1 O ne day as Jesus was instructing the people in the temple '> porches] and preaching the good news (the Gospel), the chief priests and the scribes came up with the elders (members of the Sanhedrin)

On one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, the priests and scribes came to him with the elders.

2 A nd said to Him, Tell us by what authority You are doing these things? Or who is it who gave You this authority?

They asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?”

3 H e replied to them, I will also ask you a question. Now answer Me:

He answered them, “I also will ask you one question. Tell me:

4 W as the baptism of John from heaven, or from men?

the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?”

5 A nd they argued and discussed and reasoned together with themselves, saying, If we reply, From heaven, He will say, Why then did you not believe him?

They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’

6 B ut if we answer, From men, all the people will stone us to death, for they are long since firmly convinced that John was a prophet.

But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

7 S o they replied that they did not know from where it came.

They answered that they didn’t know where it was from.

8 T hen Jesus said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

9 T hen He began to relate to the people this parable ( this story to figuratively portray what He had to say): A man planted a vineyard and leased it to some vinedressers and went into another country for a long stay.

He began to tell the people this parable. “A man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time.

10 W hen the season came, he sent a bond servant to the tenants, that they might give him of the fruit of the vineyard; but the tenants beat ( thrashed) him and sent him away empty-handed.

At the proper season, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat him, and sent him away empty.

11 A nd he sent still another servant; him they also beat ( thrashed) and dishonored and insulted him disgracefully and sent him away empty-handed.

He sent yet another servant, and they also beat him, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.

12 A nd he sent yet a third; this one they wounded and threw out.

He sent yet a third, and they also wounded him, and threw him out.

13 T hen the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it is probable that they will respect him.

The lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that seeing him, they will respect him.’

14 B ut when the tenants saw him, they argued among themselves, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.

“But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’

15 S o they drove him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

They threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?

16 H e will come and '> utterly] put an end to those tenants and will give the vineyard to others. When they heard this, they said, May it never be!

He will come and destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard it, they said, “May it never be!”

17 B ut looked at them and said, What then is this that is written: The Stone which the builders rejected has become the chief Stone of the corner ?

But he looked at them, and said, “Then what is this that is written, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the chief cornerstone?’

18 E veryone who falls on that Stone will be broken; but upon whomever It falls, It will crush him '> scatter him as dust].

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush whomever it falls on to dust.”

19 T he scribes and the chief priests desired and tried to find a way to arrest Him at that very hour, but they were afraid of the people; for they discerned that He had related this parable against them.

The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people—for they knew he had spoken this parable against them.

20 S o they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be upright (honest and sincere), that they might lay hold of something He might say, so as to turn Him over to the control and authority of the governor.

They watched him, and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.

21 T hey asked Him, Teacher, we know that You speak and teach what is right, and that You show no partiality to anyone but teach the way of God honestly and in truth.

They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God.

22 I s it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not?

Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

23 B ut He recognized and understood their cunning and unscrupulousness and said to them,

But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test me?

24 S how Me a denarius (a coin)! Whose image and inscription does it have? They answered, Caesar’s.

Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.”

25 H e said to them, Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.

He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

26 S o they could not in the presence of the people take hold of anything He said to turn it against Him; but marveling at His reply, they were silent.

They weren’t able to trap him in his words before the people. They marveled at his answer, and were silent.

27 A lso there came to Him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection.

Some of the Sadducees came to him, those who deny that there is a resurrection.

28 A nd they asked Him a question, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife and no children, the man shall take the woman and raise up offspring for his brother.

They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up children for his brother.

29 N ow there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died without children.

There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless.

30 A nd the second

The second took her as wife, and he died childless.

31 A nd then the third took her, and in like manner all seven, and they died, leaving no children.

The third took her, and likewise the seven all left no children, and died.

32 L ast of all, the woman died also.

Afterward the woman also died.

33 N ow in the resurrection whose wife will the woman be? For the seven married her.

Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife.”

34 A nd Jesus said to them, The people of this world and present age marry and are given in marriage;

Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage.

35 B ut those who are considered worthy to gain that other world and that future age and to attain to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage;

But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage.

36 F or they cannot die again, but they are angel-like and equal to angels. And being sons of and sharers in the resurrection, they are sons of God.

For they can’t die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.

37 B ut that the dead are raised '> from death]—even Moses made known and showed in the passage concerning the bush, where he calls the Lord, The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

38 N ow He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all men are alive and they are alive unto Him.

Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.”

39 A nd some of the scribes replied, Teacher, you have spoken well and expertly '> so that there is no room for blame].

Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you speak well.”

40 F or they did not dare to question Him further.

They didn’t dare to ask him any more questions.

41 B ut He asked them, How can people say that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is David’s Son?

He said to them, “Why do they say that the Christ is David’s son?

42 F or David himself says in Book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand

David himself says in the book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand,

43 U ntil I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.

until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’

44 S o David calls Him Lord; how then is He his Son?

“David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”

45 A nd with all the people listening, He said to His disciples,

In the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples,

46 B eware of the scribes, who like to walk about in long robes and love to be saluted in places where people congregate and love the front and best seats in the synagogues and places of distinction at feasts,

“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts;

47 W ho make away with and devour widows’ houses, and with pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation (the heavier sentence, the severer punishment).

who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation.”