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, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came on him with the elders,
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 spoke to him, saying, Tell us, by what authority do you these things? or who is he that gave you this authority?
3 He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me,
And he answered and said to them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer 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 baptism of John, was it from heaven, 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 reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed you him not?
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 and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
7 So they replied, “We [(exc)] do not know where [John got his authority].”
And they answered, that they could not tell from where it was.
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 to them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
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.
Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to farmers, and went into a far country 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 at the season he sent a servant to the farmers, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the farmers beat him, and 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 again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
12 [Still later, the owner] sent another servant. That one they wounded and threw him out [of the vineyard].
And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast 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].’
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 [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 when the farmers 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 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]
So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do to 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 shall come and destroy these farmers, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
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].
And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the 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.”
Whoever shall fall on that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
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 chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
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 they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him to the power and 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 asked him, saying, Master, we know that you say and teach rightly, neither accept you the person of any, but teach the way of God truly:
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 lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or no?
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 he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, Why tempt you me?
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].”
Show me a penny. Whose image and superscription has it? They answered and said, Caesar’s.
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 to them, Render therefore to Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and to God the things which be God’s.
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 take hold of his words before the people: and they marveled at his answer, and 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.
Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked 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, Master, Moses wrote to us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to 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.
There were therefore seven brothers: and the first took a wife, and died without children.
30 The second [brother followed this law and married the widow, but the same thing happened to him].
And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.
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; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.
32 Afterwards, the woman died, too.
Last of all the woman died also.
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]”
Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for 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 answering said to them, The children of this world 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 which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from 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.
Neither can they die any more: for they are equal to the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
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].
Now 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 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]!”
For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live to him.
39 Some of the men who taught the [Jewish] laws replied, “Teacher, you [(sg)] have answered very well!”
Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, you have well said.
40 After that, they no longer dared to ask him any more questions [like that to try to trap him].
And after that they dared not ask him any question at all.
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 to them, How say they that 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].
And David himself says in the book of Psalms, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit you on my right hand,
43 [Sit here] while I completely defeat your enemies.
Till I make your enemies your 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 calls him Lord, how is he then his son?
45 While all the [other] people were listening, [Jesus] said to his disciples,
Then in the audience of all the people he said to his 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.
Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
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.”
Which devour widows’ houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
