In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
Parallel translations
- WEB In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife.”
- BSB In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her.”
- ESV In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”
- NKJV Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”
- NASB In the resurrection, which one’s wife will she be? For each of the seven had her as his wife.”
- NLT So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.”
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 ask whose wife the woman will be in the resurrection, since all seven had married her.
Overview
The Sadducees press their supposed contradiction to discredit the resurrection. Their question assumes marriage continues unchanged in the age to come. The flaw in their reasoning sets up Jesus' correction in the verses that follow.
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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 12:23 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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