Matthew 21:23-46 Parallel Bible Translations

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	WEB World English Bible	ESV English Standard Version	NIV New International Version
23	When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?”	And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”	Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
24	Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things.	Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.	Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
25	The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?” They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’	The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’	John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’
26	But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all hold John as a prophet.”	But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”	But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
27	They answered Jesus, and said, “We don’t know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.	So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.	So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
28	But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’	“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’	“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
29	He answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind, and went.	And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went.	“’I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
30	He came to the second, and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I’m going, sir,’ but he didn’t go.	And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go.	“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
31	Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into God’s Kingdom before you.	Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.	“Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
32	For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you didn’t even repent afterward, that you might believe him.	For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.	For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
33	“Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a wine press in it, built a tower, leased it out to farmers, and went into another country.	“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country.	“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place.
34	When the season for the fruit came near, he sent his servants to the farmers to receive his fruit.	When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit.	When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
35	The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another.	And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.	“The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.
36	Again, he sent other servants more than the first; and they treated them the same way.	Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them.	Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.
37	But afterward he sent to them his son, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’	Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’	Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38	But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and seize his inheritance.’	But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’	“But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’
39	So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard, then killed him.	And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.	So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40	When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?”	When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”	“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
41	They told him, “He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will lease out the vineyard to other farmers who will give him the fruit in its season.”	They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”	“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42	Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner. This was from the Lord. It is marvelous in our eyes’?	Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?	Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “’The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43	“Therefore I tell you, God’s Kingdom will be taken away from you and will be given to a nation producing its fruit.	Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.	“Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
44	He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it will fall, it will scatter him as dust.”	And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”	Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”
45	When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke about them.	When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.	When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.
46	When they sought to seize him, they feared the multitudes, because they considered him to be a prophet.	And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.	They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
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