9 And he began to speak unto the people this simile: ‘A certain man planted a vineyard, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad for a long time, 10and at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant, that from the fruit of the vineyard they may give to him, but the husbandmen having beat him, did send him away empty.

11 ‘And he added to send another servant, and they that one also having beaten and dishonoured, did send away empty; 12and he added to send a third, and this one also, having wounded, they did cast out.

13 ‘And the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my son—the beloved, perhaps having seen this one, they will do reverence; 14and having seen him, the husbandmen reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; come, we may kill him, that the inheritance may become ours; 15and having cast him outside of the vineyard, they killed him; what, then, shall the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come, and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others.’ And having heard, they said, ‘Let it not be!’ 17and he, having looked upon them, said, ‘What, then, is this that hath been written: A stone that the builders rejected—this became head of a corner? 18every one who hath fallen on that stone shall be broken, and on whom it may fall, it will crush him to pieces.’ 19And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him in that hour, and they feared the people, for they knew that against them he spake this simile.

20 And, having watched him, they sent forth liers in wait, feigning themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his word, to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor,