Luke 20:2-12

2 and said to him, "Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?"
3 He answered them, "I will also ask you a question, and you tell me:
4 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?"
5 They discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, "From heaven,' he will say, "Why did you not believe him?'
6 But if we say, "Of human origin,' all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet."
7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from.
8 Then Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."
9 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.
10 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.
11 Next he sent another slave; that one also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed.
12 And he sent still a third; this one also they wounded and threw out.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.