thy soul, and out of all thine understanding, and out of all thy strength, this [is] the first command;</span> 31. <span class="rl-speech">and the second [is] like [it], this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;, greater than these there is no other command.'</span> 32. And the scribe said to him, 'Well, Teacher, in truth thou hast spoken that there is one God, and there is none other but He; 33. and to love Him out of all the heart, and out of all the understanding, and out of all the soul, and out of all the strength, and to love one's neighbour as one's self, is more than all the whole burnt-offerings and the sacrifices.'**
>
> 34. And Jesus, having seen him that he answered with understanding, <span class="rl-speech">said to him, 'Thou art not far from the reign of God;' and no one any more durst question him.</span> 35. And Jesus answering said, <span class="rl-speech">teaching in the temple, 'How say the scribes that the Christ is son of David?</span> (Mark 12:26-35, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** Mark / John Mark (traditionally, on Peter's preaching) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** Gentile-Roman Christian audience (heavy explanation of Jewish customs)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); Rome (likely composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 4 BC, AD 30/33; composed c. AD 55-70

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G0225 - aletheia](/codex/g0225-aletheia/), *aletheia* (Strong's G225). Also appears in: [Mark 12](/codex/mark-12/), [Luke 22.54-62](/codex/luke-22-54-62/), [John 1.14](/codex/john-1-14/).
- [G1520 - heis](/codex/g1520-heis/), *heis* (Strong's G1520). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.17-18](/codex/matthew-5-17-18/), [Matthew 6.24](/codex/matthew-6-24/), [Matthew 6.25-34](/codex/matthew-6-25-34/).
- [G2316 - theos](/codex/g2316-theos/), *theos* (Strong's G2316). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.23](/codex/matthew-1-23/), [Matthew 3.16](/codex/matthew-3-16/), [Matthew 5.9](/codex/matthew-5-9/).
- [G2424 - Iesous](/codex/g2424-iesous/), *Iesous* (Strong's G2424). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.1](/codex/matthew-1-1/), [Matthew 1.16](/codex/matthew-1-16/), [Matthew 1.18](/codex/matthew-1-18/).
- [G2588 - kardia](/codex/g2588-kardia/), *kardia* (Strong's G2588). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.28](/codex/matthew-5-28/), [Matthew 6.21](/codex/matthew-6-21/), [Matthew 9.4](/codex/matthew-9-4/).
- [G2962 - kyrios](/codex/g2962-kyrios/), *kyrios* (Strong's G2962). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.20](/codex/matthew-1-20/), [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/), [Matthew 6.24](/codex/matthew-6-24/).
- [G3956 - pas](/codex/g3956-pas/), *pas* (Strong's G3956). Also appears in: [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/), [Matthew 2.1-6](/codex/matthew-2-1-6/), [Matthew 2.16](/codex/matthew-2-16/).
- [G5590 - psyche](/codex/g5590-psyche/), *psyche* (Strong's G5590). Also appears in: [Matthew 6.25-26](/codex/matthew-6-25-26/), [Matthew 10.28](/codex/matthew-10-28/), [Matthew 10.37-39](/codex/matthew-10-37-39/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from the Costly-Signal Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-costly-signal-convergence/), via [Mark 12.28-34](/codex/mark-12-28-34/)
- [Atheism Cannot Justify Compassion](/codex/atheism-cannot-justify-compassion/), via [Mark 12.31](/codex/mark-12-31/)
- [Atheism Moral Neutrality Failure](/codex/atheism-moral-neutrality-failure/), via [Mark 12.31](/codex/mark-12-31/)
- [Free Will Argument from Love](/codex/free-will-argument-from-love/), via [Mark 12.30](/codex/mark-12-30/)
- [Problem of Evil, Free Will Defense](/codex/problem-of-evil-free-will-defense/), via [Mark 12.30](/codex/mark-12-30/)
- [Ritual Purity Laws Objection Defeater](/codex/ritual-purity-laws-objection-defeater/), via [Mark 12.31](/codex/mark-12-31/)
- [Sabbath Breaking Stoning Objection Defeater](/codex/sabbath-breaking-stoning-objection-defeater/), via [Mark 12.28-34](/codex/mark-12-28-34/)
- [Unitarian Oneness Binitarian Objection Defeater](/codex/unitarian-oneness-binitarian-objection-defeater/), via [Mark 12.29](/codex/mark-12-29/)

**Concepts:**

- [Christ vs Other Religion-Founders](/codex/christ-vs-other-religion-founders/), via [Mark 12.29](/codex/mark-12-29/)
- [Christian Muslim Defender](/codex/christian-muslim-defender/), via [Mark 12.29](/codex/mark-12-29/)
- [Doctrine](/codex/doctrine/), via [Mark 12.29](/codex/mark-12-29/)
- [Imago Dei](/codex/genesis-1-27/), via [Mark 12.31](/codex/mark-12-31/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Mark 12](/codex/mark-12/)
- [Soul and Spirit, Origin and Awareness](/codex/soul-and-spirit-origin-and-awareness/), via [Mark 12.30](/codex/mark-12-30/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G0025 - agapao](/codex/g0025-agapao/), via [Mark 12.30-31](/codex/mark-12-30-31/)
- [G1520 - heis](/codex/g1520-heis/), via [Mark 12.29](/codex/mark-12-29/)
- [G2588 - kardia](/codex/g2588-kardia/), via [Mark 12.30](/codex/mark-12-30/)
- [G5218 - hypakoe](/codex/g5218-hypakoe/), via [Mark 12.33](/codex/mark-12-33/)
- [G5590 - psyche](/codex/g5590-psyche/), via [Mark 12.30](/codex/mark-12-30/)
- [H0259 - echad](/codex/h0259-echad/), via [Mark 12.29](/codex/mark-12-29/)
- [H3820 - lev](/codex/h3820-lev/), via [Mark 12.30](/codex/mark-12-30/)
- [H3824 - lebab](/codex/h3824-lebab/), via [Mark 12.29-30](/codex/mark-12-29-30/), [Mark 12.30](/codex/mark-12-30/)
- [H8085 - shama](/codex/h8085-shama/), via [Mark 12.29](/codex/mark-12-29/)

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