The Authority of Jesus Is Questioned
1One day Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courtyard. He was announcing the good news to them. The chief priests and the teachers of the law came up to him. The elders came with them. 2“Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they all said. “Who gave you this authority?”
3Jesus replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me, 4was John’s baptism from heaven? Or did it come from people?”
5They talked to one another about it. They said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6But if we say, ‘From people,’ all the people will throw stones at us and kill us. They believe that John was a prophet.”
7So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know where John’s baptism came from.”
8Jesus said, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I am doing these things either.”
The Story of the Renters
9Jesus went on to tell the people a story. “A man planted a vineyard,” he said. “He rented it out to some farmers. Then he went away for a long time. 10At harvest time he sent a slave to the renters. They were supposed to give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the renters beat the slave. Then they sent him away with nothing. 11So the man sent another slave. They beat that one and treated him badly. They also sent him away with nothing. 12The man sent a third slave. The renters wounded him and threw him out.
13“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I have a son, and I love him. I will send him. Maybe they will respect him.’
14“But when the renters saw the son, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the one who will receive all the owner’s property someday,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him. Then everything will be ours.’ 15So they threw him out of the vineyard. And they killed him.
“What will the owner of the vineyard do to the renters? 16He will come and kill them. He will give the vineyard to others.”
When the people heard this, they said, “We hope this never happens!”
17Jesus looked right at them and said, “Here is something I want you to explain the meaning of. It is written,
“ ‘The stone the builders didn’t accept
has become the most important stone of all.’ (Psalm 118:22)
18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces. But the stone will crush anyone it falls on.”
19The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest Jesus at once. They knew he had told that story against them. But they were afraid of the people.
Is It Right to Pay the Royal Tax to Caesar?
20The religious leaders sent spies to keep a close watch on Jesus. The spies pretended to be sincere. They hoped they could trap Jesus with something he would say. Then they could hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21So the spies questioned Jesus. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you speak and teach what is right. We know you don’t favor one person over another. You teach the way of God truthfully. 22Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23Jesus saw they were trying to trick him. So he said to them, 24“Show me a silver coin. Whose picture and words are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
25He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. And give back to God what belongs to God.”
26They were not able to trap him with what he had said there in front of all the people. Amazed by his answer, they became silent.
Marriage When the Dead Rise
27The Sadducees do not believe that people rise from the dead. Some of them came to Jesus with a question. 28“Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us about a man’s brother who dies. Suppose the brother leaves a wife but has no children. Then the man must marry the widow. He must provide children to carry on his dead brother’s name. 29There were seven brothers. The first one married a woman. He died without leaving any children. 30The second one married her. 31And then the third one married her. One after another, the seven brothers married her. They all died. None left any children. 32Finally, the woman died too. 33Now then, when the dead rise, whose wife will she be? All seven brothers were married to her.”
34Jesus replied, “People in this world get married. And their parents give them to be married. 35But it will not be like that when the dead rise. Those who are considered worthy to take part in the world to come won’t get married. And their parents won’t give them to be married. 36They can’t die anymore. They are like the angels. They are God’s children. They will be given a new form of life when the dead rise. 37Remember the story of Moses and the burning bush. Even Moses showed that the dead rise. The Lord said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham. I am the God of Isaac. And I am the God of Jacob.’ (Exodus 3:6) 38He is not the God of the dead. He is the God of the living. In his eyes, everyone is alive.”
39Some of the teachers of the law replied, “You have spoken well, teacher!” 40And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Whose Son Is the Messiah?
41Jesus said to them, “Why do people say that the Messiah is the son of David? 42David himself says in the Book of Psalms,
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand
43until I put your enemies
under your control.” ’ (Psalm 110:1)
44David calls him ‘Lord.’ So how can he be David’s son?”
Warning Against the Teachers of the Law
45All the people were listening. Jesus said to his disciples, 46“Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in long robes. They love to be greeted with respect in the market. They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues. They also love to have the places of honor at banquets. 47They take over the houses of widows. They say long prayers to show off. God will punish these men very much.”
1And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders, 2And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority? 3And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me: 4The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? 5And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not? 6But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. 7And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was. 8And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. 9Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. 10And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 11And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. 13Then 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. 14But 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. 15So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? 16He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. 17And 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? 18Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
19¶ And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. 20And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. 21And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: 22Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cæsar, or no? 23But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? 24Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Cæsar’s. 25And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s. 26And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.
27¶ Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him, 28Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 29There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. 30And the second took her to wife, and he died childless. 31And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died. 32Last of all the woman died also. 33Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife. 34And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: 35But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 36Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. 37Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
39¶ Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said. 40And after that they durst not ask him any question at all. 41And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s son? 42And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 43Till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 44David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?
45¶ Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, 46Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; 47Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
