20:1 One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him.
20:2 “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”
20:3 He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me,
20:4 John’s baptism–was it from heaven, or from men?”
20:5 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
20:6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
20:7 So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”
20:8 Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
20:9 He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time.
20:10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
20:11 He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed.
20:12 He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.
20:13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’
20:14 “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
20:15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
20:16 He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “May this never be!”
20:17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone’?
20:18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
20:19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
20:20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
20:21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
20:22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
20:23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them,
20:24 “Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?”
20:25 “Caesar’s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
20:26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
20:27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question.
20:28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.
20:29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless.
20:30 The second
20:31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children.
20:32 Finally, the woman died too.
20:33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”
20:34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.
20:35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage,
20:36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.
20:37 But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
20:38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
20:39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!”
20:40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
20:41 Then Jesus said to them, “How is it that they say the Christ is the Son of David?
20:42 David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand
20:43 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ‘
20:44 David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”
20:45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples,
20:46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
20:47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.”
20:1 And on one of the days, as He was teaching the people in the temple and announcing the good news, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came upon Him,
20:2 And spoke, saying to Him, Tell us by what authority You do these things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?
20:3 And He answered and said to them, I also will ask you one thing, and you tell Me:
20:4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men?
20:5 And they reasoned together among themselves, saying, If we say, From heaven, He will say, Why did you not believe him?
20:6 But if we say, From men, all the people will stone us to death, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.
20:7 And they answered that they did not know where it was from.
20:8 And Jesus said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
20:9 And He began to speak to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard and leased it out to vinedressers and went abroad for a considerable time.
20:10 And at the proper time he sent a slave to the vinedressers so that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard; but the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
20:11 And he went on to send another slave, but they beat that one also, and dishonored him, and sent him away empty-handed.
20:12 And he went on to send a third, but that one also they wounded and threw out.
20:13 And the master of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my son, the beloved; they will probably respect this one.
20:14 But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned with one another, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him that the inheritance may become ours.
20:15 And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the master of the vineyard do to them?
20:16 He will come and destroy these vinedressers and will give the vineyard to others. And when they heard this, they said, May it never happen!
20:17 But He looked at them, and said, What then is this that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, this has become the head of the corner ?
20:18 Everyone who falls on that stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it shall crush him to powder and scatter him like chaff.
20:19 And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on Him in that hour; yet they feared the people, for they perceived that it was with them in view that He spoke this parable.
20:20 And they watched Him closely and sent spies who feigned themselves to be righteous, in order that they might lay hold on some word of His, so as to deliver Him up to the rule and authority of the governor.
20:21 And they questioned Him, saying, Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and do not accept man s person, but teach the way of God in truth.
20:22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?
20:23 But He perceived their craftiness and said to them,
20:24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have? And they said, Caesar s.
20:25 And He said to them, Therefore render the things that are Caesar s to Caesar, and the things that are God s to God.
20:26 And they were not able to lay hold of a saying of His in the presence of the people; and marveling at His answer, they kept silent.
20:27 And some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and questioned Him,
20:28 Saying, Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If anyone s brother has a wife and dies, and this one is childless, his brother should take the wife and raise up seed to his brother.
20:29 There were then seven brothers. And the first took a wife and died childless;
20:30 And the second;
20:31 And the third took her; and similarly the seven also did not leave children and died.
20:32 Finally the woman also died.
20:33 In the resurrection, therefore, which one s wife does the woman become? For the seven had her as wife.
20:34 And Jesus said to them, The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage,
20:35 But those who are counted worthy to obtain that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage;
20:36 For neither can they die anymore, for they are equal to angels, and they are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
20:37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses disclosed in the section concerning the bush, when he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.
20:38 Now He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all men are living.
20:39 And some of the scribes answered and said, Teacher, You have spoken well.
20:40 For they no longer dared to question Him about anything.
20:41 And He said to them, How is it that they say that the Christ is David s son?
20:42 For David himself says in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand,
20:43 Until I set Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.
20:44 David therefore calls Him Lord, and how is He his son?
20:45 And as all the people were listening, He said to His disciples,
20:46 Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at the dinners,
20:47 Who devour widows houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These shall receive greater judgment.