Luke 20:1–26

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

20One ^vday ^was He was teaching ^xthe people in the temple complex and proclaiming the good news, ^ythe chief priests and the scribes, with the elders, ^zcame up ²and said to Him: “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Who is it who gave You this authority?”

³He answered them, “I will also ask you a question. Tell Me, ⁴was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?”

⁵They discussed it among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ ⁶But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people ^awill stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.” ^b

⁷So they answered that they did not know its origin. ^c

⁸And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The Parable of the Vineyard Owner

⁹Then ^dHe began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, ^eleased it to tenant farmers, and went away for a long time. ¹⁰At harvest time he sent a ^•slave to the farmers so that they might give him some fruit from the vineyard. But the farmers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ¹¹He sent yet another slave, but they beat that one too, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. ¹²And he sent yet a third, but they wounded this one too and threw him out.

¹³“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my beloved ^fson. Perhaps ^gthey will respect him.’

¹⁴“But when the tenant farmers saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him, so the inheritance will be ours!’ ^h15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

“Therefore, what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? ¹⁶He will come and destroy ⁱthose farmers and give the vineyard to others.”

But when they heard this they said, “No—never!” ^j

¹⁷But He looked at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of this Scripture: ^kl

The stone that the builders rejected—

this has become the cornerstone? ^mno

¹⁸Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and if it falls on anyone, it will grind him to powder!” ^p

¹⁹Then the scribes and the chief priests ^qlooked for a way to get their hands on Him ^rthat very hour, because they knew He had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. ^s

God and Caesar

²⁰They ^tuwatched closely ^vand sent spies ^wwho pretended to be righteous, ^xso they could catch Him in what He said, ^yzto hand Him ^aover to the governor’s ^brule and authority. ²¹They questioned Him, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, ^cand You don’t show partiality, ^debut teach truthfully the way of God. ^f22Is it lawful ^gfor us to pay taxes ^hto Caesar ⁱor not?”

²³But detecting their craftiness, He said to them, ^j24“Show Me a ^•denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?”

“Caesar’s,” they said.

²⁵“Well then,” He told them, “give back to Caesar ^kthe things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.”

²⁶They were not able to catch Him in what He said ^lin public, ^mand being amazed at His answer, they became silent. ⁿ