[1] One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the
gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up [2] and
said to him, "Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is
that gave you this authority." [3] He answered them, "I also will ask you a
question; now tell me, [4] Was the baptism of John from heaven or from
men?" [5] And they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, `From
heaven,' he will say, `Why did you not believe him?' [6] But if we say,
`From men,' all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John
was a prophet." [7] So they answered that they did not know whence it was.
[8] And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do
these things." [9] And he began to tell the people this parable: "A man
planted a vineyard, and let it out to tenants, and went into another
country for a long while. [10] When the time came, he sent a servant to the
tenants, that they should give him some of the fruit of the vineyard; but
the tenants beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. [11] And he sent
another servant; him also they beat and treated shamefully, and sent him
away empty-handed. [12] And he sent yet a third; this one they wounded and
cast out. [13] Then the owner of the vineyard said, `What shall I do? I
will send my beloved son; it may be they will respect him.' [14] But when
the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, `This is the heir; let us
kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' [15] And they cast him out of
the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to
them? [16] He will come and destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to
others." When they heard this, they said, "God forbid!" [17] But he looked
at them and said, "What then is this that is written: `The very stone which
the builders rejected has become the head of the corner'? [18] Every one
who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on any
one it will crush him." [19] The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay
hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people; for they
perceived that he had told this parable against them. [20] So they watched
him, and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might take hold
of what he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction
of the governor. [21] They asked him, "Teacher, we know that you speak and
teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. [22]
Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?" [23] But he
perceived their craftiness, and said to them, [24] "Show me a coin. Whose
likeness and inscription has it?" They said, "Caesar's." [25] He said to
them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the
things that are God's." [26] And they were not able in the presence of the
people to catch him by what he said; but marveling at his answer they were
silent. [27] There came to him some Sadducees, those who say that there is
no resurrection, [28] and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher,
Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife but no
children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother.
[29] Now there were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and died without
children; [30] and the second [31] and the third took her, and likewise all
seven left no children and died. [32] Afterward the woman also died. [33]
In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven
had her as wife." [34] And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry
and are given in marriage; [35] but those who are accounted worthy to
attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor
are given in marriage, [36] for they cannot die any more, because they are
equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. [37]
But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the
bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and
the God of Jacob. [38] Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living;
for all live to him." [39] And some of the scribes answered, "Teacher, you
have spoken well." [40] For they no longer dared to ask him any question.
[41] But he said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is David's son?
[42] For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, `The Lord said to my
Lord, Sit at my right hand, [43] till I make thy enemies a stool for thy
feet.' [44] David thus calls him Lord; so how is he his son?" [45] And in
the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, [46] "Beware of the
scribes, who like to go about in long robes, and love salutations in the
market places and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor
at feasts, [47] who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long
prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."
