Luke 20
1 One day [during that week, Jesus] was teaching the people in the Temple [courtyard] and telling them [God’s] good message. As he was doing that, the chief priests, the men who taught the [Jewish] laws, and [other Jewish] elders came to him.
And it came to pass, on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and telling the good tidings, that the High-priests and the Scribes, with the Elders, came upon him, —
2 They asked him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who authorized you to do things [like you did here yesterday]?”
and spake, saying, unto him—Tell us, by what authority, these things, thou art doing, and, who, is it, that gave thee this authority.
3 He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me,
And answering, he said unto them—I too, will question, you, as to a matter, —and tell me!
4 where did John [the Baptizer] get [his authority to] baptize [those who came to him]? [Did he get it] from God [MTY/EUP] or from people?”
The immersion of John, Of heaven, was it, or of men?
5 They discussed this among themselves. They said, “[If we(inc) say], ‘[It was] from God [MTY/EUP],’ he will say to us, ‘[Then] (you should have believed John’s [message]!/why did you not believe what John preached?) [RHQ]’
And they deliberated together by themselves, saying—If we say, Of heaven, he will say, Wherefore did ye not believe him?
6 But if we say, ‘It was [from] people,’ the people [here] will [kill us by] throwing stones at us, because they [all] believe that John was a prophet [from God].”
But, if we say, Of men, the people, one and all, will stone us, for, persuaded, they are, that, John, was, a prophet.
7 So they replied, “We [(exc)] do not know where [John got his authority].”
And they answered, that they knew not whence.
8 Then Jesus said to them, “[Because you did not answer my question], I will not tell you who authorized me to do those things [here yesterday].”
And, Jesus, said unto them—Neither do, I, tell, you, by what authority, these things, I am doing.
9 Then Jesus told the people this parable [to illustrate what God would do to the Jews who rejected the former prophets and himself]: “A [certain] man planted a vineyard. He rented the vineyard to some men [to care for it and to give him some of the grapes in return]. Then he went to another country and stayed there several years.
And he began, unto the people, to be speaking this parable: —A man, planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went from home for a long time.
10 When [the vines started producing] grapes, he sent a servant to the men who were taking care of the vineyard. He expected that they would give him some of the grapes that the vineyard had produced. But [after the servant arrived], they beat him and they did not give him any grapes. They [just] sent him away.
And, in due season, he sent unto the husbandmen, a servant, that, of the fruit of the vineyard, they might give him; but, the husbandmen, having beaten him, sent him away empty.
11 [Later], [the owner] sent another servant. But they beat him and mistreated him [also]. They sent him away without giving him any grapes.
And he, further, sent another servant; but, they, beating, that one also, and dishonouring him, sent him away, empty.
12 [Still later, the owner] sent another servant. That one they wounded and threw him out [of the vineyard].
And he, further, sent, a third; but, they, bruising, this one also, thrust him out.
13 So the owner of the vineyard thought to himself, ‘(I do not know what to do!/What shall I do?) [RHQ]’ [Then he had an idea. He thought to himself], ‘I will send my son, [whom I] love [very much]. Perhaps they will respect him [and give him my share of the grapes].’
And the lord of the vineyard said—What shall I do? I will send my son, the beloved, —It may be, that, him, they will respect.
14 [So he sent his son], but when the men who were caring for the vineyard saw him [coming], they said to each other, ‘Here [comes] the man who will [some day] inherit [the vineyard]. Let’s kill him so that this vineyard will be ours!’
But he husbandmen, seeing him, began to deliberate one with another, saying—This, is, the heir: Let us slay him, that, ours, may be, the inheritance.
15 So they dragged him outside the vineyard and they killed him. So (I will tell you what the owner of the vineyard will do to them!/do you know what the owner of the vineyard will do to them?) [RHQ]
And, thrusting him forth outside the vineyard, they slew him. What, then, will the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
16 He will come and kill those men who were taking care of the vineyard. Then he will arrange for other people to take care of it.” When the people listening to Jesus heard that, they said, “[We would] not do anything like those wicked men did!”
He will come, and destroy these husbandmen, and give the vineyard unto others. But, when they heard it, they said—Far be it!
17 But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “You can say that, [but think about] the meaning of these words that are written {which [a prophet] wrote} [RHQ] [in the Scriptures], The men who were building a house rejected a certain stone. But others put that same stone in its proper place, and it has become the most important stone in the building [MET].
But, he, looking at them, said—What, then, is this that is written, —A stone which the builders’ rejected, The same, hath become, head of the corner?
18 [That stone represents me, the Messiah], and those who reject me are [like people who fall on this stone]. Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces {This stone will break to pieces everyone who falls on it}, and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”
Every one who falleth on that stone, will be sorely bruised, but, on whomsoever it shall fall, it will utterly destroy him.
19 The chief priests and the men who taught the [Jewish] laws realized that he was accusing them when he told the parable [about what those wicked men did]. So they immediately tried to find a way to seize [MTY] him, but [they did not seize him, because] they were afraid of [what] the people [there would do if they did that].
And the Scribes and the High-priests sought to thrust on him their hands, in that very hour; and feared the people; for they perceived that, against them, spake he this parable.
20 So they watched him carefully. They also hired (spies/secret agents) who pretended to be sincere. [But] they really wanted to get him to say something for [which they could accuse] him. They wanted to be able to turn him over to the authority of the governor [of the province. But they also knew that the Jews were disgusted with having to pay taxes to the government].
And, watching narrowly, they sent forth suborned men, feigning themselves to be, righteous, that they might lay hold of a word of his, so as to deliver him up unto the rule and the authority of the governor.
21 [So] one of them asked Jesus, “Teacher, we [(exc)] know that you [(sg)] speak and teach what is right. You tell the truth even if important people do not like it. You teach truthfully what God wants us to do.
And they questioned him, saying—Teacher! we know that, rightly, thou speakest and teachest, and respectest no person, but, in truth, the way of God, dost teach:
22 [So tell us what you think about this matter]: Is it right that we pay taxes to the Roman government [MTY], or not?”
Is it allowable for us to give, unto Caesar, tribute, or not?
23 But Jesus knew that they were trying to trick him [to get him into trouble, either with the Jews, who hated to pay those taxes, or with the Roman government]. So he said to them,
But, observing their villainy, he said unto them—
24 “Show me a [Roman] coin. [Then tell me] whose picture is on it. And [tell me whose] name is on it.” They [showed him a coin and] said, “It has the picture and name of Caesar, [the head of the Roman government].”
Shew me a denary. Of whom, hath it an image and inscription? And, they, said—Of Caesar.
25 He said to them, “In that case, give to the government [MTY] what they [require], and give to God what he [requires].”
And, he, said unto them—Well then! render the things of Caesar, unto Caesar, and the things of God, unto God.
26 While the people were there, the [spies] were unable to find fault with him for what he said. And they were amazed at his answer. So they said nothing.
And they could not lay hold of the saying, before the people; and, marvelling at his answer, they held their peace.
27 Some Sadducees came to [Jesus]. They are a Jewish sect who do not believe that people will become alive again after they die.
But there came near certain of the Sadducees, they who say, Resurrection, there is none! and questioned him,
28 They [wanted to] ask [Jesus] a question [in order to discredit the idea that dead people will live again]. One of them said [to Jesus], “Teacher, Moses wrote for us [Jews] about situations where a man who has a wife but no children. If the man dies, his brother should marry the [dead man’s] widow so that she can have a child by him. People [will consider] that the child is the descendant of the man [who died], [and in that way the dead man will have descendants].
saying—Teacher! Moses, wrote for us, If one’s brother die, having a wife, and, he, be, childless, that his brother shall take the wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
29 Well, there were seven brothers in one family. The oldest one married, but he and his wife did not bear any children. Later he died.
Seven brethren, therefore, there were, —and, the first, taking a wife, died childless,
30 The second [brother followed this law and married the widow, but the same thing happened to him].
And, the second,
31 Then the third [brother] married her, [but the same thing happened again]. All seven [brothers, one by one, married that woman], [but] they had no children, and [one by one] they died.
and the third, took her, —yea, likewise, even the seven; They left no children, and died:
32 Afterwards, the woman died, too.
Later on, the woman also, died.
33 Therefore, [if it is true that there will be a time] when dead people will become alive again, whose wife [do you think that woman] will be [then]? ([Keep in mind that she was married to all seven brothers!/It will be impossible to decide because] she was married to all seven brothers!) [RHQ]”
The woman, therefore, in the resurrection, Of which of them, doth she become wife? for, the seven, had her to wife.
34 Jesus replied to them, “Men who live here in this world take wives, or are given wives [by their parents] {their [parents] choose wives [for them]}. (aiōn g165)
And Jesus said unto them—The sons of this age, marry, and are given in marriage, — (aiōn g165)
35 But the men whom God considers worthy of [being in heaven after] they become alive again will not be married. (aiōn g165)
But, they who have been accounted worthy, that age, to obtain, and the resurrection that is from among the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage; (aiōn g165)
36 [You need to know also that] they cannot die any more, because they will be [immortal] [SIM] like angels. [The fact that God has caused] them to be alive again [will show] that they are God’s children.
For they cannot, even die any more, —for, equal unto messengers, are they, and are, sons of God, Of the resurrection, being, sons.
37 But [as for people] becoming alive again after they die, Moses wrote something about that. In the place where [he wrote about] the [burning] bush, he mentions the Lord as being the God whom Abraham [worships] and the God whom Isaac [worships] and the God whom Jacob [worships].
But, that the dead do rise, even Moses, disclosed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord—The God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob:
38 It is not dead people who worship God. It is living people who worship him. [Abraham, Isaac and Jacob died long before Moses lived, but God said that they were still worshipping him, so we(inc) know their spirits were still alive]! All [people] whose [spirits] are alive [again after they die continue to live to honor God]!”
Now, God, he is not, of the dead, but, of the living, —for, all, unto him, do live.
39 Some of the men who taught the [Jewish] laws replied, “Teacher, you [(sg)] have answered very well!”
And certain of the Scribes, answering, said—Teacher! Well, hast thou spoken.
40 After that, they no longer dared to ask him any more questions [like that to try to trap him].
For, no longer, were they daring to ask him any questions.
41 Then Jesus said to them, “I will show you (OR, prove to you) that people [are wrong who] say that the Messiah is [merely] a descendant of [King] David! [RHQ]
And he said unto them—How say they, that, the Christ, is, David’s Son?
42 Because David himself wrote [about the Messiah] in the book of Psalms, God said to my Lord, Sit [here beside me] on my right, [where I will highly honor you(sg)] [MTY].
For, David himself, saith, in [the] book of Psalms: Said the Lord, unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand,
43 [Sit here] while I completely defeat your enemies.
Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
44 King David calls [the Messiah] ‘[my] Lord’! So ([the Messiah] cannot be [just someone] descended from [King] David!/how can the Messiah be [just] someone descended from [King] David?) [RHQ] [What I just said proves that he is much greater than David, isn’t that right]?”
David, therefore, calleth, him Lord: How, then, his son, is he?
45 While all the [other] people were listening, [Jesus] said to his disciples,
And, all the people hearing, he said unto the disciples:
46 “Beware that [you do not act like] the men who teach our [Jewish] laws. They like to put on long robes and walk around [to make people think that they are very important]. [They] also like [people to] greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces. They like [to sit in] the most important places in the Jewish meeting places. At dinner parties [they like to sit in] the seats where the most honored people sit.
Be taking heed of the Scribes—Who desire to walk about in long robes, and are fond of salutations in the markets, and first seats in the synagogues, and first couches in the chief meals, —
47 They swindle [MET] the houses [and property] of widows. [Then] they pretend they are good, as they pray [long] prayers [publicly. God] will [certainly] punish them very severely.”
Who devour the houses of widows, and, for a show, are a long time at prayer. These, shall receive, a heavier sentence.
