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:
Parallel translations
- WEB The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he,
- BSB “Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there is no other but Him,
- NKJV So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.
- NASB And the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no other besides Him;
- NLT The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other.
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 scribe affirms Jesus' answer, agreeing that God is one and there is no other besides Him.
Overview
The scribe sincerely echoes Jesus' teaching, affirming the oneness and uniqueness of God. His response shows he grasps the heart of the Shema and approves Jesus' summary of the Law. This honest agreement stands in welcome contrast to the hostility of the other leaders.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Deut 4:39Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
- Deut 4:35Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.
- Isa 46:9Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
- Deut 6:4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
- Isa 45:5–6I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
- Isa 45:18For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
- Isa 45:14Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.
- Mark 12:29And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
- Deut 5:7Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
- Isa 44:8Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
- Jer 10:10–12But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
- Isa 45:21–22Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
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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 12:32 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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