Mark 12:12 (KJV)

Passage

And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

Nearby Context

Mark 12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

Mark 12:11 This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Mark 12:12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

Mark 12:13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.

Mark 12:14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no 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 not?

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "This was the Lord s doing and..." into verse 13's "And they send unto him certain of...", so "sought" and "hold" 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 "hold" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.