ChristsWords.com -- The original Greek and its symbolic meaning

Mar 13:5 Take heed lest any [man] deceive you:

Alternative: See that no one leads you astray.

Hidden meaning:The key word here is to "take heed," which is really the word for physically seeing things (as opposed to seeing them intellectually).

Mar 13:2 Do you see these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Alternative: See these mighty structures?

Mar 12:44 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.

Alternative: Because all of them from the same surplus let go but she from her scarcity let go in the same way of all she had, her whole way of living.

Wordplay: As I have tried to capture in the alternative above, Christ creates two para

Mar 12:43 Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow has cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

Alternative: The truth is that this widow  poor [more than all] pour in more than all dropped into the treasure hold.

Wordplay: In the Greek, the phrase "poor more than all" is an alliteration, (ptocho pleion panton).

Mar 12:40 Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

Alternative: Which eat up the families of the bereaved on the pretext of making lengthy prayers. This is why they shall receive an extraordinary judgment.

Mar 12:39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

Alternative: And the front seats in gatherings and the best chairs at meals.

Mar 12:38 Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and [love] salutations in the marketplaces,

Alternative: Look out for scholars who want to walk about in their outfits and want embraces in public...

Hidden meaning: Christ discusses reality in terms of three worldly dimensions of the physical, mental, and emotional relationships (

Mar 12:37 David therefore himself calls him Lord; and whence is he [then] his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

Alternative: The same David picks out the same as Lord and from what source is he the same [as a] son? And many multitudes heard the same, welcoming it.

Wordplay: As you can see from the alternative above, Christ has a lot of fun with this verse.

Mar 12:36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit you on my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.

Alternative: Since David himself proclaimed in pure divine inspiration, "The Master proclaimed to my Master, take your place of honor until I might make the hateful your footstool underfoot."

Wordplay: The repeat of the word "Lord" with two different meaning.

Mar 12:35 How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?

Alternative: How can the scholars teach that the anointed is David's son?

Hidden meaning: The "how" beginning this question has the sense of "how is it possible?"

A "son" is not only a child of someone, but by the definition of the time, an inferior, that is, a subordinate.