Matthew 21:26-36

26 But if we say, 'From men,' we're afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought John was a prophet."

27 So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." And He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

28 "But what do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'My son, go, work in the vineyard today.'

29 "He answered, 'I don't want to!' Yet later he changed his mind and went.

30 Then the man went to the other and said the same thing. " 'I will, sir,' he answered. But he didn't go.

31 "Which of the two did his father's will?" "The first," they said. Jesus said to them, "I assure you: Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you!

32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, ^[a] and you didn't believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him, but you, when you saw it, didn't even change your minds then and believe him.

The Parable of the Vineyard Owner

33 "Listen to another parable: There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower. ^[b] He leased it to tenant farmers and went away.

34 When the grape harvest ^[c] drew near, he sent his slaves to the farmers to collect his fruit.

35 But the farmers took his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.

36 Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first group, and they did the same to them.