On one of the days while he was teaching the people in the temple and declaring the good news, the chief priests and the scribes with the older men came near, and they spoke up, saying to him: “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” In reply he said to them: “I will also ask YOU a question, and YOU tell me: Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?” Then among themselves they drew conclusions, saying: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why is it YOU did not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ the people one and all will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” So they replied that they did not know its source. And Jesus said to them: “Neither am I telling YOU by what authority I do these things.” Then he started to tell the people this illustration: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to cultivators, and he traveled abroad for considerable time. But in due season he sent out a slave to the cultivators, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. The cultivators, however, sent him away empty, after beating him up. But he repeated and sent them a different slave. That one also they beat up and dishonored and sent away empty. Yet again he sent a third; this one also they wounded and threw out. At this the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son the beloved. Likely they will respect this one.’ When the cultivators caught sight of him they went reasoning with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may become ours.’ With that they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. What, therefore, will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy these cultivators and will give the vineyard to others.” On hearing [this] they said: “Never may that happen!” But he looked upon them and said: “What, then, does this that is written mean, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, this has become the chief cornerstone’? Everyone falling upon that stone will be shattered. As for anyone upon whom it falls, it will pulverize him.” The scribes and the chief priests now sought to get their hands on him in that very hour, but they feared the people; for they perceived that he spoke this illustration with them in mind. And, after observing him closely, they sent out men secretly hired to pretend that they were righteous, in order that they might catch him in speech, so as to turn him over to the government and to the authority of the governor. And they questioned him, saying: “Teacher, we know you speak and teach correctly and show no partiality, but you teach the way of God in line with truth: Is it lawful for us to pay tax to Caesar or not?” But he detected their cunning and said to them: “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They said: “Caesar’s.” He said to them: “By all means, then, pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.” Well, they were not able to catch him in this saying before the people, but, in amazement at his answer, they said nothing. On one of the days while he was teaching the people in the temple and declaring the good news, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came and said to him: “Tell us, by what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority?” He replied to them: “I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?” Then they drew conclusions among themselves, saying: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ the people one and all will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” So they replied that they did not know its source. Jesus said to them: “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things.” Then he began to tell the people this illustration: “A man planted a vineyard and leased it to cultivators, and he traveled abroad for a considerable time. In due season he sent a slave to the cultivators so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. The cultivators, however, sent him away empty-handed, after beating him. But again he sent another slave. That one also they beat and humiliated and sent away empty-handed. Yet again he sent a third; this one also they wounded and threw out. At this the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my son, the beloved. They will likely respect this one.’ When the cultivators caught sight of him, they reasoned with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him so that the inheritance may become ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill these cultivators and will give the vineyard to others.” On hearing this, they said: “Never may that happen!” But he looked straight at them and said: “What, then, does this mean where it is written: ‘The stone that the builders rejected, this has become the chief cornerstone’? Everyone falling on that stone will be shattered. As for anyone on whom it falls, it will crush him.” The scribes and the chief priests then sought to get their hands on him in that very hour, but they feared the people, for they realized that he told this illustration with them in mind. And after observing him closely, they sent men whom they had secretly hired to pretend that they were righteous in order to catch him in his speech, so as to turn him over to the government and to the authority of the governor. And they questioned him, saying: “Teacher, we know you speak and teach correctly and show no partiality, but you teach the way of God in line with truth: Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But he detected their cunning and said to them: “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They said: “Caesar’s.” He said to them: “By all means, then, pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar but God’s things to God.” Well, they were not able to trap him in his speech before the people, but amazed at his answer, they became silent. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. One day as he was teaching the people in the temple area and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, approached him and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Or who is the one who gave you this authority?” He said to them in reply, “I shall ask you a question. Tell me, was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?” They discussed this among themselves, and said, “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ then all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” So they answered that they did not know from where it came. Then Jesus said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.” Then he proceeded to tell the people this parable. “[A] man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and then went on a journey for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenant farmers to receive some of the produce of the vineyard. But they beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed. So he proceeded to send another servant, but him also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed. Then he proceeded to send a third, but this one too they wounded and threw out. The owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I shall send my beloved son; maybe they will respect him.’ But when the tenant farmers saw him they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him that the inheritance may become ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and put those tenant farmers to death and turn over the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they exclaimed, “Let it not be so!” But he looked at them and asked, “What then does this scripture passage mean: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be dashed to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.” The scribes and chief priests sought to lay their hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people, for they knew that he had addressed this parable to them. They watched him closely and sent agents pretending to be righteous who were to trap him in speech, in order to hand him over to the authority and power of the governor. They posed this question to him, “Teacher, we know that what you say and teach is correct, and you show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful for us to pay tribute to Caesar or not?” Recognizing their craftiness he said to them, “Show me a denarius; whose image and name does it bear?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” So he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” They were unable to trap him by something he might say before the people, and so amazed were they at his reply that they fell silent. One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.” Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’ “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!” Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people. Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” He saw through their duplicity and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.