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- On one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders confronted Him,
- and they spoke, saying to Him, "Tell us by what authority You are doing these things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?"
- Jesus answered and said to them, "I will also ask you a question, and you tell Me:
- "Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?"
- They reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why did you not believe him?'
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- One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, 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 from men?"
- They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?'
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- "But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet."
- So they answered that they did not know where it came from.
- And Jesus said to them, "Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
- And He began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard and rented it out to vine-growers, and went on a journey for a long time.
- "At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, so that they would give him some of the produce of the vineyard; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
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- But if we say, 'From men,' 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.
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- "And he proceeded to send another slave; and they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him away empty-handed.
- "And he proceeded to send a third; and this one also they wounded and cast out.
- "The owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.'
- "But when the vine-growers saw him, they reasoned with one another, saying, 'This is the heir; let us kill him so that 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?
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- 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?
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- "He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others " When they heard it, they said, "May it never be!"
- But Jesus looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written: 'THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone'?
- "Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust."
- The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, and they feared the people; for they understood that He spoke this parable against them.
- So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch Him in some statement, so that they could deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor.
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- He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "May this never be!"
- 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 capstone'?
- Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he 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 honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
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- They questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth.
- "Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"
- But He detected their trickery and said to them,
- "Show Me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?" They said, "Caesar's."
- And He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
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- 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 portrait and inscription are on it?"
- "Caesar's," they replied. He said to them, "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
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- And they were unable to catch Him in a saying in the presence of the people; and being amazed at His answer, they became silent.
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- They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
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