There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring.
Parallel translations
- KJV Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.
- BSB Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children.
- ESV There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring.
- NKJV Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring.
- NASB There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children.
- NLT Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They describe a case of seven brothers, the first of whom marries and dies childless.
Overview
The Sadducees begin a hypothetical designed to trap Jesus on the question of resurrection. The first brother's death without offspring sets the levirate scenario in motion. The contrived story aims to expose a supposed absurdity in resurrection belief.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Luke 20:29–33There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless.
- Matt 22:25–28Now there were with us seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 12:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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