Matthew 21:24-46 ▼

24 “I will also ask you⁺ one question, Jesus (YHWH saves) replied, “and if you⁺ answer Me, I will tell you⁺ by what authority I am doing these things.

25 What was the source of John’s (YHWH is gracious) baptism (submersion)? Was it from heaven or from men? They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven, He will ask, ‘Why then did you⁺ not believe (have faith) him?

26 But if we say, ‘From men, we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John (YHWH is gracious) as a prophet.

27 So they answered, “We do not know. And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you⁺ by what authority I am doing these things.

28 But what do you⁺ think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.

29 ‘I will not, he replied. But later he changed his mind and went [But he went.].

30 Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir {kyrie}, he said. But he did not go.

31 Which of the two did the will of his father? “The first [The latter], they answered. Jesus (YHWH saves) said to them, “Truly I tell you⁺, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God {Theou} before you⁺.

32 For John (YHWH is gracious) came to you⁺ in the way of righteousness, and you⁺ did not believe (have faith) him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you⁺ did not repent and believe him.

33 Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants (farmers) and went away on a journey.

34 When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants {doulous} to the tenants (farmers) to collect his share of the fruit.

35 But the tenants (farmers) seized his servants {doulous}. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.

36 Again, he sent other servants {doulous}, more than the first group. But the tenants did the same to them.

37 Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son, he said.

38 But when the tenants (farmers) saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.

39 So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

40 Therefore, when the owner {kyrios} of the vineyard returns, what will he do to those tenants (farmers)?

41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants (farmers) who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.

42 Jesus (YHWH saves) said to them, “Have you⁺ never read in the Scriptures (Writings): ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord {Kyriou}, and it is marvelous in our eyes ’

43 Therefore I tell you⁺ that the kingdom of God {Theou} will be taken away from you⁺ and given to a people {ethnei} who will produce its fruit.

44 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.

45 When the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them.

46 Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.