| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Then he began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey. | 1Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: “A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. |
| 2At harvest time he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his portion of the crop. | 2 At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. |
| 3But those tenants seized his slave, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. | 3 But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. |
| 4So he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously. | 4 The owner then sent another servant, but they insulted him and beat him over the head. |
| 5He sent another, and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten, others killed. | 5 The next servant he sent was killed. Others he sent were either beaten or killed, |
| 6He had one left, his one dear son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' | 6 until there was only one left—his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’ |
| 7But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and the inheritance will be ours!' | 7 “But the tenant farmers said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ |
| 8So they seized him, killed him, and threw his body out of the vineyard. | 8 So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard. |
| 9What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. | 9 “What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?” Jesus asked. “I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others. |
| 10Have you not read this scripture: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. | 10 Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. |
| 11This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?" | 11 This is the LORD ’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’ ” |
| 12Now they wanted to arrest him (but they feared the crowd), because they realized that he told this parable against them. So they left him and went away. | 12The religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away. Taxes for Caesar |
| 13Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to trap him with his own words. | 13Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. |
| 14When they came they said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone's favor, because you show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?" | 14“Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us—is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? |
| 15But he saw through their hypocrisy and said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." | 15Should we pay them, or shouldn’t we?” Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin, and I’ll tell you.” |
| 16So they brought one, and he said to them, "Whose image is this, and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's." | 16When they handed it to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. |
| 17Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were utterly amazed at him. | 17 “Well, then,” Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” His reply completely amazed them. Discussion about Resurrection |
| 18Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) also came to him and asked him, | 18Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: |
| 19"Teacher, Moses wrote for us: 'If a man' s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and father children for his brother.' | 19“Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name. |
| 20There were seven brothers. The first one married, and when he died he had no children. | 20Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children. |
| 21The second married her and died without any children, and likewise the third. | 21So the second brother married the widow, but he also died without children. Then the third brother married her. |
| 22None of the seven had children. Finally, the woman died too. | 22This continued with all seven of them, and still there were no children. Last of all, the woman also died. |
| 23In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her." | 23So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.” |
| 24Jesus said to them, "Aren't you deceived for this reason, because you don't know the scriptures or the power of God? | 24Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. |
| 25For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. | 25 For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven. |
| 26Now as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? | 26 “But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—haven’t you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ |
| 27He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken!" | 27 So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error.” The Most Important Commandment |
| 28Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?" | 28One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” |
| 29Jesus answered, "The most important is: 'Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. | 29Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD . |
| 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' | 30 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ |
| 31The second is: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." | 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” |
| 32The expert in the law said to him, "That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. | 32The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. |
| 33And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." | 33And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” |
| 34When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." Then no one dared any longer to question him. | 34Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions. Whose Son Is the Messiah? |
| 35While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he said, "How is it that the experts in the law say that the Christ is David's son? | 35Later, as Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, he asked, “Why do the teachers of religious law claim that the Messiah is the son of David? |
| 36David himself, by the Holy Spirit, said, 'The Lord said to my lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet."' | 36 For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’ |
| 37If David himself calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?" And the large crowd was listening to him with delight. | 37 Since David himself called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with great delight. |
| 38In his teaching Jesus also said, "Watch out for the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, | 38Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. |
| 39and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. | 39 And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. |
| 40They devour widows' property, and as a show make long prayers. These men will receive a more severe punishment." | 40 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.” The Widow’s Offering |
| 41Then he sat down opposite the offering box, and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts. | 41Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. |
| 42And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. | 42Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. |
| 43He called his disciples and said to them, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. | 43Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. |
| 44For they all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had." | 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” |
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