Jesus’ Authority Questioned

1Now it 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 2and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”

3But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: 4The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

5And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why [a]then did you not believe him?’ 6But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

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

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

9Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to [b]vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. 10Now at [c]vintage-time he sent 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. 11Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12And 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.’ 14But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.”

And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!”

17Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

18Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

19And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they [d]feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?

20So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.

21Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: 22Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, [e]“Why do you test Me? 24Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?”

They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”

25And He said to them, “Render[f] therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

26But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.

The Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?

27Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 28saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 29Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children. 30And the second [g]took her as wife, and he died childless. 31Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven [h]also; and they left no children, and died. 32Last of all the woman died also. 33Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.”

34Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”

39Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?

41And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David? 42Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:

44Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”

Beware of the Scribes

45Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, 46“Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 47who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”