Matthew 21:24-46 ▼

24 Jesus answered and said to them: I also will ask you one thing, which if you will tell me, I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.

25 The immersion of John, whence was it? from heaven, or from men? But they reasoned among themselves, and said, If we reply, From heaven, he will say to us, Why then did you not believe him?

26 But if we reply, From men, we fear the multitude; for all regard John as a prophet.

27 And they answered and said to Jesus: We know not. And he said to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

28 But what think you? A man had two sons; and he went to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard.

29 He answered and said, I will not. But he afterward regretted it, and went.

30 And he came to the other, and spoke to him in like manner. And he answered and said, I go, sir; and went not.

31 Which of the two did the will of his father? They said to him, The first. Jesus said to them: Verily I say to you, The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not. But the publicans and the harlots believed him. And you, when you had seen it, after ward felt no regret, that you might believe him.

33 Hear another parable: There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard, and put a hedge around it, and rigged in it a wine-press, and built a tower, and let it out to vine-dressers, and went into another country.

34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the vine-dressers to receive the fruits of it.

35 And the vine-dressers took his servants, and scourged one, and killed another, and stoned another.

36 Again he sent other servants more than the first: and they treated them in like manner.

37 But afterward he sent to them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

38 But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and seize upon the inheritance.

39 And they took him, and carried him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine dressers?

41 They said to him: He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and let out his vineyard to other vine dressers, who will give him the fruits in their season.

42 Jesus said to them: Did you never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner?

43 This was from the Lord, and it is wondrous in our eyes. For this reason, I say to you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation that will bring forth the fruits of it.

44 And he that falls upon this stone shall be dashed to pieces; but him on whom it shall fall, it will make like chaff for the wind.

45 And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he spoke of them.

46 And when they sought to lay hold of him, they feared the multitude, because they regarded him as a prophet.