Luke 20:1–19
Religious Leaders Question Christ’s Authority
20 Now ait happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him 2 and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, bby what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”
3 But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: 4 The cbaptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”
5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why 1then did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, dfor they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.
8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: e“A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to 2vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. 10 Now at 3vintage-time he fsent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.
13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’ 14 But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the gheir. Come, hlet us kill him, that the inheritance may be iours.’ 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard and jkilled him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to kothers.”
And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!”
17 Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
l‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone’?
18 Whoever falls on that stone will be mbroken; but non whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
Herodians Question Tribute Money
Matt. 21:45, 46; 22:15–22; Mark 12:12–17
19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they 4feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.