New Living Translation

King James Bible

1One day as Jesus was teaching the people and preaching the Good News in the Temple, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him.

1And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,

2They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”

2And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

3 “Let me ask you a question first,” he replied.

3And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:

4 “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”

4The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

5They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John.

5And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

6But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet.”

6But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

7So they finally replied that they didn’t know.

7And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.

8And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.” Parable of the Evil Farmers

8And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

9Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years.

9Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.

10 At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.

10And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.

11 So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed.

11And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.

12 A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away.

12And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.

13 “‘What will I do?’ the owner asked himself. ‘I know! I’ll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.’

13Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.

14 “But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’

14But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

15 So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him. “What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?” Jesus asked.

15So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?

16 “I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.” “How terrible that such a thing should ever happen,” his listeners protested.

16He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

17Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what does this Scripture mean? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’

17And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

18 Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”

18Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

19The teachers of religious law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the people’s reaction. Taxes for Caesar

19And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

20Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus.

20And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

21“Teacher,” they said, “we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully.

21And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:

22Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

22Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

23He saw through their trickery and said,

23But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?

24 “Show me a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied.

24Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's.

25 “Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

25And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.

26So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent. Discussion about Resurrection

26And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

27Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead.

27Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,

28They posed this question: “Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.

28Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

29Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children.

29There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.

30So the second brother married the widow, but he also died.

30And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.

31Then the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them, who died without children.

31And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.

32Finally, the woman also died.

32Last of all the woman died also.

33So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her!”

33Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.

34Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth.

34And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

35 But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.

35But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

36 And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.

36Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

37 “But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord as ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

37Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

38 So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.”

38For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

39“Well said, Teacher!” remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there.

39Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.

40And then no one dared to ask him any more questions. Whose Son Is the Messiah?

40And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.

41Then Jesus presented them with a question. “Why is it,” he asked, “that the Messiah is said to be the son of David?

41And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?

42 For David himself wrote in the book of Psalms: ‘The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand

42And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

43 until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.’

43Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

44 Since David called the Messiah ‘Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”

44David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?

45Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said,

45Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,

46 “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets.

46Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;

47 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 severely punished.”

47Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.