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 Councillors, confronted 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 upon him with the elders,
2 and addressing him, said: “Tell us what authority you have to do these things. Who is it that has given you this authority?”
And spoke to him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
3 “I, too,” said Jesus in reply, “will ask you one question. Give me an answer to it.
And he answered and said to them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:
4 It is about John’s baptism — was it of divine or of human origin?”
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?
5 But they began arguing together: “If we say ‘divine,’ he will say ‘Why did not you believe him?’
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
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 persuaded that John was a prophet.
7 So they answered that they did not know its origin.
And they answered, that they could not tell where it was from.
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.
Then he began to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it out to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.
10 At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, that they should 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 servant to the vinedressers, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the vinedressers beat him, and 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 again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
12 He sent a third; but they wounded this man also, and threw him outside.
And again he sent the third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.
13 ‘What shall I do?’ said the owner of the vineyard. ‘I will send my son, who is very dear to me. Perhaps they will respect him.’
Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be when they see him they will reverence him.
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 vinedressers 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 threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
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 put those tenants to death, and will let the vineyard to others.” “Heaven forbid!” they exclaimed when they heard it.
He shall come and destroy these vinedressers, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, may that never be.
17 But Jesus looked at them and said: “What then is the meaning of this passage? — ‘The very stone which the builders despised has now itself become the corner-stone.’
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 Every one who falls on that stone will be dashed to pieces, while any one on whom it falls — it will scatter him as dust.”
Whoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
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 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 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 they watched him, and sent forth spies, who pretended to be righteous men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him to the power and authority of the governor.
21 These men 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 man’s position, but teach the Way of God honestly;
And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:
22 are we right in paying tribute to the Emperor or not?”
Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
23 Seeing through their deceitfulness, Jesus said to them:
But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, Why tempt ye me?
24 “Show me a florin. Whose head and title are on it?”
Show me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and 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, Render therefore to Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and to God the things which are God’s.
26 They could not lay hold of this answer before the people; and, in their wonder at his reply, they held their tongues.
And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.
27 Presently there came up some Sadducees, who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this —
Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, who deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked 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, Master, Moses wrote to us, If any man’s brother should die, having a wife, and he should die without children, 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 took a wife, and died without children.
30 The second and third brothers both took her as their wife;
And the second took her for a wife, and he died childless.
31 and so, too, did all seven — dying without children.
And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.
32 The woman herself was the last to die.
Last of all the woman died also.
33 About the woman, then — at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?”
Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her for a wife.
And Jesus answering said to them, The children of this world 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 they who shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, 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 Sons.
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 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.’
Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
38 Now he is not God of dead men, but of living. For in his sight all are alive.”
For he is not a 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,
Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.
40 for they did not venture to question him any further.
And after that they dared not ask him any question at all.
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 say they that 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,
And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
43 until I put thy enemies as a stool for thy feet.”’
Till I make thy enemies thy footstool.
44 David, then, calls him ‘lord,’ so how is he David’s son?”
David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?
45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to the disciples:
Then in the hearing of all the people 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 scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the best places at 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 for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater condemnation.
