Mark 12:1-8 ▼

1 Then He began to speak to them in figurative language. "There was once a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, fenced it round, dug a pit for the wine-tank, and built a strong lodge. Then he let the place to vine-dressers and went abroad.

2 At vintage-time he sent one of his servants to receive from the vine-dressers a share of the grapes.

3 But they seized him, beat him cruelly and sent him away empty-handed.

4 Again he sent to them another servant: and as for him, they wounded him in the head and treated him shamefully.

5 Yet a third he sent, and him they killed. And he sent many besides, and them also they ill-treated, beating some and killing others.

6 He had still one left whom he could send, a dearly-loved son: him last of all he sent, saying, "'They will treat my son with respect.'

7 "But those men--the vine-dressers--said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him, and then the property will one day be ours.'

8 "So they took him and killed him, and flung his body outside the vineyard.