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And it came to pass, on one of those days, as he is teaching the people in the temple, and proclaiming good news, the chief priests and the scribes, with the elders, came upon [him],
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and spake unto him, saying, `Tell us by what authority thou dost these things? or who is he that gave to thee this authority?'
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And he answering said unto them, `I will question you -- I also -- one thing, and tell me:
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the baptism of John, from heaven was it, or from men?'
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And they reasoned with themselves, saying -- `If we may say, From heaven, he will say, Wherefore, then, did ye not believe him?
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and if we may say, From men, all the people will stone us, for they are having been persuaded John to be a prophet.'
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And they answered, that they knew not whence [it was],
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and Jesus said to them, `Neither do I say to you by what authority I do these things.'
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And he began to speak unto the people this simile: `A certain man planted a vineyard, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad for a long time,
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and at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant, that from the fruit of the vineyard they may give to him, but the husbandmen having beat him, did send [him] away empty.
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`And he added to send another servant, and they that one also having beaten and dishonoured, did send away empty;