1
Then he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watchtower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country.
2
When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard.
3
But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
4
And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted.
5
Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed.
6
He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, "They will respect my son.'
7
But those tenants said to one another, "This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'
8
So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9
What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.