Luke 20
1 And it came to passe, that on one of those dayes, as he taught the people in the Temple, and preached the Gospel, the hie Priests and the Scribes came vpon him with the Elders,
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.
2 And spake vnto him, saying, Tell vs by what authoritie thou doest these things, or who is hee that hath giuen thee this authoritie?
They asked him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who authorized you to do things [like you did here yesterday]?”
3 And he answered, and sayde vnto them, I also will aske you one thing: tell me therefore:
He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me,
4 The baptisme of Iohn, was it from heauen, or of men?
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?”
5 And they reasoned within themselues, saying, If we shall say, From heauen, he will say, Why then beleeued ye him not?
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]’
6 But if we shall say, Of men, all the people will stone vs: for they be perswaded that Iohn was a Prophet.
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].”
7 Therefore they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.
So they replied, “We [(exc)] do not know where [John got his authority].”
8 Then Iesus sayd vnto them, Neither tell I you, by what authoritie I doe these things.
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].”
9 Then began he to speake to ye people this parable, A certaine man planted a vineyarde, and let it forth to husbandmen: and went into a strange countrey, for a great time.
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.
10 And at the time conuenient he sent a seruant to the husbandmen, that they should giue him of the fruite of the vineyard: but the husbandmen did beate him, and sent him away emptie.
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.
11 Againe he sent yet another seruant: and they did beate him, and foule entreated him, and sent him away emptie.
[Later], [the owner] sent another servant. But they beat him and mistreated him [also]. They sent him away without giving him any grapes.
12 Moreouer he sent the third, and him they wounded, and cast out.
[Still later, the owner] sent another servant. That one they wounded and threw him out [of the vineyard].
13 Then sayd the Lord of the vineyard, What shall I doe? I will send my beloued sonne: it may be that they will doe reuerence, when they see him.
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].’
14 But when the husbandmen sawe him, they reasoned with themselues, saying, This is the heire: come, let vs kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
[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!’
15 So they cast him out of the vineyarde, and killed him. What shall the Lord of the vineyarde therefore doe vnto them?
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]
16 He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and wil giue out his vineyard to others. But when they heard it, they sayd, God forbid.
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!”
17 And he beheld them, and said, What meaneth this then that is written, The stone that the builders refused, that is made the head of the corner?
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].
18 Whosoeuer shall fall vpon that stone, shall be broken: and on whomsoeuer it shall fall, it will grinde him to pouder.
[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.”
19 Then the hie Priests, and the Scribes the same houre went about to lay hands on him: (but they feared the people) for they perceiued that he had spoken this parable against them.
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].
20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should faine themselues iust men, to take him in his talke, and to deliuer him vnto the power and authoritie of the gouernour.
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].
21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest, and teachest right, neither doest thou accept mans person, but teachest the way of God truely.
[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.
22 Is it lawfull for vs to giue Cesar tribute or no?
[So tell us what you think about this matter]: Is it right that we pay taxes to the Roman government [MTY], or not?”
23 But he perceiued their craftines, and sayd vnto them, Why tempt ye me?
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,
24 Shew me a penie. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered, and sayd, Cesars.
“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].”
25 Then he sayd vnto them, Giue then vnto Cesar the things which are Cesars, and to God those which are Gods.
He said to them, “In that case, give to the government [MTY] what they [require], and give to God what he [requires].”
26 And they could not reproue his saying before the people: but they marueiled at his answere, and helde their peace.
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.
27 Then came to him certaine of the Sadduces (which denie that there is any resurrection) and they asked him,
Some Sadducees came to [Jesus]. They are a Jewish sect who do not believe that people will become alive again after they die.
28 Saying, Master, Moses wrote vnto vs, If any mans brother die hauing a wife, and hee die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise vp seede vnto his brother.
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].
29 Now there were seuen brethren, and the first tooke a wife, and he dyed without children.
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.
30 And the second tooke the wife, and he dyed childelesse.
The second [brother followed this law and married the widow, but the same thing happened to him].
31 Then the third tooke her: and so likewise the seuen dyed, and left no children.
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.
32 And last of all the woman dyed also.
Afterwards, the woman died, too.
33 Therefore at the resurrection, whose wife of them shall she be? for seuen had her to wife.
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]”
34 Then Iesus answered, and sayd vnto them, The children of this world marry wiues, and are married. (aiōn g165)
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)
35 But they which shalbe counted worthy to enioy that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry wiues, neither are married. (aiōn g165)
But the men whom God considers worthy of [being in heaven after] they become alive again will not be married. (aiōn g165)
36 For they can die no more, forasmuch as they are equall vnto the Angels, and are the sonnes of God, since they are the children of the resurrection.
[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.
37 And that the dead shall rise againe, euen Moses shewed it besides the bush, when he said, The Lord is the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob.
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].
38 For he is not the God of the dead, but of them which liue: for all liue vnto him.
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]!”
39 Then certaine of the Scribes answered, and sayd, Master, thou hast well sayd.
Some of the men who taught the [Jewish] laws replied, “Teacher, you [(sg)] have answered very well!”
40 And after that, durst they not aske him any thing at all.
After that, they no longer dared to ask him any more questions [like that to try to trap him].
41 Then sayd he vnto them, Howe say they that Christ is Dauids sonne?
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]
42 And Dauid himselfe sayth in the booke of the Psalmes, The Lord sayd vnto my Lord, Sit at my right hand,
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].
43 Till I shall make thine enemies thy footestoole.
[Sit here] while I completely defeat your enemies.
44 Seeing Dauid called him Lord, howe is he then his sonne?
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]?”
45 Then in the audience of all the people he sayd vnto his disciples,
While all the [other] people were listening, [Jesus] said to his disciples,
46 Beware of the Scribes, which willingly go in long robes, and loue salutations in the markets, and the highest seates in the assemblies, and the chiefe roomes at feastes:
“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.
47 Which deuoure widowes houses, and in shewe make long prayers: These shall receiue greater damnation.
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.”
