1 And it happened on one of those days, as He was teaching the people and proclaiming the gospel in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes came up, along with the elders,2 and spoke to Him, saying, Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who is it who gave to you this authority?3 And answering, He said to them, I will also ask you one thing, and you tell me:4 The baptism of John, was it from Heaven, or from men?5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we say, From Heaven, He will say, Then why did you not believe him?6 But if we say, From men, all the people will stone us, for they are being convinced that John was a prophet.7 And they answered, they did not know from where.8 And Jesus said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.9 And He began to speak this parable to the people: A certain man planted a vineyard and let it out to vinedressers. And he left the country for long periods of time. Isa. 5:1, 210 And in season, he sent a slave to the vinedressers, that they might give him the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers sent him away empty, beating him.11 And he again sent another slave. But they also sent that one away empty, beating and insulting him.12 And he again sent a third. But they also threw this one out, wounding him.13 And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Perhaps, having seen this one, they will respect him.14 And having seen him, the vinedressers reasoned with themselves, saying, This is the heir. Come let us kill him so that the inheritance may become ours.15 And throwing him out of the vineyard, they killed him. Therefore, what will the lord of the vineyard do to them?16 He will come and will destroy these vinedressers and will give the vineyard to others. And hearing this, they said, Let it not be!17 And looking at them He said, What then is this which has been written, "The stone that the builders rejected, this one came to be for the Head of the Corner"? Psa. 118:2218 Everyone falling on that Stone will be broken in pieces but on whomever It falls, It will crush him.19 And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on Him in the same hour. And they feared the people, for they knew that He told this parable against them.20 And watching carefully, they sent spies, pretending themselves to be righteous, in order that they might seize upon a word of His, so as to deliver Him to the power and to the authority of the governor.21 And they questioned Him, saying, Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and do not receive a face, but You teach the way of God with truth.22 Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?23 But perceiving their slyness, He said to them, Why do you tempt Me?24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and superscription does it have? And answering, they said, Caesar's.25 And He said to them, Then give back the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God.26 And they were not able to lay hold of His speech before the people. And marveling at His answer, they were silent.27 And some of the Sadducees coming up, those speaking against a resurrection, that it was not to be, they questioned Him,28 saying, Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If anyone's brother dies having a wife, and this one should die childless, that his brother should take the wife and raise up seed to his brother. Deut. 25:529 Then there were seven brothers. And having taken a wife, the first died childless.30 And the second took the wife, and this one died childless.31 And the third took her, and likewise also the seven did not leave children, and died.32 And last of all the woman died.33 Then in the resurrection, of which of them does she become wife? For the seven had her as wife.34 And answering, Jesus said to them, The sons of this world marry and are given in marriage.35 But those counted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage.36 For they are not able to die any more; they are equal to angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses pointed out at the Bush, when he calls the Lord "the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Ex. 3:638 But He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to Him.39 And answering, some of the scribes said, Teacher, you speak well.40 And they did not dare to question Him any more, not a thing.41 And He said to them, How do they say the Christ is David's son?42 Even David himself said in the Book of Psalms, "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand43 until I place the ones hostile to You as a footstool of Your feet." LXX-Psa. 109:1; MT-Psa. 110:144 Then David calls Him Lord. And how is He his son?45 And as all the people were listening, He said to His disciples,46 Beware of the scribes, those desiring to walk about in long robes, and liking greetings in the markets, and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief couches in the suppers,47 who devour the houses of the widows, and under pretense pray long. These will receive a more severe judgment.