Luke 20:1-31 ▼

1 And it came to pass on one of the days, in His teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes came up with the elders,

2 and they spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us by what authority You do these things, or who is the one having given You this authority?”

3 And answering, He said to them, “I also will 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, ‘Why did you? not believe him?’

6 But if we should say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John is a prophet.”

7 And they answered that they did not know from where.

8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither do I tell you? by what authority I do these things.”

9 And He began to speak to the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, and he rented it out to farmers and traveled abroad a long time.

10 And in the season, he sent a servant to the farmers, so that they will give to him from the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers sent him away empty-handed, having beaten him.

11 And he proceeded to send another servant, but having beaten and having dishonored that one also, they sent him away empty-handed.

12 And he proceeded to send a third, and having wounded this one also, they cast him out.

13 Then the lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’

14 But having seen him, the farmers were reasoning with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him, so that the inheritance might become ours.’

15 And having cast him out of the vineyard, they killed him. What, therefore, will the lord of the vineyard do to them?

16 He will come and will destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.” And having heard, they said, “Never may it be!”

17 But having looked at them, He said, “What then is this that has been written: ‘The stone that those building rejected, this became the head of the corner’?

18 Everyone having fallen on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it might fall, it will grind him into powder.”

19 And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on Him in that hour, and they feared the people. For they knew that He spoke this parable against them.

20 And having closely watched, they sent spies feigning themselves to be righteous, so that they might catch Him in His word, so as to deliver Him to the rule and to the authority of the governor.

21 And they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach rightly and do not receive any person, but teach the way of God on the basis of truth.

22 Is it lawful for us to give tax to Caesar or not?”

23 But having perceived their craftiness, He said to them,

24 “Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” And they said, “Caesar’s.”

25 And He said to them, “Therefore give back the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God.”

26 And they were not able to catch Him in His saying before the people. And having marveled at His answer, they were silent.

27 And some of the Sadducees, the ones denying there is a resurrection, having come, questioned Him,

28 saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if anyone’s brother should die having a wife, and he should be childless, that his brother should take the wife and should raise up seed for his brother.

29 Therefore there were seven brothers. And the first, having taken a wife, died childless;

30 and the second

31 and the third took her; and likewise also the seven did not leave behind children and died.