Matthew 21:24-46 ▼

24 And Jesus, having answered, said to them, I will also ask you one word, which if ye tell me, I also will tell you by what authority I do these.

25 The baptism of John, whence was it of heaven or of men And they reasoned by themselves, saying, If we say, of heaven; he will say to us, Why, then, believed ye him not?

26 But if we say, of men; we fear the crowd; for all hold John as a prophet.

27 And having answered Jesus, they said, We know not. And he said to them, Neither do I say to you, by what authority I do these.

28 But what seems to you A man had two children; and having come to the first, he said, Child, retire today, work in my vineyard.

29 And he, having answered, said, I will not; but afterward, having felt regret, he departed.

30 And having come to the second, he said likewise. And he, having answered, said, I, Lord: and he departed not.

31 Which of the two did the father's will? They say to him, The first. Jesus says to them, Truly I say to you, that publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

32 For John came to you in the way of justice, and ye believed him not: and the publicans and harlots believed him; and ye, seeing, repented not afterwards, to believe him.

33 Hear another parable: A certain man was master of a house, who planted a vineyard, and put a hedge around it, and digged in it a winepress, and let it out to farmers, and went abroad:

34 And when the time of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, to receive his parts.

35 And the farmers having taken his servants, truly one they stripped, and one they killed, and one they stoned.

36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did to them likewise.

37 And afterwards he sent to them his son, saying, They will be changed by my son.

38 And the farmers, seeing the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and possess his inheritance.

39 And having taken, they cast out of the vineyard, and killed.

40 When, therefore, the lord of the vineyard should come, what will he do to those farmers?

41 They say to him, He will miserably destroy these wicked, and let out the vineyard to other farmers, who will give back to him the fruits in their seasons.

42 Jesus says to them, Have ye never read in the writings, The stone which the builders disapproved of, this was for the head of the corner? This was from the Lord, and it was wonderful in your eyes.

43 For this I say to you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation doing its fruits.

44 And he falling upon this stone shall be crushed: but upon whomsoever it should fall, it shall winnow him.

45 And the chief priests and Pharisees, having heard his parable, knew that he spake of them.

46 And seeking to lay hold on him, they feared the crowd, since they held him as a prophet.