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20 One day Jesus was teaching the people in the temple. He was telling them God's good news. The chief priests and the scribes came to him with the leaders.

They said to him, `Tell us what right you have to do these things. Who gave you the right to do them?'

He answered, `I will ask you a question also. Tell me this.

Who gave John the right to baptise people? Did God or did men give it to him?'

They talked it over together. They said, `If we say, "God gave John the right to do it," he will say, "Then why did you not believe him?"

But if we say, "Men gave him the right to do it," then the people will kill us with stones. They believe that John was a prophet of God.'

So they answered Jesus, `We do not know who gave him the right to do it.'

Then Jesus said to them, `Neither will I tell you what right I have to do these things.'

Then Jesus began to tell the people this story. `A man planted a farm. He let some men use the farm. They paid him money for the rent. Then he went to a country far away and stayed a long time.

10 `At harvest time the owner sent one of his servants to the men who used the farm. He wanted to have some fruit from the farm. But the men beat the servant and sent him away without any fruit.

11 So he sent another servant. They beat this one also, and did wrong things to him. And they sent him away without any fruit.

12 He sent a servant the third time. They hurt this one also and threw him out of the farm.

13 `Then the man who owned the farm said, "What shall I do? I will send my dear son. Maybe they will respect him."

14 `But when the men saw him they said to each other, "This is the one who will have everything when his father dies. Let us kill him. Then everything will belong to us."

15 They dragged him off the farm and killed him. `What will the man who owned the farm do to them?

16 He will come back and kill those men. And he will give the farm to other men to use.' When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they said, `May it not be so!'

17 `But Jesus looked right at them. He said, `What about this writing then? "The stone which the builders would not use is now the chief corner stone."

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces. But if that stone falls on anyone, it will crush him.'

19 The scribes and the chief priests wanted to catch Jesus right then but they feared the people. They understood that he had told this story against them.

20 So they watched for a chance to catch him. And they sent men to spy on him. These men acted as if they were good men. They did this because they wanted to catch him in something that he said. They wanted to give him over to the ruler who would judge and punish him.

21 So they asked Jesus, `Teacher, we know that you talk and teach what is right. You do not fear any person. But you teach the true way of God.

22 Is it right to pay money as taxes to Caesar or is it not?'

23 He knew they were trying to get him into trouble.

24 So he said, `Show me a piece of money. Whose picture and name are on it?' They said, `Caesar's'

25 Then he said to them, `So give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.'

26 They were not able to catch him in anything he said in front of the people. They were surprised at his answer and they could not say anything.

27 Some of the Sadducees came to Jesus. (They say that people do not rise from death.)

28 They came to ask Jesus a question. `Teacher,' they said, `Moses gave us this law: "If a man dies and leaves a wife but no children, then his brother must marry the wife and raise a family for his brother."

29 There were seven brothers. The first one married. He died and left no children.

30 The second one married the wife.

31 Then the third one married her. All seven brothers married her. They all had no children and they died.

32 Last of all, the woman died also.

33 Now then, when people rise from death, whose wife will she be? All seven of them had married her.'

34 Jesus said to them, `Men and women in this world marry.

35 But men and women who are good enough to have a place in the next world and to be raised from death do not marry.

36 They cannot die again. They are like angels. They are God's children because they have been raised from death.

37 Even Moses showed that people do rise from death. It is in his book where we read about the small tree which burned. Moses says that the Lord is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

38 He is not the God of dead people, but of living people. All people are alive to him.'

39 Some of the scribes said to him, `Teacher, what you say is right.'

40 After that, people were afraid to ask him any more questions.

41 But Jesus asked them, `How can people say that Christ is David's son?

43 David himself says in the book of the Psalms, "The Lord said to my Lord, sit beside me until I make you master over your enemies."

44 So David calls Christ his Lord. How can Christ be David's son?'

45 Then Jesus talked to his disciples while all the people could hear him.

46 He said, `Take care. Do not let the scribes fool you. They like to walk about dressed in long gowns. They want people to greet them in the market. They want to have the front seats in the meeting houses. They want to sit in the best places at feasts.

47 They take away the homes of women whose husbands are dead. They cover up their wrong ways by talking to God a long time. They will be punished more!'

20 And 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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13 Then 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 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 cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?

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

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

19 And 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.

20 And 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 And 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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

28 Saying, 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.

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

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

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

32 Last of all the woman died also.

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

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

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

36 Neither 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 Now 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 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

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

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

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

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

43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

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

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

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