The Authority of Jesus Challenged
1 1One day,
2as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel,
3the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up
2
and said to him, "Tell us
4by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority."
3
He answered them,
"I also will ask you a question. Now tell me,
4
was the baptism of John 5from heaven or from man?"
5
And they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say,
6'Why did you not believe him?'
6
But if we say, 'From man,' all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was
7a prophet."
7
So they answered that they did not know where it came from.
8
And Jesus said to them,
"Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
9 8And he began to tell the people this parable:
"A man planted 9a vineyard and 10let it out to tenants and 11went into another country for a long while.
10
When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that 12they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. 13But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
11
14And 15he sent another servant. But they also beat and 16treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.
12
17And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out.
13
Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my 18beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.'
14
But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, 19'This is the heir. 20Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.'
15
And they 21threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16
22He will 23come and destroy those tenants and 24give the vineyard to others." When they heard this, they said, "Surely not!"
17
But he
25looked directly at them and said,
"What then is this that is written: 26"'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'?
18
27Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls 28on anyone, it will crush him."
Paying Taxes to Caesar
19 29The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.
20
30So they
31watched him and sent spies, who
32pretended to be sincere, that they might
33catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of
34the governor.
21
So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and
35show no partiality, but truly teach
36the way of God.
22
Is it lawful for us to give
37tribute to
38Caesar, or not?"
23
But he perceived their
39craftiness, and said to them,
24
"Show me 40a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?" They said, "Caesar's."
25
He said to them,
"Then 41render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
26
And they were not able in the presence of the people
42to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.