20Luke 20

1On one of those days while He was teaching the people in the Temple and proclaiming the Good News, the High Priests came upon Him, and the Scribes,Select Luke 20:1

2together with the Elders, and they asked Him, "Tell us, By what authority are you doing these things? And who is it that gave you this authority?"Select Luke 20:2

3"I also will put a question to you, "He said;Select Luke 20:3

4"was John's baptism of Heavenly or of human origin?"Select Luke 20:4

5So they debated the matter with one another. "If we say `Heavenly,'" they argued, "he will say, `Why did you not believe him?'Select Luke 20:5

6And if we say, `human,' the people will all stone us; for they are thoroughly convinced that John was a Prophet."Select Luke 20:6

7And they answered that they did not know the origin of it.Select Luke 20:7

8"Nor will I tell you," said Jesus, "by what authority I do these things."Select Luke 20:8

9Then He proceeded to speak a parable to the people. "There was a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, let it out to vine-dressers, and went abroad for a considerable time.Select Luke 20:9

10At vintage-time he sent a servant to the vine-dressers, for them to give him a share of the crop; but the vine-dressers beat him cruelly and sent him away empty-handed.Select Luke 20:10

11Then he sent a second servant; and him too they beat and ill treated and sent away empty-handed.Select Luke 20:11

12Then again he sent a third; and this one also they wounded and drove away.Select Luke 20:12

13Then the owner of the vineyard said, "`What am I to do? I will send my son--my dearly-loved son: they will probably respect him.'Select Luke 20:13

14"But when the vine-dressers saw him, they discussed the matter with one another, and said, "`This is the heir: let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'Select Luke 20:14

15"So they turned him out of the vineyard and murdered him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?Select Luke 20:15

16He will come and put these vine-dressers to death, and give the vineyard to others." "God forbid!" exclaimed the hearers.Select Luke 20:16

17He looked at them and said, "What then does that mean which is written, "`The Stone which the builders rejected has been made the cornerstone'?Select Luke 20:17

18Every one who falls on that stone will be severely hurt, but on whomsoever it falls, he will be utterly crushed."Select Luke 20:18

19At this the Scribes and the High Priests wanted to lay hands on Him, then and there; only they were afraid of the people. For they saw that in this parable He had referred to them.Select Luke 20:19

20So, after impatiently watching their opportunity, they sent spies who were to act the part of good and honest men, that they might fasten on some expression of His, so as to hand Him over to the ruling power and the Governor's authority.Select Luke 20:20

21So they put a question to Him. "Rabbi," they said, "we know that you say and teach what is right and that you make no distinctions between one man and another, but teach God's way truly.Select Luke 20:21

22Is it allowable to pay a tax to Caesar, or not?"Select Luke 20:22

23But He saw through their knavery and replied,Select Luke 20:23

24"Show me a shilling; whose likeness and inscription does it bear?" "Caesar's," they said.Select Luke 20:24

25"Pay therefore," He replied, "what is Caesar's to Caesar--and what is God's to God."Select Luke 20:25

26There was nothing here that they could lay hold of before the people, and marvelling at His answer they said no more.Select Luke 20:26

27Next some of the Sadducees came forward (who deny that there is a Resurrection), and they asked Him,Select Luke 20:27

28"Rabbi, Moses made it a law for us that if a man's brother should die, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up a family for his brother.Select Luke 20:28

29Now there were seven brothers. The first of them took a wife and died childless.Select Luke 20:29

30The second and the third also took her;Select Luke 20:30

31and all seven, having done the same, left no children when they died.Select Luke 20:31

32Finally the woman also died.Select Luke 20:32

33The woman, then--at the Resurrection--whose wife shall she be? for they all seven married her."Select Luke 20:33

34"The men of this age," replied Jesus, "marry, and the women are given in marriage.Select Luke 20:34

35But as for those who shall have been deemed worthy to find a place in that other age and in the Resurrection from among the dead, the men do not marry and the women are not given in marriage.Select Luke 20:35

36For indeed they cannot die again; they are like angels, and are sons of God through being sons of the Resurrection.Select Luke 20:36

37But that the dead rise to life even Moses clearly implies in the passage about the Bush, where he calls the Lord `The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'Select Luke 20:37

38He is not a God of dead, but of living men, for to Him are all living."Select Luke 20:38

39Then some of the Scribes replied, "Rabbi, you have spoken well."Select Luke 20:39

40From that time, however, no one ventured to challenge Him with a single question.Select Luke 20:40

41But He asked them, "How is it they say that the Christ is a son of David?Select Luke 20:41

42Why, David himself says in the Book of Psalms, "`The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right handSelect Luke 20:42

43Until I have made thy foes a footstool under thy feet.'Select Luke 20:43

44"David himself therefore calls Him Lord, and how can He be his son?"Select Luke 20:44

45Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to the disciples,Select Luke 20:45

46"Beware of the Scribes, who like to walk about in long robes, and love to be bowed to in places of public resort and to occupy the best seats in the synagogues or at a dinner party;Select Luke 20:46

47who swallow up the property of widows and mask their wickedness by making long prayers. They will be punished far more severely than others."Select Luke 20:47