1 ¶ And it came to pass that on one of those days as he taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, the princes of the priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders

One 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)

2 a nd spoke unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

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

3 A nd he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing, and answer me:

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

4 T he baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men?

Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men?

5 A nd they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven, he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?

And 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?

6 B ut and if we say, Of men, all the people will stone us; for they are certain that John was a prophet.

But 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.

7 A nd they answered that they knew not from where.

So they replied that they did not know from where it came.

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

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

9 ¶ And he began to speak this parable to the people: A certain man planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen and went into a far country for a long time.

Then 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.

10 A nd at the season he sent a slave to the husbandmen that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard, but the husbandmen beat him and sent him away empty.

When 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.

11 A nd again he sent another slave, and they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him away empty.

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

12 A nd again he sent a third, and they wounded him also and cast him out.

And he sent yet a third; this one they wounded and threw out.

13 T hen said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will reverence him when they see him.

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

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

But 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.

15 S o they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?

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

16 H e shall come and destroy these husbandmen and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, May it not be!

He 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!

17 B ut he beheld them and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

But 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 ?

18 W hosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

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

19 A nd the princes of the priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him, for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them; but they feared the people.

The 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.

20 ¶ And they watched him and sent forth spies who feigned themselves just men that they might take hold of him as he was speaking, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

So 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.

21 A nd they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither dost thou accept the person of any, but teachest the way of God with truth;

They 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.

22 I s it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar or no?

Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not?

23 B ut he, perceiving their craftiness, said unto them, Why tempt ye me?

But He recognized and understood their cunning and unscrupulousness and said to them,

24 S how me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have? They answered and said, Caesar’s.

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

25 A nd he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things which are God’s.

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

26 A nd they could not take hold of his words before the people, and they marvelled at his answer and were silent.

So 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.

27 ¶ Then certain of the Sadducees came, who deny that there is any resurrection, and they asked him,

Also there came to Him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection.

28 s aying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, that his brother should take his wife and raise up seed unto his brother.

And 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.

29 T here were therefore seven brethren, and the first took a wife and died without children.

Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died without children.

30 A nd the second took her to wife, and he died childless.

And the second

31 A nd the third took her; and in like manner the seven also, and they left no children and died.

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

32 L ast of all the woman died also.

Last of all, the woman died also.

33 T herefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be? for seven had her to wife.

Now in the resurrection whose wife will the woman be? For the seven married her.

34 A nd Jesus answering said unto them, The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage,

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

35 b ut those who are accounted worthy to obtain that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry, nor are given in marriage;

But 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;

36 f or neither can they die any more, for they are equal unto the angels and are the sons of God, being the sons of the resurrection.

For 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.

37 N ow that the dead are raised, even Moses showed this at the bush when he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.

But 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.

38 F or he is not a God of the dead, but of the living; for all live unto him.

Now 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.

39 ¶ Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.

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

40 A nd after that they dared not ask him any question at all.

For they did not dare to question Him further.

41 A nd he said unto them, How do they say that the Christ is David’s son?

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

42 A nd David himself says in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand

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

43 u ntil I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.

44 D avid therefore calls him Lord; how is he then his son?

So David calls Him Lord; how then is He his Son?

45 T hen in the audience of all the people, he said unto his disciples,

And with all the people listening, He said to His disciples,

46 B eware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes and love greetings in the markets and the first seats in the synagogues and the first places at suppers;

Beware 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,

47 w ho devour the houses of the widows and for a pretext make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

Who 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).