The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
1 Jesus began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine press, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country. 2 When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty.
4 Again, he sent another servant to them, and they threw stones at him, wounded his head, and sent him away shamefully treated.
5 Again he sent another, and they killed him and many others, beating some, and killing some.
6 Therefore still having one, his beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
9 What therefore will the master of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers and will give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this Scripture:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
11 This was from the Lord.
It is marvelous in our eyes’?” a
12 They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him, and went away.
Paying Taxes to Caesar
13 They sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words. 14 When they had come, they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don’t defer to anyone; for you aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we give, or shall we not give?”
But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it.”
16 They brought it.
He said to them, “Whose is this image and inscription?”
They said to him, “Caesar’s.”
17 Jesus answered them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
They marveled greatly at him.
Sadducees Question the Resurrection
18 Some Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came to him. They asked him, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote to us, ‘If a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife behind, and no descendants, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 20 There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying, left no offspring. 21 The second took her, and died, leaving no descendants behind. The third likewise; 22 and the seven took her and left no descendants. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife.”
24 Jesus answered them, “Is this not the reason you err, not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they will neither marry, nor be given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But about the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.
The Greatest Commandment
28 One of the scribes came and heard them reasoning together, and knowing that Jesus had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?”
29 Jesus answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
32 The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have spoken well that He is one, and there is none other but he, 33 and to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding with all the soul and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
No one dared ask him any question after that.
Whose Son is the Christ
35 Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 For David himself said in the Holy Spirit,
‘The Lord said to my Lord:
Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.’ b
37 Therefore David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?”
The common people listened with delight.
Beware of the Scribes
38 In his teaching he said to them, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes and to get greetings in the marketplaces 39 and the best seats in the synagogues and the best places at feasts: 40 those who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive greater condemnation.”
The Poor Widow’s Offering
41 Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much. 42 A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins, worth less than a penny. 43 He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury, 44 for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.”
a Psalm 118:22-23
b Psalm 110:1