5
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven, he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?
6
But and if we say, Of men, all the people will stone us; for they are certain that John was a prophet.
7
And they answered that they knew not from where.
8
Then Jesus said unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
9
And he began to speak this parable to the people: A certain man planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen and went into a far country for a long time.
10
And at the season he sent a slave to the husbandmen that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard, but the husbandmen beat him and sent
him away empty.
11
And again he sent another slave, and they beat him also and treated
him shamefully and sent
him away empty.
12
And again he sent a third, and they wounded him also and cast
him out.
13
Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will reverence
him when they see 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 be ours.
15
So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed
him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?