< Luke 20 >

1 On one of these days, when Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple Courts and telling the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the Law, joined by the elders, confronted him,
And it came to pass on one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the good news, the chief priests and the scholars with the elders stood near.
2 and addressing him, said, ‘Tell us what authority you have to do these things. Who is it who has given you this authority?’
And they spoke, saying to him, Tell us, by what authority are thou doing these things? Or who is he who gave thee this authority?
3 ‘I, too,’ said Jesus in reply, ‘will ask you one question. Give me an answer to it.
And having answered, he said to them, I also will ask you one word, and ye tell me.
4 It is about John’s baptism – was it of divine or of human origin?’
The immersion of John, was it from heaven or from men?
5 But they began arguing together, ‘If we say “divine,” he will say “Why didn’t you believe him?”
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we should say, From heaven, he will say, Why did ye not believe him?
6 But, if we say “human,” the people will all stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.’
But if we say, From men, all the people will stone us, for they are convinced John is a prophet.
7 So they answered that they did not know its origin.
And they replied not to know from where.
8 ‘Then I,’ said Jesus, ‘refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things.’
And Jesus said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
9 But Jesus began to tell the people this parable – ‘A man once planted a vineyard, and then let it out to tenants, and went abroad for a long while.
And he began to speak this parable to the people. A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to farmers, and went abroad for a considerable time.
10 At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they could give him a share of the produce of the vineyard. The tenants, however, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
And at the season he sent a bondman to the farmers, so that they would give him from the fruit of the vineyard. But having beaten him, the farmers sent him away empty.
11 The owner afterwards sent another servant; but the tenants beat and insulted this man too, and sent him away empty-handed.
And he proceeded to send another bondman. And they, having beaten and shamefully treated, sent him also away empty.
12 He sent a third; but they wounded this man also, and threw him outside.
And he proceeded to send a third. And they also having wounded this man, cast him out.
13 “What should I do?” said the owner of the vineyard. “I will send my son, who is very dear to me. Perhaps they will respect him.”
And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will be made ashamed after seeing this man.
14 But, on seeing him, the tenants consulted with one another. “Here is the heir!” they said. “Let us kill him, and then the inheritance will become ours.”
But when the farmers saw him, they deliberated among themselves, saying, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, so that the inheritance may become ours.
15 So they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
And having cast him outside of the vineyard, they killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?
16 He will come and put those tenants to death, and will let the vineyard to others.’ ‘Heaven forbid!’ they exclaimed when they heard it.
He will come and destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others. And having heard it, they said, May it not happen!
17 But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘What then is the meaning of this passage? – “The stone which the builders despised has now itself become the cornerstone.”
But having looked upon them, he said, What then is this that is written, The stone that those who build rejected, this became the head of the corner?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be dashed to pieces, while anyone on whom it falls – it will scatter him as dust.’
Every man who falls on that stone will be broken, but on whomever it may fall, it will grind him to dust.
19 After this the teachers of the Law and the chief priest were eager to lay hands on Jesus then and there, but they were afraid of the people; for they saw that it was at them that he had aimed this parable.
And the chief priests and the scholars sought to throw hands on him in the same hour. And they were afraid, for they knew that he spoke this parable against them.
20 Having watched their opportunity, they afterwards sent some spies, who pretended to be good men, to catch Jesus in the course of conversation, and so enable them to give him up to the Governor’s jurisdiction and authority.
And having watched him, they sent forth insidious men pretending themselves to be righteous, so that they might take hold of his word, in order to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor.
21 These spies asked Jesus a question. They said, ‘Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and that you do not take any account of a person’s position, but teach the way of God honestly;
And they questioned him, saying, Teacher, we know that thou speak and teach rightly, and thou do not accept a personage, but teach the way of God in truth,
22 are we right in paying tribute to the Emperor or not?’
Is it permitted for us to give tribute to Caesar or not?
23 Seeing through their deceitfulness, Jesus said to them,
But having perceived their craftiness, he said to them, Why do ye try me?
24 ‘Show me a coin. Whose head and title are on it?’
Display to me a denarius. Whose image and inscription has it? And having answered, they said, Caesar's.
25 ‘The Emperor’s,’ they said; and Jesus replied, ‘Well then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God.’
And he said to them, Then render the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God.
26 They could not object to this answer before the people; and, in their wonder at his reply, they held their tongues.
And they were unable to lay hold of his word before the people. And having marveled at his answer, they were silent.
27 Presently there came up some Sadducees, who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this –
And some of the Sadducees having approached, those who say there is no resurrection, they questioned him,
28 ‘Teacher, Moses laid down for us in his writings that – “Should a man’s married brother die, and should he be childless, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.”
saying, Teacher, Moses wrote to us, if any brother dies, having a wife, and this man dies childless, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.
29 Well, there were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest, after taking a wife, died childless.
There were therefore seven brothers. And the first having taken a wife, died childless.
30 The second and third brothers both took her as their wife;
And the second took the woman, and this man died childless.
31 and so, too, did all seven – dying without children.
And the third likewise took her, and likewise also the seven; they left behind no children, and died.
32 The woman herself was the last to die.
And last of all the woman also died.
33 About the woman, then – at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?’
In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them does she become? For the seven had her as wife.
34 ‘The men and women of this world,’ said Jesus, ‘marry and are given in marriage; (aiōn g165)
And having answered, Jesus said to them, The sons of this age marry, and are given in marriage, (aiōn g165)
35 but, for those who are thought worthy to attain to that other world and the resurrection from the dead, there is no marrying or being married, (aiōn g165)
but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. (aiōn g165)
36 nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are God’s children.
For neither can they die any more, for they are like the agents, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
37 As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord – “The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the Bush when he calls the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
38 Now he is not God of dead people, but of living. For in his sight all are alive.’
Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.
39 ‘Well said, teacher!’ exclaimed some of the teachers of the Law,
And some of the scholars having answered, they said, Teacher, thou said well.
40 for they did not venture to question him any further.
For they no longer dared to question him anything.
41 But Jesus said to them, ‘How is it that people say that the Christ is to be David’s son?
And he said to them, How do they say the Christ is David's son?
42 For David, in the book of Psalms, says himself – “The Lord said to my lord: Sit at my right hand,
Even David himself says in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand,
43 until I put your enemies as a stool for your feet.”
until I will place thine enemies a footstool of thy feet.
44 David, then, calls him “lord,” so how is he David’s son?’
David therefore calls him Lord, and how is he his son?
45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to the disciples,
And while all the people were listening, he said to his disciples,
46 ‘Be on your guard against the teachers of the Law, who delight to walk about in long robes, and like to be greeted in the streets with respect, and to have the best seats in the synagogues, and places of honour at dinner.
Beware of the scholars, who desire to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at the feasts,
47 These are the men who rob widows of their houses, and make a pretence of saying long prayers. Their sentence will be all the heavier.’
who devour widows' houses, and in pretence make long prayers. These will receive greater damnation.

< Luke 20 >