1 N ow it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him

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 to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You 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 B ut He answered and said to them, “I also will 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 from men?”

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

5 A nd they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you 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 if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded 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 S o they answered that they did not know where it was from.

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

8 A nd Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

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

9 T hen He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, 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 N ow at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

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 gain he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.

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 “ Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect 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 vinedressers 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. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to 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 will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.” And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!”

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 T hen He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone’?

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 hoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, 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 chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people —for they knew He had spoken this parable against them. The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?

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 S o they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the 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 T hen they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in 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 pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

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

23 B ut He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test 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 to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that 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 B ut they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent. The Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?

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 T hen some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,

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

28 s aying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for 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 N ow there were seven brothers. 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 as wife, and he died childless.

And the second

31 T hen 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 does she become? For all seven had her as wife.”

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

34 J esus answered and said to 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 counted worthy to attain 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 n or can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being 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 B ut even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, 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 the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to 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 T hen some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.”

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

40 B ut after that they dared not question Him anymore. Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?

For they did not dare to question Him further.

41 A nd He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?

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

42 N ow David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand,

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

43 T ill I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’

Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.

44 T herefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?” Beware of the Scribes

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

45 T hen, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples,

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

46 “ Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts,

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 widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

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).