1 One day as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, came up to him

2 and said to him, »Tell us by what authority are you doing these things? Or who it is that gave you this authority.«

3 He answered them, »I also will ask you a question; now tell me,

4 the baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?«

5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, »If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’

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

7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

8 And Jesus said to them, »Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.«

9 Then he began to tell the people this parable: »A man planted a vineyard, leased it to vine-dressers, and went into another country for a long time.

10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants, that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

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

12 He sent a third; and they wounded him and cast him out.

13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’

14 But when the tenants saw him, they reasoned among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’

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

16 He will come and destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others.« When they heard this, they said, »May this never be!«

17 But he looked at them and said, »What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejectedhas become the chief cornerstone’?

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.«

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

20 So they watched him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might catch him on what he said, in order to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.

21 And they asked him, »Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and you do not show partiality, but teach the way of God in truth.

22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?«

23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them,

24 »Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?« They said, »Caesar’s.«

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

26 And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him by what he said. But marveling at his answer they were silent.

27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him,

28 and they questioned him, »Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother.

29 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children.

30 And the second

31 and then the third took her, and in the same way the seven died, and they left no children.

32 Finally the woman died also.

33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.«

34 And Jesus said to them, »The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.

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

36 nor can they die any more, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’

38 Now he is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to him.«

39 And some of the scribes answered, »Teacher, you have spoken well.«

40 For they no longer dared to ask him any question.

41 And he said to them, »How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?

42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord,»Sit at my right hand,

43 till I make your enemiesa footstool for your feet.«’

44 David therefore calls him ‘Lord,’ and how is he his son?«

45 And in the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples,

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

47 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive greater condemnation.«