Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise.
Parallel translations
- WEB The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise;
- KJV And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.
- NKJV And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise.
- NASB The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise;
- NLT So the second brother married the widow, but he also died without children. Then the third brother married her.
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
The second and third brothers in turn marry the widow and die childless.
Overview
The hypothetical multiplies as each brother dies without producing an heir. The accumulation builds toward their seemingly unanswerable puzzle. Their elaborate scenario reflects a misunderstanding of what resurrection life will be like.
Cross-references & the web
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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 12:21 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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