Luke 20
New King James Version
Jesus’ Authority Questioned(A)
20 Now (B)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 2 and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, (C)by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”
3 But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: 4 The (D)baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”
5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why [a]then did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, (E)for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.
8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers(F)
9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: (G)“A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to [b]vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. 10 Now at [c]vintage-time he (H)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. 11 Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And 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.’ 14 But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the (I)heir. Come, (J)let us kill him, that the inheritance may be (K)ours.’ 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard and (L)killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to (M)others.”
And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!”
17 Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
(N)‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone’?
18 Whoever falls on that stone will be (O)broken; but (P)on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
19 And 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?(Q)
20 (R)So 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.
21 Then they asked Him, saying, (S)“Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23 But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, [e]“Why do you test Me? 24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?”
They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”
25 And He said to them, (T)“Render[f] therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
26 But 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?(U)
27 (V)Then some of the Sadducees, (W)who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 28 saying: “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. 29 Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second [g]took her as wife, and he died childless. 31 Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven [h]also; and they left no children, and died. 32 Last of all the woman died also. 33 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.”
34 Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are (X)counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for (Y)they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, (Z)being sons of the resurrection. 37 But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord (AA)‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for (AB)all live to Him.”
39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore.
Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?(AC)
41 And He said to them, (AD)“How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David? 42 Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:
(AE)‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’
44 Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; (AF)how is He then his Son?”
Beware of the Scribes(AG)
45 (AH)Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, 46 (AI)“Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, (AJ)love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 47 (AK)who devour widows’ houses, and for a (AL)pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
Footnotes
- Luke 20:5 NU, M omit then
- Luke 20:9 tenant farmers
- Luke 20:10 Lit. the season
- Luke 20:19 M were afraid—for
- Luke 20:23 NU omits Why do you test Me?
- Luke 20:25 Pay
- Luke 20:30 NU omits the rest of v. 30.
- Luke 20:31 NU, M also left no children
Luke 20
Amplified Bible
Jesus’ Authority Questioned
20 On one of the days, as Jesus was instructing the people in the temple [area] and preaching the good news (gospel), [a]the chief priests and the scribes along with the elders confronted Him,(A) 2 and said to Him, “Tell us by what kind of authority You are doing these things? Or who is the one who gave You this authority?” 3 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you a question. You tell Me: 4 The baptism of John [the Baptist]—was it from heaven [that is, ordained by God] or from men?” 5 They discussed and debated it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are firmly convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they replied that they did not know from where it came. 8 Then Jesus said to them, “Nor am I telling you by what [kind of] authority I do these things.”
Parable of the Vineyard Owner
9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey for a long time [to another country].(B) 10 At harvest time he sent a servant [as his representative] to the tenants, so that they would give him his share of the fruit of the vineyard; but the tenants beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed. 11 So he again sent another servant; they also beat him and dishonored and treated him disgracefully and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And he sent yet a third; and this one too they wounded and threw out [of the vineyard]. 13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will have respect for him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves, saying, ‘This [man] is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So they threw the son out of the vineyard and killed him. What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and put these tenants to death and will give the vineyard to others.” When the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders heard this, they said, “May it never be!” 17 But Jesus looked at them and said, “What then is [the meaning of] this that is written:
‘The [very] Stone which the builders rejected,
this became the chief Cornerstone’?(C)
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken and shattered in pieces; and on whomever it falls, it will crush him.”(D)
Tribute to Caesar
19 The scribes and the chief priests tried to [find a way to] arrest Him at that very hour, but they were afraid of the people; because they understood that He spoke this parable against them. 20 So they watched [for a chance to trap] Him. They sent spies who pretended to be upright and sincere, in order that they might catch Him in some statement [that they could distort and use against Him], so that they could turn Him over to the control and authority of [Pilate] the governor.(E) 21 They asked Him, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and that You show no partiality to anyone, but teach the way of God truthfully. 22 Is it lawful [according to Jewish law and tradition] for us to pay taxes (tribute money) to [b]Caesar or not?” 23 But He saw through their trickery and said to them, 24 “Show Me a [Roman] denarius. Whose image and inscription does the coin have?” They answered, “[the Emperor Tiberius] Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26 They were not able to seize on anything He said in the presence of the people; and being unnerved at His reply, they were silent.
Is There a Resurrection?
27 Now some of the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Him(F) 28 and they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us [a law that] if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife and no children, his brother should [c]marry the wife and raise children for his brother.(G) 29 Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died childless. 30 And the second, 31 and the third married her, and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally the woman also died. 33 So in the [life after] resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had married her.”
34 Jesus said to them, “The sons of this [world and present] age marry and [the women] are given in marriage; 35 but those who are considered worthy to gain that [other world and that future] age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 and they cannot die again, because they are [immortal] like the angels (equal to, angel-like). And they are [d]children of God, being [e]participants in the resurrection. 37 But [as for the fact] that the dead are raised [from death], even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, when he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.(H) 38 Now He is not the God of the dead, but of the living [so these forefathers will be among the resurrected]; for all live [in a definite relationship] to Him.” 39 Some of the scribes replied, “Teacher, you have spoken well [so that there is no room for blame].” 40 And they did not dare to question Him further about anything [because of the wisdom He displayed in His answers].
41 Then He said to them, “How is it that people say that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) is David’s son?(I) 42 For David himself says in the book of Psalms,
‘The Lord (the Father) said to my Lord (the Son, the Messiah),
“Sit at My right hand,
43
Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’(J)
44 [f]So David calls Him (the Son) ‘Lord,’ and how then is He David’s son?”
45 And with all the people listening, He said to His disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes [displaying their prominence], and love respectful greetings in the [crowded] market places, and [g]chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets. 47 These [men] who confiscate and devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense [to appear devout] offer long prayers. These [men] will receive the greater [sentence of] condemnation.”
Footnotes
- Luke 20:1 I.e. various members of the Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court.
- Luke 20:22 See note Matt 22:17.
- Luke 20:28 The purpose of this was to carry on the family line and keep property within the family.
- Luke 20:36 Lit sons.
- Luke 20:36 Lit sons of.
- Luke 20:44 By calling his descendant “Lord,” David, Israel’s greatest king, recognized that his descendant was greater than he.
- Luke 20:46 These seats were located near the scrolls of the Law, facing the congregation in the synagogue.
Luke 20
New Living Translation
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
20 One 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. 2 They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”
3 “Let me ask you a question first,” he replied. 4 “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”
5 They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. 6 But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet.” 7 So they finally replied that they didn’t know.
8 And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Parable of the Evil Farmers
9 Now 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. 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. 11 So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away.
13 “‘What will I do?’ the owner asked himself. ‘I know! I’ll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect 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!’ 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. 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.
17 Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what does this Scripture mean?
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.’[a]
18 Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”
19 The 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
20 Watching 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. 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. 22 Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23 He saw through their trickery and said, 24 “Show me a Roman coin.[b] Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
25 “Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
26 So 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
27 Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. 28 They 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.[c] 29 Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children. 30 So the second brother married the widow, but he also died. 31 Then the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them, who died without children. 32 Finally, the woman also died. 33 So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her!”
34 Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. 35 But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be 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.
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[d] as ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’[e] 38 So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.”
39 “Well said, Teacher!” remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there. 40 And then no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Whose Son Is the Messiah?
41 Then Jesus presented them with a question. “Why is it,” he asked, “that the Messiah is said to be the son of David? 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
43 until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.’[f]
44 Since David called the Messiah ‘Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”
45 Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said, 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. 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.”
Luke 20
Tree of Life Version
20 On one of the days while Yeshua was teaching the people in the Temple and proclaiming the Good News, the ruling kohanim and the Torah scholars, together with the elders, confronted Him. 2 And they spoke, saying to Him, “Tell us by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is the one who gave You this authority?”
3 But answering, Yeshua said to them, “I also will ask you a question, and you tell Me: 4 the immersion of John—was it from heaven or from men?”
5 They reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ then all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John is a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they didn’t know where it came from.
8 And Yeshua said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard,[a] leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey for a long time. 10 And at the season, he sent a servant to the tenants so that they would give him part of the vineyard’s fruit. But the tenants beat him up and sent him away empty-handed. 11 So he proceeded to send another servant. They beat him too and treated him shamefully, and they sent him away empty-handed. 12 And he proceeded to send a third one. They wounded this one too, and they threw him out.
13 “Now the master of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love. Probably they will show him respect.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they discussed the matter among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir! Let’s kill him so the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the master of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
But when they heard this, they said, “May it never happen!”
17 Then Yeshua looked right at them and said, “Then what is this that has been written,
‘The stone which the builders rejected,
this has become the chief cornerstone’?[b]
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be shattered; but the one upon whom it falls, it will crush him.”[c]
19 The Torah scholars and the ruling kohanim tried to grab Him that very hour, because they realized that He spoke this parable against them—but they feared the people.
Silencing the Opposition
20 Now they watched Him and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order to trap Him in His words so they could hand Him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 And they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You tell it straight and You teach it straight. You show no partiality, but teach the way of God according to the truth. 22 Is it permitted for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
23 But carefully considering their treachery, Yeshua said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius.[d] Whose image and inscription does it have?”
And they said, “Caesar’s.”
25 Then He said to them, “Well then, give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26 And they could not trap Him in His words in the presence of the people. Astonished by His answer, they kept silent.
27 Then some of the Sadducees (who deny there is a resurrection) came and questioned Yeshua. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that ‘if a man’s brother dies’ having a wife ‘but no children, then his brother should take the widow and father children for his brother.’ [e] 29 Now there were seven brothers, and the first took a wife and died childless; 30 and the second 31 and the third took her, but in this same way, each of the seven brothers died and left no children. 32 Finally the woman died too. 33 So in the resurrection, whose wife is she? For all seven had married her.
34 Yeshua said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those considered worthy to reach the olam ha-ba and the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 For they can no longer die, because they are like angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But at the burning bush even Moses revealed that the dead are raised, when he calls Adonai ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ [f] 38 Now He is God not of the dead but of the living, for to Him they all are living.”
39 Some of the Torah scholars replied, “Teacher, You have said it well.” 40 For they no longer dared to question Him about anything.
41 Then Yeshua said to them, “How can they say that the Messiah is Ben-David? 42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms,
‘Adonai said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
43 until I make Your enemies a footstool
for Your feet.”’[g]
44 David then calls Him ‘Lord’; so how is He his son?”
45 Then with all the people listening, Yeshua said to the disciples, 46 “Beware of the Torah scholars, who like to walk around in long robes. They love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at feasts. 47 They devour widows’ houses and make long prayers as a show. These men will receive greater condemnation!”
Footnotes
- Luke 20:9 cf. Isa. 5:1-7.
- Luke 20:17 Ps. 118:22 (117:22 LXX).
- Luke 20:18 cf. Isa. 8:14-15; 28:16; Dan. 2:34, 44-45.
- Luke 20:24 A Roman coin.
- Luke 20:29 Deut. 25:5.
- Luke 20:38 cf. Exod. 3:4-6.
- Luke 20:43 Ps. 110:1(109:1 LXX).
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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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.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.