Luke 20:1-16 ▼

1 AND it came to pass on one of the days, while he was teaching the people and preaching in the temple, the high priests and the scribes with the elders rose up against him.

2 And they said to him, Tell us by what authority you do these things, and who gave you this authority?

3 Jesus answered and said to them, I will also ask you a word, and you tell me;

4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men?

5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we should say from heaven, he will say to us, Why then did you not believe him?

6 And if we should say from men, all the people will stone us; for they regard John as a prophet.

7 So they said to him, We do not know whence it is.

8 Jesus said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

9 And he began to say this parable to the people, A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to laborers, and went on a journey for a long time.

10 And at the season he sent his servant to the laborers to give him of the fruit of the vineyard; but the laborers beat him and sent him back empty.

11 And again he sent another of his servants; but they beat him also, and treated him shamefully, and sent him back empty.

12 And again he sent the third one; but they wounded him also, and threw him outside.

13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will see him and feel ashamed.

14 But when the laborers saw him, they reasoned with themselves, saying, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.

15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

16 He will come and destroy those laborers, and give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, This will never happen.