Matthew 21:33–43

Parable of the Landowner

Mark 12:1–12; Luke 20:9–19

³³“Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner ^hwho planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and ⁱwent into a far country. ³⁴Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. ^35jAnd the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. ³⁶Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. ³⁷Then last of all he sent his ^kson to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ^l‘This is the heir. ^mCome, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ ³⁹ⁿSo they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

⁴⁰“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”

^41oThey said to Him, ^p“He will destroy those wicked men miserably, ^qand lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will ⁷render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

⁴²Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

^r‘The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the Lord’s doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

⁴³“Therefore I say to you, ^sthe kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.