Mark 12:42 (WEB)

Passage

A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins, which equal a quadrans coin.

Nearby Context

Mark 12:40 those who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

Mark 12:41 Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much.

Mark 12:42 A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins, which equal a quadrans coin.

Mark 12:43 He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury,

Mark 12:44 for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.”

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "poor", "widow", "came", "cast", "small", "brass", "coins", and "equal". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "poor" and "widow", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 41's "Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and..." into verse 43's "He called his disciples to himself and...", so "poor" and "widow" 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 "poor" and "widow" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.