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A Story about a Vineyard(A)

33 “Listen to another illustration. A landowner planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, made a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to vineyard workers and went on a trip.

34 “When the grapes were getting ripe, he sent his servants to the workers to collect his share of the produce. 35 The workers took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned a third to death. 36 So the landowner sent more servants. But the workers treated them the same way.

37 “Finally, he sent his son to them. He thought, ‘They will respect my son.’

38 “When the workers saw his son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him and get his inheritance.’ 39 So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

40 “Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those workers?”

41 They answered, “He will destroy those evil people. Then he will lease the vineyard to other workers who will give him his share of the produce when it is ready.”

42 Jesus asked them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
The Lord is responsible for this,
and it is amazing for us to see’?

43 That is why I can guarantee that God’s kingdom will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce what God wants. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken. If the stone falls on anyone, it will crush that person.” [a]

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his illustrations, they knew that he was talking about them. 46 They wanted to arrest him but were afraid of the crowds, who thought he was a prophet.

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Footnotes

  1. 21:44 Some manuscripts and translations omit this verse.

A Story about a Vineyard(A)

Then, using this illustration, Jesus spoke to the people: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to vineyard workers, and went on a long trip.

10 “At the right time he sent a servant to the workers to obtain from them a share of the grapes from the vineyard. But the workers beat the servant and sent him back with nothing. 11 So he sent a different servant. The workers beat him, treated him shamefully, and sent him back with nothing. 12 Then he sent a third servant. But they injured this one and threw him out ⌞of the vineyard⌟.

13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I’ll send my son, whom I love. They’ll probably respect him.’

14 “When the workers saw him, they talked it over among themselves. They said, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

“What will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will destroy these workers and give the vineyard to others.”

Those who heard him said, “That’s unthinkable!”

17 Then Jesus looked straight at them and asked, “What, then, does this Scripture verse mean:

‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’?

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken. If that stone falls on anyone, it will crush that person.”

19 The experts in Moses’ Teachings and the chief priests wanted to arrest him right there, but they were afraid of the people. They knew that he had directed this illustration at them.

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