Mark 12:20 bbe — There were seven brothers: and the first took a wife, and at his death there were no offspring;

Bible in Basic English

"There were seven brothers: and the first took a wife, and at his death there were no offspring;"

— Mark 12:20, Bible in Basic English

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Mark 12:20 in Other Translations

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Mark 12 — Context

17

And Jesus said to them, Give to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's. And they were full of wonder at him.

18

And there came to him Sadducees, who say there is no coming back from the dead; and they put a question to him, saying,

19

Master, in the law Moses says, If a man's brother comes to his end, and has a wife still living and no child, it is right for his brother to take his wife, and get a family for his brother.

20

There were seven brothers: and the first took a wife, and at his death there were no offspring;

21

And the second took her, and at his death there were no offspring; and the third the same:

22

And all the seven had no seed. Last of all the woman herself came to her death.

23

In the future life, when they come back from the dead, whose wife will she be? for the seven had her for a wife.

Mark 12:20 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Mark 12:20 say?
Mark 12:20 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “There were seven brothers: and the first took a wife, and at his death there were no offspring;”
Where is Mark 12:20 in the Bible?
Mark 12:20 is found in the New Testament, in the book of Mark, chapter 12, verse 20.
Who wrote Mark?
Mark is traditionally attributed to John Mark, companion of Peter and Paul. Early tradition (Papias, c. AD 130) reports Mark wrote down Peter's preaching. It was written c. AD 55–65.
What is the book of Mark about?
Mark is the shortest, fastest-paced Gospel — "immediately" is its favorite word. It portrays Jesus as the powerful, suffering Servant who acts, heals, casts out demons, and finally gives his life as a ransom for many. The story moves with urgency from Galilee to a cross outside Jerusalem.
What are the major themes of Mark?
Mark explores themes including Servant, Action, Suffering, Discipleship, Cross. These themes shape the meaning and context of Mark 12:20.
What translation should I read Mark 12:20 in?
Mark 12:20 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Mark 12:20?
Mark 12:20 reads (BBE): “There were seven brothers: and the first took a wife, and at his death there were no offspring;” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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