Mark 12:44

For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jesus speaks to His disciples at the temple treasury, immediately after observing a poor widow’s contribution. He uses her action to explain why her offering exceeds that of the wealthy crowd.

The words — περισσεύοντος (perisseuontos) literally means “abounding” or “surplus,” describing the excess wealth of the donors. ἔβαλον (ebalon) means “cast in,” denoting the physical act of depositing money into the collection chest.

The thread — The principle of sacrificial giving appears in 2 Corinthians 8:2, where poverty and joy produce generosity, and Ezra 2:68, where leaders give freewill offerings for the temple. The ethic of tangible compassion is echoed in 1 John 3:17, which demands action when one sees a brother in need.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to measure giving by personal cost rather than absolute amount. It demands that devotion be expressed through total surrender of one’s livelihood, not merely from leftover resources.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

2 Corinthians 8:2 In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.
1 John 3:17 If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
Ezra 2:68 When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings to rebuild the house of God on its original site.
Mark 14:8 She has done what she could to anoint My body in advance of My burial.
Luke 21:2 and He saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.
Luke 8:43 including a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all her money on physicians, but no one was able to heal her.
Luke 15:30 But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
Deuteronomy 24:6 Do not take a pair of millstones or even an upper millstone as security for a debt, because that would be taking one’s livelihood as security.
2 Chronicles 24:10 All the officers and all the people rejoiced and brought their contributions, and they dropped them in the chest until it was full.
1 Chronicles 29:2 Now with all my ability I have made provision for the house of my God—gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and slabs of marble—all in abundance.