The Darby Translation DBY
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 And it came to pass on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and announcing the glad tidings, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up,
1 One day Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courtyard and telling them the Good News. The chief priests, scribes, and leaders came up to him.
2 and spoke to him saying, Tell us by what authority thou doest these things, or who is it who has given thee this authority?
2 They asked him, "Tell us, what gives you the right to do these things? Who told you that you could do this?"
3 And he answering said to them, *I* also will ask you [one] thing, and tell me:
3 Jesus answered them, "I, too, have a question for you. Tell me,
4 The baptism of John, was it of heaven or of men?
4 did John's right to baptize come from heaven or from humans?"
5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we should say, Of heaven, he will say, Why have ye not believed him?
5 They talked about this among themselves. They said, "If we say, 'from heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?'
6 but if we should say, Of men, the whole people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.
6 But if we say, 'from humans,' everyone will stone us to death. They're convinced that John was a prophet."
7 And they answered, they did not know whence.
7 So they answered that they didn't know who gave John the right to baptize.
8 And Jesus said to them, Neither do *I* tell you by what authority I do these things.
8 Jesus told them, "Then I won't tell you why I have the right to do these things."
9 And he began to speak to the people this parable: A man planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen, and left the country for a long time.
9 Then, using this illustration, Jesus spoke to the people: "A man planted a vineyard, leased it to vineyard workers, and went on a long trip.
10 And in the season he sent to the husbandmen a bondman, that they might give to him of the fruit of the vineyard; but the husbandmen, having beaten him, sent [him] away empty.
10 "At the right time he sent a servant to the workers to obtain from them a share of the grapes from the vineyard. But the workers beat the servant and sent him back with nothing.
11 And again he sent another bondman; but they, having beaten him also, and cast insult upon him, sent [him] away empty.
11 So he sent a different servant. The workers beat him, treated him shamefully, and sent him back with nothing.
12 And again he sent a third; and they, having wounded him also, cast [him] out.
12 Then he sent a third servant. But they injured this one and threw him out [of the vineyard].
13 And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: perhaps when they see him they will respect [him].
13 "Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What should I do? I'll send my son, whom I love. They'll probably respect him.'
14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; [come,] let us kill him, that the inheritance may become ours.
14 "When the workers saw him, they talked it over among themselves. They said, 'This is the heir. Let's kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.'
15 And having cast him forth out of the vineyard, they killed [him]. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do to them?
15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. "What will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16 He will come and destroy those husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it they said, May it never be!
16 He will destroy these workers and give the vineyard to others." Those who heard him said, "That's unthinkable!"
17 But he looking at them said, What then is this that is written, The stone which they that builded rejected, this has become the corner-stone?
17 Then Jesus looked straight at them and asked, "What, then, does this Scripture verse mean: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'?
18 Every one falling on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder.
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken. If that stone falls on anyone, it will crush that person."
19 And the chief priests and the scribes sought the same hour to lay hands on him, and they feared the people; for they knew that he had spoken this parable of them.
19 The scribes and the chief priests wanted to arrest him right there, but they were afraid of the people. They knew that he had directed this illustration at them.
20 And having watched [him], they sent out suborned persons, pretending to be just men, that they might take hold of him in [his] language, so that they might deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.
20 So they watched for an opportunity to send out some spies. The spies were to act like sincere religious people. They wanted to catch him saying the wrong thing so that they could hand him over to the governor.
21 And they asked him saying, Teacher, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest no [man's] person, but teachest with truth the way of God:
21 They asked him, "Teacher, we know that you're right in what you say and teach. Besides, you don't play favorites. Rather, you teach the way of God truthfully.
22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to the emperor or not?"
23 But perceiving their deceit he said to them, Why do ye tempt me?
23 He saw through their scheme, so he said to them,
24 Shew me a denarius. Whose image and superscription has it? And answering they said, Caesar's.
24 "Show me a coin. Whose face and name is this?" They answered, "The emperor's."
25 And he said to them, Pay therefore what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God.
25 He said to them, "Well, then give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God."
26 And they were not able to take hold of him in [his] expressions before the people, and, wondering at his answer, they were silent.
26 They couldn't make him say anything wrong in front of the people. His answer surprised them, so they said no more.
27 And some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is any resurrection, coming up [to him],
27 Some Sadducees, who say that people will never come back to life, came to Jesus. They asked him,
28 demanded of him saying, Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If any one's brother, who has a wife, die, and he die childless, his brother shall take the wife and raise up seed to his brother.
28 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us, 'If a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry his widow and have children for his brother.'
29 There were then seven brethren: and the first, having taken a wife, died childless;
29 There were seven brothers. The first got married and died without having children.
30 and the second [took the woman, and *he* died childless];
30 Then the second brother married the widow,
31 and the third took her: and in like manner also the seven left no children and died;
31 and so did the third. In the same way all seven brothers married the widow, died, and left no children.
32 and last of all the woman also died.
32 Finally, the woman died.
33 In the resurrection therefore of which of them does she become wife, for the seven had her as wife?
33 Now, when the dead come back to life, whose wife will she be? The seven brothers had married her."
34 And Jesus said to them, The sons of this world marry and are given in marriage,
34 Jesus said to them, "In this world people get married.
35 but they who are counted worthy to have part in that world, and the resurrection from among [the] dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;
35 But people who are considered worthy to come back to life and live in the next world will neither marry
36 for neither can they die any more, for they are equal to angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
36 nor die anymore. They are the same as the angels. They are God's children who have come back to life.
37 But that the dead rise, even Moses shewed in [the section of] the bush, when he called [the] Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob;
37 "Even Moses showed in the passage about the bush that the dead come back to life. He says that the Lord is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
38 but he is not God of [the] dead but of [the] living; for all live for him.
38 He's not the God of the dead but of the living. In God's sight all people are living."
39 And some of the scribes answering said, Teacher, thou hast well spoken.
39 Some scribes responded, "Teacher, that was well said."
40 For they did not dare any more to ask him anything.
40 From that time on, no one dared to ask him another question.
41 And he said to them, How do they say that the Christ is David's son,
41 Jesus said to them, "How can people say that the Messiah is David's son?
42 and David himself says in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand
42 David says in the book of Psalms, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Take the highest position in heaven
43 until I put thine enemies [as] footstool of thy feet?
43 until I make your enemies your footstool."'
44 David therefore calls him Lord, and how is he his son?
44 David calls him Lord. So how can he be his son?"
45 And, as all the people were listening, he said to his disciples,
45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to the disciples,
46 Beware of the scribes, who like to walk about in long robes, and who love salutations in the market-places, and first seats in the synagogues, and first places at suppers;
46 "Beware of the scribes! They like to walk around in long robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces, to have the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at dinners.
47 who devour the houses of widows, and as a pretext make long prayers. These shall receive a severer judgment.
47 They rob widows by taking their houses and then say long prayers to make themselves look good. The scribes will receive the most severe punishment."
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.