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One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and telling the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders
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and said to him, "Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?"
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He answered them, "I will also ask you a question, and you tell me:
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Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?"
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They discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, "From heaven,' he will say, "Why did you not believe him?'
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But if we say, "Of human origin,' all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet."
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So they answered that they did not know where it came from.
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Then Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."
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He began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to tenants, and went to another country for a long time.
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When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants in order that they might give him his share of the produce of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
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Next he sent another slave; that one also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed.