Mark 12:44 kjv
For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Mark 12:44 nkjv
for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."
Mark 12:44 niv
They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything?all she had to live on."
Mark 12:44 esv
For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."
Mark 12:44 nlt
For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on."
Mark 12 44 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 21:1-4 | Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box... a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, "Truly, I tell you... she has put in more than all of them." | Parallel account emphasizing the widow's great value in giving. |
| 2 Cor 8:12 | For if the eagerness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. | Giving is acceptable based on what one possesses and the willingness of the heart. |
| 2 Cor 9:7 | Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. | Emphasizes the attitude and willing heart behind the giving, not just the act. |
| Php 4:18 | I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. | Describes offerings as a pleasing sacrifice to God, echoing OT sacrificial principles. |
| Heb 13:16 | Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. | Reinforces that sharing and doing good are sacrifices pleasing to God. |
| Rom 12:1 | ...present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. | Connects sacrificial giving of resources to a broader concept of spiritual worship. |
| Prov 3:9-10 | Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty... | Giving honors God and can lead to blessings, often relating to material provision. |
| Dt 14:22 | You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. | Command for proportionate giving from abundance. |
| Ex 35:21-22 | And everyone whose heart stirred him... brought the Lord's offering for the work... men and women, all who had willing hearts, brought brooches, ear-rings, signet rings, and bracelets, all sorts of gold articles... | Willing and cheerful giving by many in abundance for God's work. |
| 1 Chron 29:9-14 | Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly... For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. | Recognition that all we have comes from God, making giving a return of His own. |
| Hos 6:6 | For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. | Prioritizes the heart's disposition (love, knowledge of God) over mere ritual sacrifice. |
| Mt 6:1-4 | Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them... when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. | Condemns giving for public praise, contrasting with true, hidden generosity. |
| Mt 23:23-28 | Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness... | Denounces superficial religious acts (like precise tithing) without a transformed heart. |
| 1 Sam 16:7 | ...man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. | God's perspective focuses on the inner motive and character, not external display. |
| Jas 1:27 | Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction... | Highlights God's special concern for vulnerable groups like widows. |
| Ex 22:22 | You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. | God's protective command concerning the vulnerable, particularly widows. |
| Dt 10:18 | He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. | God's character includes defending the rights and welfare of widows. |
| 1 Tim 5:3-5 | Honor widows who are truly widows... A true widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day. | Mentions a "true widow" relying solely on God, aligning with the poor widow's action. |
| Ps 37:5 | Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. | Underlines the principle of trusting God, which the widow exemplifies. |
| Mt 6:25-33 | Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life... But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. | Teaches reliance on God for provision, removing anxiety over material needs. |
| Lk 18:22 | ...Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. | Jesus' challenging call to complete relinquishment for heavenly reward, echoing the widow's all-in. |
Mark 12 verses
Mark 12 44 Meaning
Mark 12:44 reveals a profound spiritual truth about true generosity and devotion. Jesus contrasts the giving of the wealthy with that of a poor widow, demonstrating that the value of an offering to God is not measured by its monetary amount but by the sacrifice it represents relative to the giver's means. The rich contributed from their abundance, having plenty left over, while the widow, from her extreme poverty, gave everything she had for her immediate survival, illustrating complete trust in God's provision and ultimate surrender. Her act was an offering of self, valuing God's house and will above her own physical needs.
Mark 12 44 Context
This verse is the concluding statement of an observation Jesus made in the temple treasury. In Mark 12:41-43, Jesus sat opposite the treasury, watching people cast money into the collection boxes (often trumpet-shaped receptacles). He observed many rich people giving large sums. However, He specifically highlighted a poor widow who came and put in two very small copper coins, called lepta, which were the smallest denomination of currency at the time, equivalent to a quadrans, or a tiny fraction of a day's wage.
Jesus' immediate preceding discourse (Mark 12:38-40) harshly condemned the scribes for their outward display of piety, desire for honor, and, crucially, for "devouring widows' houses" while making long prayers. This starkly contrasts with the actions of the poor widow in verse 44, positioning her simple, radical act as an antithesis to the scribes' hypocrisy. The entire episode emphasizes true devotion and worship over superficial religious practice and self-interest. It immediately follows the greatest commandment (to love God and neighbor) and illustrates what it means to love God with all your strength and all your being, regardless of circumstances.
Mark 12 44 Word analysis
- For all they: "For all" (Greek: pantes) refers to the multitude of rich individuals Jesus had observed. "They" denotes these wealthy contributors. The phrase sets up the contrast.
- did cast in: (Greek: ebalon) A straightforward verb, meaning "to throw, cast, or deposit." It simply describes the act of putting money into the treasury.
- of their abundance: (Greek: perisseuontos, from perisseuma) This significant term denotes "what is superfluous," "overflow," or "that which remains over and above what is necessary." It implies that their giving required no sacrifice; they gave out of their excess, not feeling any financial impact or loss. It was an easy act, making no demands on their lifestyle or trust.
- but she: A powerful adversative conjunction ("but") and pronoun ("she") that sharply shifts the focus from the collective wealthy to this single, specific individual, highlighting her distinctiveness.
- of her want: (Greek: hysteresews, from hysteresis) This term is crucial. It means "lack," "privation," "indigence," or "extreme need." It signifies that she had very little, bordering on destitution. Her offering came from her deepest poverty, not from her surplus. This immediately signals a cost involved.
- did cast in all that she had: Reiterates the action of giving but stresses its complete nature ("all that she had"). It underlines the totality of her contribution relative to her possessions. This was her entire possession at that moment.
- even all her living: (Greek: holon ton bion autēs) This phrase intensifies the meaning of "all that she had." Bios (βίος) refers not just to one's accumulated wealth but also, critically, to one's "means of livelihood," "subsistence," or "that by which life is sustained." This was not just her savings; it was her entire means of survival for that day, or perhaps for the immediate future. Her act demonstrated a total reliance on God, a literal placing of her future sustenance into God's hands.
Mark 12 44 Bonus section
The narrative of the widow's mite, as seen in Mark 12:44, powerfully connects to Jesus' own life and ultimate sacrifice. Just as the widow gave "all her living" (her very sustenance), Jesus, in His incarnation and crucifixion, gave "all His living"—His divine status, His life, His very being—for the salvation of humanity (Phil 2:5-8). Her act prefigures the complete, sacrificial love that God demonstrates towards humanity. It teaches that the measure of generosity is self-giving love, mirroring God's character. Furthermore, Jesus calling His disciples to observe and highlighting this act suggests that such complete devotion, often unnoticed by the world, is what God values and desires from His followers. It critiques a society where the external show often overshadows authentic faith and demonstrates that spiritual value often lies in what appears insignificant by worldly standards.
Mark 12 44 Commentary
Mark 12:44 encapsulates a pivotal teaching from Jesus, distinguishing genuine generosity rooted in sacrificial love from mere external display. The core principle revealed is that God does not measure the size of a gift by its absolute monetary value, but by the relative sacrifice it entails and the heart motive behind it. The wealthy gave much in terms of quantity, yet it cost them nothing significant; it was from their perisseuma, their surplus, that which would not affect their comfort or security. Their giving might have been a formality, a social expectation, or even for public acclaim, reflecting the very hypocrisy Jesus condemned in the scribes just moments before.
In stark contrast, the poor widow's two copper coins (lepta) were of minuscule worldly value. Yet, because they represented "all her living," her bios, her very means of survival, her act was an offering of ultimate faith and radical devotion. She did not calculate what she could afford to give without suffering; she gave her all, demonstrating complete trust in God to provide for her, even beyond human reasoning. Her seemingly insignificant contribution became "more than all the rest" in God's eyes, not just qualitatively, but ethically and spiritually, due to its costly nature and profound sincerity. This is a profound challenge to human evaluation, revealing God's true criteria for generosity and faithfulness—a heart fully surrendered, loving God with everything it possesses, anticipating His provision rather than hoarding security. This also stands as a silent but powerful rebuke to the religious establishment, who despite their wealth and prominent position, missed the true heart of worship that this destitute woman embodied.