Luke 20
1 And it came to pass, on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, there came upon him the chief priests and the scribes with the elders;
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,
2 and they spake, saying unto him, Tell us: By what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
and addressing him, said, “Tell us what authority you have to do these things. Who is it who has given you this authority?”
3 And he answered and said unto them, I also will ask you a question; and tell me:
“I, too,” said Jesus in reply, “will ask you one question. Give me an answer to it.
4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?
It is about John’s baptism – was it of divine or of human origin?”
5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why did ye not believe him?
But they began arguing together, “If we say ‘divine,’ he will say ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
6 But if we shall say, From men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
But, if we say ‘human,’ the people will all stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
7 And they answered, that they knew not whence [it was].
So they answered that they did not know its origin.
8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
“Then I,” said Jesus, “refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things.”
9 And he began to speak unto the people this parable: A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country for a long time.
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.
10 And at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.
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.
11 And he sent yet another servant: and him also they beat, and handled him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
The owner afterward sent another servant; but the tenants beat and insulted this man too, and sent him away empty-handed.
12 And he sent yet a third: and him also they wounded, and cast him forth.
He sent a third; but they wounded this man also, and threw him outside.
13 And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him.
‘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.’
14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir: let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
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.’
15 And they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
So they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16 He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
He will come and put those tenants to death, and will let the vineyard to others.” “Heaven forbid!” they exclaimed when they heard it.
17 But he looked upon them, and said, What then is this that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner?
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.’
18 Every one that falleth on that stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.
Everyone who falls on that stone will be dashed to pieces, while anyone on whom it falls – it will scatter him as dust.”
19 And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him in that very hour; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he spake this parable against them.
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.
20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which feigned themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his speech, so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor.
Having watched their opportunity, they afterward 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.
21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest not the person [of any], but of a truth teachest the way of God:
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;
22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
are we right in paying tribute to the Emperor or not?”
23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them,
Seeing through their deceitfulness, Jesus said to them,
24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? And they said, Caesar’s.
“Show me a coin. Whose head and title are on it?”
25 And he said unto them, Then render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.
“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.”
26 And they were not able to take hold of the saying before the people: and they marveled at his answer, and held their peace.
They could not object to this answer before the people; and, in their wonder at his reply, they held their tongues.
27 And there came to him certain of the Sadducees, they which say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him,
Presently there came up some Sadducees, who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this –
28 saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, that if a man’s brother die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
“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.’
29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died childless;
Well, there were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest, after taking a wife, died childless.
30 and the second;
The second and third brothers both took her as their wife;
31 and the third took her; and likewise the seven also left no children, and died.
and so, too, did all seven – dying without children.
32 Afterward the woman also died.
The woman herself was the last to die.
33 In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them shall she be? for the seven had her to wife.
About the woman, then – at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?”
“The men and women of this world,” said Jesus, “marry and are given in marriage; (aiōn g165)
35 but they that are accounted worthy to attain to that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: (aiōn g165)
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)
36 for neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are God’s children.
37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed, in [the place concerning] the Bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
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.’
38 Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
Now he is not God of dead people, but of living. For in his sight all are alive.”
39 And certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.
“Well said, teacher!” exclaimed some of the teachers of the Law,
40 For they durst not any more ask him any question.
for they did not venture to question him any further.
41 And he said unto them, How say they that the Christ is David’s son?
But Jesus said to them, “How is it that people say that the Christ is to be David’s son?
42 For David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
For David, in the book of Psalms, says himself – ‘The Lord said to my lord: Sit at my right hand,
43 Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.
until I put your enemies as a stool for your feet.’
44 David therefore calleth him Lord, and how is he his son?
David, then, calls him ‘lord,’ so how is he David’s son?”
45 And in the hearing of all the people he said unto his disciples,
While all the people were listening, Jesus said to the disciples,
46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts;
“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 honor at dinner.
47 which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater condemnation.
These are the men who rob widows of their houses, and make a pretense of saying long prayers. Their sentence will be all the heavier.”
