Matthew 21:19-46 ▼

19 and seeing a fig-tree by the way, He went up to it, and finding nothing upon it but leaves, He saith to it, Let no fruit ever hereafter grow out of thee: and the fig-tree withered immediately.

20 And the disciples seeing it were amazed and said, How suddenly is the fig-tree withered!

21 but Jesus answering said unto them, Verily I tell you, if ye have faith and doubt not, ye shall not only be able to do this to a fig-tree, but also if ye shall say to this mountain, "Be thou removed and cast into the sea," it shall be done.

22 And all things whatsoever ye ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

23 And when He was 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 dost thou these things, and who gave thee this authority?

24 but Jesus answered them, I also will ask you one question, which if ye tell me, I will likewise tell you by what authority I do these things.

25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves saying, If we say, from heaven, He will reply, Why then did ye not believe him?

26 But if we say, of men, we fear the people, for they all esteem John as a prophet.

27 And therefore in answer to Jesus, they said, We do not know: and He said unto them, Neither do I tell you, by what authority I do these things.

28 But what think ye of this ? There was a man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, Son, go, work to day in my vineyard:

29 and he answered I will not; but afterwards repenting, he went.

30 And coming to the second, he spake in like manner: and he answered, Yes, Sir; and went not.

31 Now which of the two did the will of his father? They say unto Him, The first. Jesus replied, Verily I say unto you, that publicans and prostitutes enter into the kingdom of God before you:

32 for John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye did not believe him; but publicans and harlots believed him; and though ye saw that, ye did not repent afterwards, to believe him.

33 Hear another parable, There was a certain man, a master of a family, that planted a vineyard, and made a fence about it, and put a wine-press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and travelled abroad.

34 And when the fruit-season drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, to receive the fruits of it:

35 and the husbandmen took his servants and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

36 And he sent again other servants more than the first: and they did the like to them.

37 At last he sent unto them his Son, saying, They will reverence my Son.

38 But when the husbandmen saw the Son, they said among themselves, This is the heir, come, let us kill him, and seize on his inheritance:

39 so they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and slew him.

40 When therefore the lord of the vineyard cometh, what will he do to those husbandmen?

41 They answer, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out the vineyard to other husbandmen, who will render him the fruits in their seasons.

42 Then saith Jesus to them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, "The stone which the builders refused, is made the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?"

43 Therefore I tell you, that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation, that will bring forth the fruits thereof.

44 And he that stumbleth at this stone shall be bruised, but on whomsoever it falls, it will crush him to pieces.

45 And when the chief priests and pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that He spake of them:

46 and would have seized Him, but that they were afraid of the people; because they took Him for a prophet.