23And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him, as he was teaching, demanding, By what authority doest thou these things? And who gave thee this authority? 24Then Jesus answering, said to them, I also will ask you one question, which if ye answer me, then will I tell you by what authority I do these things. 25The baptism of John whence was it? from heaven, or from men? Hereupon they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we reply, From heaven, he will say to us, Why then did ye not believe him? 26But if we say, From men, we are afraid of the populace, for they all hold John as a prophet. 27So they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. Then said he also to them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
28But what think ye? A man had two sons; and coming to the first he said, Son, go work to-day in my vineyard. 29But he answering said, I will not: yet repenting afterwards, he went. 30And coming to the other, he spake after the same manner, and he replying, said, I go, sir; yet went not. 31Which of the two did the will of his father? They say to him, The first. Jesus saith to them, Verily I say unto you, That tax-gatherers and harlots shall go before you into the kingdom of God. 32For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the tax-gatherers and harlots believed on him. But ye, when ye saw it, repented not afterwards, that ye should believe on him.
33Hear another parable: There was a certain man, the master of a family, who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged in it a wine-press, and built a tower, and hired it out to husbandmen, and went into a distant country. 34But when the season for fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen to receive his fruits. 35And the husbandmen took his servants, one they beat, and another they killed, and a third they stoned. 36Again he sent other servants more than the first, and they treated them in the same manner. 37Then at last he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38But the husbandmen, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir, come let us kill him, and let us seize on the inheritance. 39And they took him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40When therefore the master of the vineyard cometh, what will he do with these husbandmen? 41They say unto him, He will dreadfully destroy those wicked wretches, and will let out his vineyard to other husbandmen, who will render him the fruits in their seasons. 42Jesus saith unto them, Have ye not read in the Scriptures, “The stone, which the builders rejected; the same is become the head of the corner; this is done by the Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes.” 43Therefore I tell you, That the kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and given to a nation, producing the fruits thereof. 44And whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken in pieces, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder. 45And when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking concerning them. 46And they sought to apprehend him; but were afraid of the people, for they held him as a prophet.
[CHAP. XXII.]
AND Jesus continuing his discourse, spake again to them in parables, saying, 2The kingdom of heaven is like to a certain king, who made a marriage-feast for his son: 3and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the entertainment: and they would not come. 4Again he sent other servants, saying, Tell those who have been invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and the fatlings are killed, and all things are ready; come unto the marriage-feast. 5But they gave themselves no concern about it, and went their several ways, one to his own farm, and another to his traffick: 6And the rest seizing his servants, insulted and slew them. 7Then the king, when he heard it, was incensed: and sending out his armies, destroyed these murderers, and burnt down their city. 8Then he said to his servants, The wedding entertainment indeed is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy: 9go therefore into the thoroughfares of the roads, and as many as ye find, invite to the banquet. 10So these servants going out into the roads, collected all, as many as they found, both bad and good; and the wedding feast was fully furnished with guests. 11Then the king coming in to look around on the guests, saw there a man who had not put on the wedding garment: 12and he saith to him, Friend, how came thou in here, not having the garment provided for the marriage feast? And he was speechless. 13Then said the king to the servants, Bind his feet and hands, and take him away, and cast him into the darkness, which is without; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14For many are called, but few elect.
15Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel together how they might lay a snare to entrap him in his discourse. 16And they sent to him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God with veracity; and carest for no man, for thou regardest not the person of men: 17tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to pay tribute to Cæsar, or not? 18But Jesus knew their wicked design, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19Shew me the money for the tribute; and they brought him a denarius. 20And he saith unto them, Whose figure is this and inscription? 21They say unto him, Cæsar’s. Then saith he to them, Render therefore to Cæsar, the things which are Cæsar’s; and to God, the things which are God’s. 22And when they heard him, they marvelled, and leaving him, went away.
23On the same day the Sadducees came to him, who say, that there is no resurrection, and they put a question to him, 24saying, Master, Moses said, “If a man die having no children, his brother in right of affinity shall marry his wife, and raise up seed for his brother.” 25Now there were with us seven brothers; and the first marrying, died, and had no offspring, and left his wife to his brother; 26likewise the second also; then the third; so on to the seven. 27Last of all the woman died also. 28In the resurrection therefore, whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. 29Jesus then answering, said unto them, Ye are in an error, from not knowing the Scriptures, and the power of God. 30For at the resurrection, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. 31But with respect to the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read what was spoken to you of God, saying, 32“I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?” God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. 33And when the multitude heard it, they were amazingly struck with his doctrine.
34But the Pharisees hearing that he had stopped the Sadducees’ mouths, they assembled together: 35and one of them, a teacher of the law, put a question to him, to make trial of him, and said, 36Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37Then Jesus said to him, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like to it, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” 40On these two commandments, the whole law and the prophets depend.
41The Pharisees being then assembled, Jesus put a question to them, 42saying, What think ye of the Messiah, whose son is he? They say unto him, David’s. 43He saith unto them, How then doth David by the Spirit call him Lord? saying, 44“The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I put thine enemies as a footstool for thy feet.” 45If then David calleth him Lord, how is he his son? 46And no man could answer him a word, neither durst any man, from that day, interrogate him any more.