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Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: âA man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years.
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At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.
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So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed.
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A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away.
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ââWhat will I do?â the owner asked himself. âI know! Iâll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.â
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âBut when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, âHere comes the heir to this estate. Letâs kill him and get the estate for ourselves!â
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So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him. âWhat do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?â Jesus asked.
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âIâll tell youâhe will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.â âHow terrible that such a thing should ever happen,â his listeners protested.
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Jesus looked at them and said, âThen what does this Scripture mean? âThe stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.â
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Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.â