Exegesis:
Saddoukaioi (only here in Mark) ‘Sadducees’: as in the similar case in 10.12, the meaning here is ‘some Sadducees.’ They were not so much a religious party (as the Pharisees), but more of a social class, or elite, composed mostly of the priests (cf. Acts 5.17). The traditionalists of their day, they rejected all “innovations”, including the idea of the resurrection, angels, etc. (cf. Acts 23.8).
hoitines legousin ‘who say,’ ‘who affirm’: this is said of the Sadducees as a party, not just of the individuals who came to Jesus.
anastasin mē einai ‘resurrection not to be’: the indirect form, with the verb in the infinitive and the subject in the accusative case (cf. 8.27). The equivalent, in the direct form, is ‘there is no resurrection.’
anastasis (12.23; cf. anistēmi 8.31) ‘resurrection’: this, of course, is eschatological, referring to the resurrection on the last day.
epērōtōn (cf. 5.9) ‘they asked (a question).’
Translation:
Who say there is no resurrection must usually be brought closer to the subject expression, either as a relative clause, e.g. ‘the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him’ or as a paratactically combined statement, e.g. ‘the Sadducees say there is no resurrection; they came to him.’
In view of the fact that resurrection is a process, it is very commonly translated as a verb expression: ‘to rise from the dead is not’ (Sediz), ‘the dead will never rise’ (Southern Subanen), ‘people do not rise from the dead’ (Amganad Ifugao).
Saying, as an extra verb of speaking, may not be required in some languages; in fact, it may be entirely misleading after a statement of ‘asking’ or ‘questioning.’ It should be noted, however, that the immediately following sentences are not questions. The question does not come until verse 23, and hence the introductory verb should agree with receptor-language usage.
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .