THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD OWNER

12 He began to speak to them in parables:ad “A man planted a vineyard,ae put a fence around it, dug out a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away. 2 At harvest time he sentaf a servantag to the farmers to collect some of the fruitah of the vineyard from them. 3 But they took him, beatai him, and sent him away empty-handed.aj 4 Again he sent another servant to them, and theyA hit him on the head and treated him shamefully.B 5 Then he sent another, and they killed that one. He also sent many others; some they beat, and others they killed. 6 He still had one to send, a belovedak son. Finallyal he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenant farmers said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What then will the ownerC,am of the vineyard do? He will come and kill the farmers and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this Scripture:an

Theao stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.ap

11 This came about from the Lordaq

and is wonderful in our eyes?”D

12 They were looking for a way to arrest him but feared the crowd because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. So they left him and went away.

GOD AND CAESAR

13 Thenar they sent some of the Phariseesas and the Herodiansat to Jesus to trap him in his words.au 14 When they came, they said to him, “Teacher, we know you are truthful and don’t care what anyone thinks, nor do you show partialityav but teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful to pay taxesaw to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

15 But knowing their hypocrisy,ax he said to them, “Why are you testingay me? Bring me a denariusE,az to look at.” 16 They brought a coin. “Whose image ba and inscription bb is this?” he asked them.

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

17 Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” bc And they were utterly amazed bd at him.

THE SADDUCEES AND THE RESURRECTION

18 Sadducees,be who say there is no resurrection,bf came to him and questioned him: 19 “Teacher,a Mosesb wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife behind but no child,c that man should take the wifed and raise up offspring for his brother.A,e 20 There were seven brothers. The first married a woman, and dying, left no offspring. 21 The second also took her, and he died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 None of the sevenB left offspring. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise,C whose wife will she be, since the seven had married her?”

24 Jesus spoke to them, “Isn’t this the reason why you’re mistaken: you don’t know the Scripturesf or the powerg of God?h 25 For when they risei from the dead,j they neither marry nor are given in marriagek but are like angelsl in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised—haven’t you read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to him: Im am the God of Abrahamn and the God of Isaaco and the God of Jacob?D,p 27 He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken.”

THE PRIMARY COMMANDS

28 Oneq of the scribesr approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which command is the most important of all?”

29 Jesus answered, “The most importantE is Listen, Israel! The Lord s our God, the Lord t is one.F 30 Love u the Lord your God v with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, w and with all your strength.G,H ,x 31 The second is, Love your neighbor y as yourself.I,z There is no other commandaa greater than these.”

32 Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, teacher. You have correctly said that he is one, and there is no oneab else except him.ac 33 And to lovead him with all your heart, with all your understanding,j and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”ae

34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”af And no one daredag to question him any longer.

THE QUESTION ABOUT THE MESSIAH

35 Whileah Jesus was teaching in the temple, he asked,ai “How can the scribesaj say that the Messiahak is the son of David?al 36 Davidam himself says by the Holy Spirit:an

The Lordao declared to my Lord,

‘Sit at my right handap

until I put your enemies under your feet.’A,aq

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How, then, can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

WARNING AGAINST THE SCRIBES

38 Hear also said in his teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robesas and who want greetings in the marketplaces,at 39 the best seatsau in the synagogues,av and the places of honoraw at banquets.ax 40 They devouray widows’az houses and say long prayersba just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”

THE WIDOW’S GIFT

41 Sittingbb across from the temple treasury,bc he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many richbd people were putting in large sums. 42 Then a poorbe widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. 43 Summoning his disciples,bf he said to them, “Truly I tell you,bg this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.bh 44 For they all gave out of their surplus,bi but she out of her povertybj has put in everything she hadbk—all she had to live on.”bl

DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE PREDICTED

13 Asbm he was going out of the temple,bn one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher,bo look! What massive stones! What impressive buildings!”bp

2 Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings?bq Not one stone will be left upon another—all will be thrown down.”

SIGNS OF THE END OF THE AGE

3 While he was sitting on the Mount of Olivesbr across from the temple,bs Peter,bt James,bu John,bv and Andrewbw asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”

5 Jesus told them, “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name,a saying, ‘I am he,’b and they will deceivec many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars,d don’t be alarmed;e these things must take place,f but it is not yet the end. 8 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.g There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines.B These are the beginningh of birth pains.i

PERSECUTIONS PREDICTED

9 “But you, be on your guard! They will hand you over to local courts,C,j and you will be floggedk in the synagogues.l You will stand before governors and kingsm because of me,n as a witnesso to them.p 10 And it is necessary that the gospelq be preached to all nations. 11 So when they arrest you and hand you over, don’t worry beforehand what you will say, but say whatever is given to you at that time, for it isn’t you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

12 “Brother will betrayr brother to death,s and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by everyone because of my name,t but the one who endures to the end will be saved.u

THE GREAT TRIBULATION

14 “When you see the abomination of desolationA,v standing where it should not be” (let the reader understand), “then those in Judeaw must flee to the mountains. 15 A man on the housetop must not come down or go in to get anything out of his house,x 16 and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat.y 17 Woez to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days!

18 “Prayaa itB won’t happen in winter. 19 For those will be days of tribulation,ab the kind that hasn’t been from the beginningac of creationac ,which God created, until now and never will be again. ad20 If the Lordae had not cut those days short,af no one would be saved. But he cut those days short for the sake of the elect,ag whom he chose.ah

21 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘See, here is the Messiah!ai See, there!’ do not believe it. 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and will perform signs and wondersaj to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 And you must watch! I have told you everything in advance.

THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation:ak The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; 25 the starsal will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.am 26 Then they will see the Son of Manan comingao in cloudsap with great poweraq and glory.ar 27 He will send out the angelsas and gather his electat from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.au

THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE

28 “Learnav this lessonaw from the figax tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near.ay 29 In the same way, when you see these things happening, recognizeC that heD is near—at the door.

30 “Truly I tell you,az this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earthab will pass away,bb but my words will never pass away.bc

NO ONE KNOWS THE DAY OR HOUR

32 “Now concerning that daybd or hour no one knows—neither the angelsbe in heaven nor the Sonbf—but only the Father.bg

33 “Watch! Be alert!E For you don’t know when the timebh is coming.bi

34 “It is likebj a man on a journey, who left his house, gave authority to his servants,bk gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert. 35 Therefore be alert,bl since you don’t know when the masterbm of the house is coming—whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning. 36 Otherwise, when he comes suddenly he might find you sleeping.bn 37 And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Be alert!”

THE PLOT TO KILL JESUS

14 Itbo was two days before the Passoverbp and the Festivalbq of Unleavened Bread.br The chief priests and the scribesbs were looking for a cunningbt way to arrest Jesus and kill him.bu 2 “Not during the festival,” they said, “so that there won’t be a riot among the people.”

THE ANOINTING AT BETHANY

3 Whilea he was in Bethanyb at the house of Simon the leper,* c as he was reclining at the table,d a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it on his head.e 4 But some were expressing indignation to one another: “Why has this perfume been wasted? 5 For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denariiB,f and given to the poor.”g And they began to scold her.

6 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thingh for me. 7 You always have the poori with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have me.j 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my bodyk in advance for burial.l 9 Truly I tell you,m wherever the gospeln is proclaimed in the whole world,o what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

10 Thenp Judas Iscariot,q one of the Twelve,r went to the chief priestss to betray Jesust to them. 11 And when they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him money.u So he started looking for a good opportunity to betrayv him.

PREPARATION FOR PASSOVER

12 Onw the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrifice the Passover lamb,x his disciplesy asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare the Passover so that you may eat it?”

13 So he sent two of his disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacherz says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” 16 So the disciplesaa went out, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

BETRAYAL AT THE PASSOVER

17 Whenab evening came, he arrived with the Twelve.ac 18 While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

19 They began to be distressed and to say to him one by one, “Surely not I?”

20 He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who is dipping bread in the bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Manad will go just as it is writtenae about him,af but woeag to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had not been born.”

THE FIRST LORD’S SUPPER

22 Asah they were eating, he took bread,ai blessed and brokeaj it, gave it to them,ak and said, “Take it; this is my body.”al 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks,am he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant,A,an which is poured outao for many.ap 25 Truly I tell you,aq I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vinear until that day when I drink it newB,as in the kingdom of God.”at

26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.au

PETER’S DENIAL PREDICTED

27 Thenav Jesus said to them, “All of you will fall away,C because it is written:aw

I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheepax will be scattered.D,ay

28 But after I have risen,az I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”ba

29 Peterbb told him, “Even if everyone falls away, I will not.”

30 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to him, “today, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”bc

31 But he kept insisting, “If I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” And they all said the same thing.

THE PRAYER IN THE GARDEN

32 Thenbd they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he told his disciples,be “Sit here while I pray.”bf 33 He took Peter,bg James,bh and Johnbi with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 He said to them, “I am deeply grievedE to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.”bj 35 He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the houra might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba,F Father!b All things are possiblec for you. Take this cupd away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.” 37 Then he came and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “Simon,e are you sleeping?f Couldn’t you stay awake one hour? 38 Stay awake and prayg so that you won’t enter into temptation.G,h The spiriti is willing, but the fleshj is weak.” 39 Once again he went away and prayed, saying the same thing. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open. They did not know what to say to him.k 41 Then he came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The time has come. See, the Son of Manl is betrayed into the hands of sinners.m 42 Get up;n let’s go. See, my betrayer is near.”

JUDAS’S BETRAYAL OF JESUS

43 Whileo he was still speaking, Judas,p one of the Twelve,q suddenly arrived. With him was a mob, with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes,r and the elders.s 44 His betrayer had given them a signal. “The one I kiss,” he said, “he’s the one; arrest him and take him away under guard.” 45 So when he came, immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Rabbi!”t and kissed him. 46 They took hold of him and arrested him. 47 One of those who stood by drew his sword, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear.

48 Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs, as if I were a criminal,H to capture me? 49 Every day I was among you, teaching in the temple,u and you didn’t arrest me. But the Scripturesv must be fulfilled.”w

50 Then they all deserted him and ran away.x 51 Now a certain young man, wearing nothing but a linen cloth, was following him. They caught hold of him, 52 but he left the linen cloth behind and ran away naked.y

JESUS FACES THE SANHEDRIN

53 Theyz led Jesus away to the high priest,aa and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribesab assembled.ac 54 Peterad followed him at a distance, right into the high priest’s courtyard. He was sitting with the servants,* ae warming himself by the fire.

55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrinaf were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death,ag but they could not find any. 56 For many were giving false testimonyah against him, and the testimonies did not agree. 57 Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, stating, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands,ai and in three days I will build another not made by hands.’ ” 59 Yet their testimony did not agreeaj even on this.

60 Then the high priest stood up before them all and questioned Jesus, “Don’t you have an answer to what these men are testifying against you?” 61 But he kept silent and did not answer.ak Again the high priest questioned him, “Are you the Messiah,al the Sonam of the Blessedan One?”

62 “I am,”ao said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Manap seated at the right handaq of Power and coming with the cloudsar of heaven.”B,as

63 Then the high priestat tore his robesau and said, “Why do we still need witnesses?av 64 You have heard the blasphemy.aw What is your decision?” They all condemned him as deserving death.ax

65 Then some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to beat him, saying, “Prophesy!”ay The temple servantsaz also took him and slapped him.

PETER DENIES HIS LORD

66 Whileba Peterbb was in the courtyard below, one of the high priest’s maidservants came. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.”bc

68 But he denied it: “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about.” Then he went out to the entryway,C and a rooster crowed.D

69 When the maidservant saw him again, she began to tell those standing nearby, “This man is one of them.”

70 But again he denied it. After a little while those standing there said to Peter again, “You certainly are one of them, since you’re also a Galilean.”E,bd

71 Then he started to curse and swear,be “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!”

72 Immediately a rooster crowed a second time,a and Peter remembered when Jesus had spoken the word to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.