| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: “A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. | 1Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. |
| 2 At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. | 2At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. |
| 3 But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. | 3But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. |
| 4 The owner then sent another servant, but they insulted him and beat him over the head. | 4Then he sent them another servant, and they struck him over the head and treated him shamefully. |
| 5 The next servant he sent was killed. Others he sent were either beaten or killed, | 5He sent still another, and this one they killed. He sent many others; some they beat and others they killed. |
| 6 until there was only one left—his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’ | 6Finally, having one beloved son, he sent him to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. |
| 7 “But the tenant farmers said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ | 7But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ |
| 8 So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard. | 8So they seized the son, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. |
| 9 “What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?” Jesus asked. “I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others. | 9What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others. |
| 10 Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. | 10Have you never read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. |
| 11 This is the LORD ’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’ ” | 11This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” |
| 12The religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away. Taxes for Caesar | 12At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away. |
| 13Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. | 13Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words. |
| 14“Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us—is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? | 14“Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?” |
| 15Should we pay them, or shouldn’t we?” Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin, and I’ll tell you.” | 15But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.” |
| 16When they handed it to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. | 16So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered. |
| 17 “Well, then,” Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” His reply completely amazed them. Discussion about Resurrection | 17Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him. |
| 18Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: | 18Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him: |
| 19“Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name. | 19“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him. |
| 20Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children. | 20Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children. |
| 21So the second brother married the widow, but he also died without children. Then the third brother married her. | 21Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise. |
| 22This continued with all seven of them, and still there were no children. Last of all, the woman also died. | 22In this way, none of the seven left any children. And last of all, the woman died. |
| 23So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.” | 23In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her.” |
| 24Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. | 24Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? |
| 25 For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven. | 25When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven. |
| 26 “But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—haven’t you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ | 26But concerning the dead rising, have you not read about the burning bush in the Book of Moses, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? |
| 27 So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error.” The Most Important Commandment | 27He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!” |
| 28One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” | 28Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” |
| 29Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD . | 29Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. |
| 30 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ | 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ |
| 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” | 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” |
| 32The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. | 32“Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there is no other but Him, |
| 33And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” | 33and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, which is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” |
| 34Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions. Whose Son Is the Messiah? | 34When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any further. |
| 35Later, as Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, he asked, “Why do the teachers of religious law claim that the Messiah is the son of David? | 35While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, He asked, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? |
| 36 For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’ | 36Speaking by the Holy Spirit, David himself declared: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.” ’ |
| 37 Since David himself called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with great delight. | 37David himself calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?” And the large crowd listened to Him with delight. |
| 38Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. | 38In His teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces, |
| 39 And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. | 39and to have the chief seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. |
| 40 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.” The Widow’s Offering | 40They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.” |
| 41Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. | 41As Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting money into it. And many rich people put in large amounts. |
| 42Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. | 42Then one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amounted to a small fraction of a denarius. |
| 43Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. | 43Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more than all the others into the treasury. |
| 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” | 44For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.” |
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