1 A nd started to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard and put a hedge around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower and let it out to vinedressers and went into another country.

Jesus began to teach them by using picture-stories, saying, “There was a man who planted grapes in a field. He put a fence around it and made a place for making wine. He built a tower to look over the field. Then he let farmers rent it and went into another country.

2 W hen the season came, he sent a bond servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.

“The time came for gathering the grapes. He sent his servant to the farmers to get some of the grapes.

3 B ut they took him and beat him and sent him away without anything.

The farmers took him and beat him. They sent him back with nothing.

4 A gain he sent to them another bond servant, and they stoned him and wounded him in the head and treated him shamefully.

The owner sent another servant. The farmers threw stones at him and hit him on the head and did other bad things to him.

5 A nd he sent another, and that one they killed; then many others—some they beat, and some they put to death.

Again the owner sent another servant. The farmers killed that one. Many other servants were sent. They beat some and they killed others.

6 H e had still one left, a beloved son; last of all he sent him to them, saying, They will respect my son.

“He had a much-loved son to send yet. So last of all he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

7 B ut those tenants said to one another, Here is the heir; come on, let us put him to death, and the inheritance will be ours.

The farmers said to themselves, ‘This is the one who will get everything when the owner dies. Let us kill him and we will get everything.’

8 A nd they took him and killed him, and threw outside the vineyard.

They took him and killed him. They threw his body outside the field.

9 N ow what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and give the vineyard to others.

What will the owner of the field do? He will come and kill the farmers. He will give the field to other farmers.

10 H ave you not even read this Scripture: The very Stone which '> after putting It to the test] the builders rejected has become the Head of the corner;

“Have you not read what the Holy Writings say? ‘The Stone that was put aside by the workmen has become the most important Stone in the corner of the building.

11 T his is from the Lord and is His doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?

The Lord has done this. It is great in our eyes.’”

12 A nd they were trying to get hold of Him, but they were afraid of the people, for they knew that He spoke this parable with reference to and against them. So they left Him and departed.

The leaders wanted to take Him but they were afraid of the people. They knew He had told the picture-story against them. They left Him and went away. They Try to Trap Jesus

13 B ut they sent some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians to Him for the purpose of entrapping Him in His speech.

Some of the proud religious law-keepers and Herod’s men were sent to trap Jesus in His talk.

14 A nd they came up and said to Him, Teacher, we know that You are sincere and what You profess to be, that You cannot lie, and that You have no personal bias for anyone; for You are not influenced by partiality and have no regard for anyone’s external condition or position, but in truth You teach the way of God. Is it lawful (permissible and right) to give tribute ( poll taxes) to Caesar or not?

They came to Him and said, “Teacher, we know You are true. We know You are not afraid of what men think or say about You. You teach the way of God in truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

15 S hould we pay or should we not pay ? But knowing their hypocrisy, He asked them, Why do you put Me to the test? Bring Me a coin (a denarius), so I may see it.

Should we pay or not pay?” Jesus knew how they pretended to be someone they were not. He said to them, “Why do you try to trap Me? Bring Me a small piece of money so I may look at it.”

16 A nd they brought. Then He asked them, Whose image (picture) is this? And whose superscription ( title)? They said to Him, Caesar’s.

They brought Him one. He asked them, “Whose picture is this? Whose name is on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.”

17 J esus said to them, Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s. And they stood marveling and greatly amazed at Him.

Then Jesus said to them, “Pay to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar. Pay to God the things that belong to God.” They were surprised and wondered at Him. They Ask about Being Raised from the Dead

18 A nd Sadducees came to Him, who say there is no resurrection, and they asked Him a question, saying,

Some people from the religious group who believe no one will be raised from the dead came to Jesus. They asked Him,

19 T eacher, Moses gave us that if a man’s brother died, leaving a wife but no child, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.

“Teacher, Moses gave us a Law. It said, ‘If a man’s brother dies and leaves his wife behind, but no children, then his brother should marry his wife and raise children for his brother.’

20 N ow there were seven brothers; the first one took a wife and died, leaving no children.

There were seven brothers. The first was married. He died before he had any children.

21 A nd the second married her, and died, leaving no children; and the third did the same;

The second married her and died. He had no children. The same happened with the third.

22 A nd all seven, leaving no children. Last of all, the woman died also.

All seven had her for a wife. All died without children. Last of all the woman died.

23 N ow in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For the seven were married to her.

When people are raised from the dead, whose wife will she be? All seven had her for a wife.”

24 J esus said to them, Is not this where you wander out of the way and go wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?

Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you do not know the Holy Writings or the power of God?

25 F or when they arise from among the dead, do not marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven.

When people are raised from the dead, they do not marry and are not given in marriage. They are like angels in heaven.

26 B ut concerning the dead being raised—have you not read in the book of Moses, about the bush, how God said to him, I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob?

As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses how God spoke to him in the burning bush? He said, ‘I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’

27 H e is not the God of dead, but of living! You are very wrong.

He is not the God of the dead, He is the God of the living. So you are very much wrong.” The Great Law

28 T hen one of the scribes came up and listened to them disputing with one another, and, noticing that Jesus answered them fitly and admirably, he asked Him, Which commandment is first and most important of all '> in its nature]?

Then one of the teachers of the Law heard them arguing. He thought Jesus had spoken well. He asked Him, “Which Law is the greatest of all?”

29 J esus answered, The first and principal one of all commands is: Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord;

Jesus said to him, “The greatest Law is this, ‘Listen, Jewish people, The Lord our God is one Lord!

30 A nd you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment.

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ This is the first Law.

31 T he second is like it and is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

“The second Law is this: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other Law is greater than these.”

32 A nd the scribe said to Him, Excellently and fitly and admirably answered, Teacher! You have said truly that He is One, and there is no other but Him;

Then the teacher of the Law said, “Teacher, You have told the truth. There is one God. There is no other God but Him.

33 A nd to love Him out of and with all the heart and with all the understanding '> faculty of quick apprehension and intelligence and keenness of discernment] and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

A man should love Him with all his heart and with all his understanding. He should love Him with all his soul and with all his strength and love his neighbor as himself. This is more important than to bring animals to be burned on the altar or to give God other gifts on the altar in worship.”

34 A nd when Jesus saw that he answered intelligently (discreetly and having his wits about him), He said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of God. And after that no one ventured or dared to ask Him any further question.

Jesus saw he had spoken with understanding. He said to him, “You are not far from the holy nation of God.” After that no one thought they could ask Him anything. Jesus Asks the Proud Religious Law-Keepers about the Christ

35 A nd as Jesus taught in '> porch or court of] the temple, He said, How can the scribes say that the Christ is David’s Son?

Jesus was in the house of God teaching. He asked, “How do the teachers of the Law say that Christ is the Son of David?

36 D avid himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies under Your feet.

For David himself, led by the Holy Spirit, said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right side until I make those who hate You a place to rest Your feet.’

37 D avid himself calls Him Lord; so how can it be that He is his Son? Now the great mass of the people heard gladly.

David himself calls Him Lord. Then how can He be his son?” Many people were glad to hear Him. False Teachers

38 A nd in His teaching, He said, Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and greetings in the marketplaces,

Jesus taught them, saying, “Look out for the teachers of the Law. They like to walk around in long coats. They like to have the respect of men as they stand in the center of town where people gather.

39 A nd the front seats in the synagogues and the chief couches (places of honor) at feasts,

They like to have the important seats in the places of worship and the important places at big suppers.

40 W ho devour widows’ houses and to cover it up make long prayers. They will receive the heavier condemnation.

They take houses from poor women whose husbands have died. They cover up the bad they do by saying long prayers. They will be punished all the more.” The Woman Whose Husband Had Died Gave All She Had

41 A nd He sat down opposite the treasury and saw how the crowd was casting money into the treasury. Many rich were throwing in large sums.

Jesus sat near the money box in the house of God. He watched the people putting in money. Many of them were rich and gave much money.

42 A nd a widow who was poverty-stricken came and put in two copper mites, which together make half of a cent.

A poor woman whose husband had died came by and gave two very small pieces of money.

43 A nd He called His disciples and said to them, Truly and surely I tell you, this widow, poverty-stricken, has put in more than all those contributing to the treasury.

Jesus called His followers to Him. He said, “For sure, I tell you, this poor woman whose husband has died has given more money than all the others.

44 F or they all threw in out of their abundance; but she, out of her deep poverty, has put in everything that she had— all she had on which to live.

They all gave of that which was more than they needed for their own living. She is poor and yet she gave all she had, even what she needed for her own living.”