Common English Bible CEB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 Jesus spoke to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and built a tower. Then he rented it to tenant farmers and took a trip.
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Then, using this illustration, Jesus spoke to them. He said, "A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, made a vat for the winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to vineyard workers and went on a trip.
2 When it was time, he sent a servant to collect from the tenants his share of the fruit of the vineyard.
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"At the right time he sent a servant to the workers to collect from them a share of the grapes from the vineyard.
3 But they grabbed the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
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The workers took the servant, beat him, and sent him back with nothing.
4 Again the landowner sent another servant to them, but they struck him on the head and treated him disgracefully.
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So the man sent another servant to them. They hit the servant on the head and treated him shamefully.
5 He sent another one; that one they killed. The landlord sent many other servants, but the tenants beat some and killed others.
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The man sent another, and they killed that servant. Then he sent many other servants. Some of these they beat, and others they killed.
6 Now the landowner had one son whom he loved dearly. He sent him last, thinking, They will respect my son.
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"He had one more person to send. That person was his son, whom he loved. Finally, he sent his son to them. He thought, 'They will respect my son.'
7 But those tenant farmers said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'
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"But those workers said to one another, 'This is the heir. Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'
8 They grabbed him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
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So they took him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 "So what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.
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"What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the workers and give the vineyard to others.
10 Haven't you read this scripture, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
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Have you never read the Scripture passage: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
11 The Lord has done this, and it's amazing in our eyes?"
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The Lord has done this, and it is amazing for us to see'?"
12 They wanted to arrest Jesus because they knew that he had told the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.
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They wanted to arrest him but were afraid of the crowd. They knew that he had directed this illustration at them. So they left him alone and went away.
13 They sent some of the Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap him in his words.
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The leaders sent some of the Pharisees and some of Herod's followers to Jesus. They wanted to trap him into saying the wrong thing.
14 They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know that you're genuine and you don't worry about what people think. You don't show favoritism but teach God's way as it really is. Does the Law allow people to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay taxes or not?"
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When they came to him, they said, "Teacher, we know that you tell the truth. You don't favor individuals because of who they are. Rather, you teach the way of God truthfully. Is it right to pay taxes to the emperor or not? Should we pay taxes or not?"
15 Since Jesus recognized their deceit, he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a coin. Show it to me."
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Jesus recognized their hypocrisy, so he asked them, "Why do you test me? Bring me a coin so that I can look at it."
16 And they brought one. He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?"
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They brought a coin. He said to them, "Whose face and name is this?" They told him, "The emperor's."
17 "Caesar's," they replied.Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." His reply left them overcome with wonder.
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Jesus said to them, "Give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God." They were surprised at his reply.
18 Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Jesus and asked,
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Some Sadducees, who say that people will never come back to life, came to Jesus. They asked him,
19 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, leaving a widow but no children, the brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.
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"Teacher, Moses wrote for us, 'If a man dies and leaves a wife but no child, his brother should marry his widow and have children for his brother.'
20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman; when he died, he left no children.
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There were seven brothers. The first got married and died without having children.
21 The second married her and died without leaving any children. The third did the same.
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The second married her and died without having children. So did the third.
22 None of the seven left any children. Finally, the woman died.
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None of the seven brothers had any children. Last of all, the woman died.
23 At the resurrection, when they all rise up, whose wife will she be? All seven were married to her."
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When the dead come back to life, whose wife will she be? The seven brothers had married her."
24 Jesus said to them, "Isn't this the reason you are wrong, because you don't know either the scriptures or God's power?
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Jesus said to them, "Aren't you mistaken because you don't know the Scriptures or God's power?
25 When people rise from the dead, they won't marry nor will they be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like God's angels.
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When the dead come back to life, they don't marry. Rather, they are like the angels in heaven.
26 As for the resurrection from the dead, haven't you read in the scroll from Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to Moses, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
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Haven't you read in the book of Moses that the dead come back to life? It's in the passage about the bush, where God said, 'I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.'
27 He isn't the God of the dead but of the living. You are seriously mistaken."
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He's not the God of the dead but of the living. You're badly mistaken!"
28 One of the legal experts heard their dispute and saw how well Jesus answered them. He came over and asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"
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One of the scribes went to Jesus during the argument with the Sadducees. He saw how well Jesus answered them, so he asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of them all?"
29 Jesus replied, "The most important one is Israel, listen! Our God is the one Lord,
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Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord.
30 and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
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So love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'
31 The second is this, You will love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these."
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The second most important commandment is this: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."
32 The legal expert said to him, "Well said, Teacher. You have truthfully said that God is one and there is no other besides him.
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The scribe said to Jesus, "Teacher, that was well said! You've told the truth that there is only one God and no other besides him!
33 And to love God with all of the heart, a full understanding, and all of one's strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself is much more important than all kinds of entirely burned offerings and sacrifices."
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To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as you love yourself is more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices."
34 When Jesus saw that he had answered with wisdom, he said to him, "You aren't far from God's kingdom." After that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
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When Jesus heard how wisely the man answered, he told the man, "You're not too far from the kingdom of God." After that, no one dared to ask him another question.
35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, "Why do the legal experts say that the Christ is David's son?
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While Jesus was teaching in the temple courtyard, he asked, "How can the scribes say that the Messiah is David's son?
36 David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said, The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right side until I turn your enemies into your footstool.'
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David, guided by the Holy Spirit, said, 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Take the highest position in heaven until I put your enemies under your control."'
37 David himself calls him ‘Lord,' so how can he be David's son?" The large crowd listened to him with delight.
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David calls him Lord. So how can he be his son?" The large crowd enjoyed listening to him.
38 As he was teaching, he said, "Watch out for the legal experts. They like to walk around in long robes. They want to be greeted with honor in the markets.
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As he taught, he said, "Watch out for the scribes! They like to walk around in long robes, to be greeted in the marketplaces,
39 They long for places of honor in the synagogues and at banquets.
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and to have the front seats in synagogues and the places of honor at dinners.
40 They are the ones who cheat widows out of their homes, and to show off they say long prayers. They will be judged most harshly."
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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."
41 Jesus sat across from the collection box for the temple treasury and observed how the crowd gave their money. Many rich people were throwing in lots of money.
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As Jesus sat facing the temple offering box, he watched how [much] money people put into it. Many rich people put in large amounts.
42 One poor widow came forward and put in two small copper coins worth a penny.
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A poor widow dropped in two small coins, worth less than a cent.
43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I assure you that this poor widow has put in more than everyone who's been putting money in the treasury.
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He called his disciples and said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: This poor widow has given more than all the others.
44 All of them are giving out of their spare change. But she from her hopeless poverty has given everything she had, even what she needed to live on."
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All of them have given what they could spare. But she, in her poverty, has given everything she had to live on."
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
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.