CHAPTER XXVI.
CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE REPLYING TO THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES.
1 19:47AND he taught daily in the temple; and the chief priests, and scribes, and the first of the people sought to destroy him. 19:48And they found nothing that they could do; for all the people were attentive to hear him. 20:1And on one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and scribes, with the elders, came upon him, 20:2and spoke to him saying, Tell us by what authority you do these things? and who gave you this authority? 20:3And he answered and said to them, I also will ask you a question; and tell me, 20:4Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? 20:5And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we say, From heaven, he will say, Why did you not believe him? 20:6But if we say, From men, all the people will stone us; for they are persuaded that John is a prophet. 20:7And they answered, They did not know whence. 20:8And Jesus said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
2 20:9And he spoke to the people this parable; A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went abroad for a long time. 20:10And at the time he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard; and the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 20:11And again he sent another servant; and they beat him, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 20:12And again he sent a third; and they wounded him, and cast him out. 20:13And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; doubtless, when they see him they will respect him. 20:14But seeing him, the husbandmen reasoned with themselves, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 20:15And they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What, therefore, will the lord of the vineyard do to them? 20:16He will come and destroy those husbandmen, and let the vineyard to others. And hearing this, they said, By no means. 20:17And he looked at them and said, What, then, is this which is written? The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of a corner; 20:18every one that falls on that stone shall be bruised; but on whomsoever it shall fall it shall crush him to atoms. 20:19And the scribes and chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that time; and they feared the people; for they knew that he spoke this parable to them.
3 20:20And they sent spies to watch him, who pretended to be righteous men, that they might take advantage of his speech, to deliver him to the power and authority of the procurator. 20:21And they asked him saying, Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, and respect no person, but teach the way of God in truth. 20:22Is it lawful for us to pay tribute to Cæsar, or not? 20:23And perceiving their craftiness, he said to them, 20:24Show me a denarius [14 cents]. Whose figure and inscription has it? And they answered and said, Cæsar's. 20:25And he said to them, Render therefore Cæsar's dues to Cæsar, and God's to God. 20:26And they were not able to take advantage of his word before the people; and they wondered at his answer, and were silent.
4 20:27And some of the Sadducees came forward, who deny that there is a resurrection, and asked him, 20:28saying, Teacher, Moses wrote to us, that if one's brother dies, having a wife, and dies childless, his brother shall take his wife and raise up children for his brother. 20:29There were, therefore, seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died childless; 20:30and the second and third took her; 20:31and in like manner also the seven; [and they] left no children, and died. 20:32And last, the woman died also. 20:33In the resurrection, therefore, which of them has her for a wife? for the seven had her for a wife. 20:34And Jesus said to them, The children of this life marry and are married; 20:35but those who are judged worthy to attain that life, and the resurrection of the dead, neither marry nor are married; 20:36neither can they die any more; for they are equal to the angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 20:37But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord, The God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob. 20:38But God is not 20:39And some of the scribes answered and said, Teacher, you have spoken well. 20:40And they dared not question him any more.
5 20:41And he said to them, How do they say that the Christ is the son of David? 20:42And David himself says in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand, 20:43till I make your enemies your footstool. 20:44David, therefore, calls him Lord; and how is he his son?
6 20:45And in the hearing of all the people he said to them, 20:46Beware of the scribes, who delight to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the markets, and the first seats in the synagogues, and the first places at feasts; 20:47who devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; they shall receive a greater judgment.
7 21:1And looking up he saw the rich casting their gifts into the treasury. 21:2And he saw also a certain poor widow cast in there two lepta [4 mills]. 21:3And he said, I tell you truly, that this poor widow has cast in more than all; 21:4for all these have cast among the gifts from their abundance; but she from her want has cast in all the living she had.