Luke 20

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

1One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the 1priests and the scribes came with the elders 2and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are yoʋ doing these things, or who is it that gave yoʋ this authority?” 3He answered them, “I will also ask you one question. Tell me: 4Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven or from men?” 5So they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘2Why did you not believe him?’ 6But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8Then Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

The Parable of the Vineyard Owner

9Then he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to farmers, and left the country for a long time. 10At harvest time he sent a servant to the farmers so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat that servant and sent him away empty-handed. 11So he proceeded to 3send another servant, but they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12Then he proceeded to send a third, but they wounded him as well and threw him out. 13So the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps 4when they see him they will have respect for him.’ 14But when they saw him, the farmers discussed it 5among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. 6Come, let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’ 15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and destroy those farmers and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “Certainly not!” 17But Jesus looked at them and said, “What then is the meaning of this Scripture:

‘The stone the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone’?

18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” 19Then the 7chief priests and the scribes wanted to arrest him at that very hour because they knew he 8had spoken this parable against them, but they were afraid 9of the people.

The Question About Paying Taxes to Caesar

20So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be sincere in order to catch him in something he said, so that they could deliver him up to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. 21The spies asked him, “Teacher, we know that yoʋ speak and teach correctly, and that yoʋ do not show partiality but teach the way of God in truth. 22Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 23But perceiving their craftiness, Jesus said to them, “10Why are you testing me? 24Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They 11answered, “Caesar's.” 25He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 26So they were not able to catch him in what he said in the presence of the people. And being amazed at his answer, they fell silent.

The Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection

27Now some of the Sadducees (who 12deny that there is a resurrection) came up and asked Jesus, 28“Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 29Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died childless. 30The second 13married the widow, and he also died childless. 31Likewise, the third also married her. In the same way all seven died, leaving no children. 3214Last of all, the woman also died. 33In the resurrection, therefore, which of them will she be the wife of? For the seven all had her as a wife.”

34Jesus 15answered them, “The people who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage, 35but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are they given in marriage. 36Indeed they can no longer die, for they are like angels. They are sons of God, since they are sons of the resurrection. 37But even Moses indicated that the dead are raised, when he said in the passage about the burning bush, ‘The Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” 39Then some of the scribes responded, “Teacher, yoʋ have spoken well.” 4016And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

Whose Son Is the Christ?

41Then Jesus said to them, “How can it be said that the Christ is the Son of David? 4217Even David himself says in the Book of Psalms,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at my right hand

43until I make yoʋr enemies a footstool for yoʋr feet.” ’

44David calls him ‘Lord,’ so how is he his son?”

Beware of the Scribes

45As all the people were listening, Jesus said to 18his disciples, 46“Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes and who love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47They devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive a more severe judgment.”