Truly I tell you, whoever gives a mere drink of cold water to one of these least significant [disciples of mine] because he is a disciple, will certainly not lose his [temporal or eternal] reward.”
Mark 12:42 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition) A poor widow came and threw in two small copper coins [Note: These two coins each amounted to about ten minutes’ worth of a farm laborer’s pay, or about $1.50 in 2005]. The total she gave was equivalent to a larger coin [i.e., worth twice as much]. More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition And a widow who was poverty-stricken came and put in two copper mites [the smallest of coins], which together make half of a cent. American Standard Version (1901) And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing. Common English Bible One poor widow came forward and put in two small copper coins worth a penny. Catholic Public Domain Version But when one poor widow had arrived, she put in two small coins, which is a quarter. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version And there came a certain poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing. |
Truly I tell you, whoever gives a mere drink of cold water to one of these least significant [disciples of mine] because he is a disciple, will certainly not lose his [temporal or eternal] reward.”
It is true when I say to you; you will not be released from there until you have paid the last coin. [Note: The coin mentioned here amounted to about ten minutes’ worth of a farm laborer’s pay, or about $1.50 in 2005].
Then Jesus sat down over near the [Temple] treasury and watched how the crowd was throwing money into the treasury [Note: This “treasury” was a large open-mouthed container used for receiving offerings for meeting expenses of Temple upkeep]. Many rich people were throwing in lots of money.
Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has thrown in more than all the rest who are throwing [money] into the treasury.
I tell you, you will not be released from there until you have paid the last coin [Note: This coin amounted to about five minutes of a farm laborer’s pay, or about seventy-five cents in 2005].”
And He saw a certain poor widow throwing two small copper coins into it [Note: These two coins amounted to about ten minutes of a farm laborer’s pay, or about $1.50 in 2005].
For if the eagerness is there, [then] whatever a person has [to give] is acceptable, and not what he does not have.
[It is] how, in spite of their suffering severe trials, their overflowing joy and extreme poverty produced an overwhelming expression of generosity.