24
Jesus answered them, "I, too, have a question for you. If you answer it for me, I'll tell you why I have the right to do these things.
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Did John's right to baptize come from heaven or from humans?" They discussed this among themselves. They said, "If we say, 'from heaven,' he will ask us, 'Then why didn't you believe him?'
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But if we say, 'from humans,' we're afraid of what the crowd might do. All those people think of John as a prophet."
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So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Jesus told them, "Then I won't tell you why I have the right to do these things.
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"What do you think about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go to work in the vineyard today.'
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"His son replied, 'I don't want to!' But later he changed his mind and went.
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"The father went to the other son and told him the same thing. He replied, 'I will, sir,' but he didn't go.
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"Which of the two sons did what the father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: Tax collectors and prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.
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John came to you and showed you the way that God wants you to live, but you didn't believe him. The tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. But even after you had seen that, you didn't change your minds and believe him.
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"Listen to another illustration. A landowner planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, made a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to vineyard workers and went on a trip.
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"When the grapes were getting ripe, he sent his servants to the workers to collect his share of the produce.