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Jesus replied, "Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah.' They will deceive many." —Mark 13:5-6 NLT Key Thought Jesus was concerned that his precious followers could be led astray. He still is today. As Jesus' followers, it is not enough for...

Jesus replied, "Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah.' They will deceive many." —Mark 13:5-6 NLT Key Thought Jesus was concerned that his precious followers could be led astray. He still is today. As Jesus' followers, it is not enough for...

Jesus replied, "Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah.' They will deceive many." —Mark 13:5-6 NLT Key Thought False messiahs will be plentiful! That's Jesus' message. Even more frightening than counterfeit messiahs, many people will be...

Jesus replied, "Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!" Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, "Tell us...

Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more...

[Jesus continued talking about hypocritical religious teachers:] "Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished." —Mark 12:40 NLT Key Thought In the previous verses...

Jesus also taught: "Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets." —Mark 12:38-39 NLT Key...

Realizing how much the man [who had asked about the greatest commandment] understood, Jesus said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions. —Mark 12:34 NLT Key Thought Despite the hostile environment in which Jesus faced the...

[Jesus continued,] "The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." —Mark 12:31 NLT Key Thought In the previous verses (Mark 12:29-30), Jesus says that the greatest commandment is for us to love God. Now he says that the second...

Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.'" —Mark 12:29-30 NLT Key Thought The essence of our response...

Jesus saw through [the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and supporters of Herod] and said, "Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin, and I'll tell you [whether it's right to pay taxes to Caesar]." When they handed it to him, he asked, "Whose picture and title are stamped on it?"...

Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. —Mark 12:13 NLT Key Thought "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." This occasion was one where this old saying was true. The Pharisees didn't get along with...

The religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story [about the vineyard and the tenant farmers] against them — they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away. —Mark 12:12 NLT Key Thought Sadly, rather...

[At the end of the parable of the vineyard and the tenant farmers, Jesus asked:] "Didn't you ever read this in the Scriptures? 'The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful to see.'" —Mark 12:10-11 NLT Key Thought Jesus...

"What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do [after the tenant farmers killed his son]?" Jesus asked. "I'll tell you — he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others." —Mark 12:9 NLT Key Thought There are consequences for rejecting the Son of God. In the case...

[Jesus continued the story:] "But the tenant farmers said to one another, 'Here comes the heir to this estate. Let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!' So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard." —Mark 12:7-8 NLT Key Thought "We want it for...

[Jesus continued the story:] "The owner then sent another servant, but [the tenants] insulted him and beat him over the head. The next servant he sent was killed. Others he sent were either beaten or killed, until there was only one left — his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent...

Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: ... —Mark 12:1 NLT Key Thought Jesus knew the power of special stories — often called parables. He used them frequently to help convey deep messages that he wanted his followers to remember. These stories would lodge in the minds of the people who...

"I'll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question," Jesus replied. "Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!" —Mark 11:29-30 NLT Key Thought Jesus didn't try to defend his authority. It would be amply demonstrated. In...

[Jesus continued,] "I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too." —Mark 11:24-26 NLT Key Thought...