Matthew 21:45

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.

Matthew 21:45 in Other Translations

45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.

45 When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers.

45 When the religious leaders heard this story, they knew it was aimed at them.

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they knew He was speaking about them.

Matthew 21:45 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 21:45

And when the chief priests and Pharisees
Which latter, though not before mentioned, were many of them of the grand sanhedrim, as well as the chief priests, scribes, and elders: "had heard his parables"; that of the two sons being sent into the vineyard, and that of the letting out the vineyard to husbandmen,

they perceived that he spake of them:
they plainly saw that they were designed by the son, that promised to go into the vineyard, but did not; only talked of works, but did not do them: and that they were the husbandmen that acted the ungrateful part to the householder, and the cruel one to his servants, and would to his son, their own consciences told them they were the men. They knew that the whole was levelled against them, and designed for them, and exactly hit their case.

Matthew 21:45 In-Context

43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.

46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.