Mark 12:12 (DRB)

Passage

And they sought to lay hands on him: but they feared the people. For they knew that he spoke this parable to them. And leaving him, they went their way.

Nearby Context

Mark 12:10 And have you not read this scripture, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner:

Mark 12:11 By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes.

Mark 12:12 And they sought to lay hands on him: but they feared the people. For they knew that he spoke this parable to them. And leaving him, they went their way.

Mark 12:13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians: that they should catch him in his words.

Mark 12:14 Who coming, say to him: Master, we know that thou art a true speaker and carest not for any man; for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar? Or shall we not give it?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sought", "hands", "feared", "people", "knew", "spoke", "parable", and "leaving". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sought" and "hands", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "By the Lord has this been done..." into verse 13's "And they sent to him some of...", so "sought" and "hands" belong inside that flow. In Mark context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "sought" and "hands" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.