Luke 20

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1. 1One day, while Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests, scribes, and elders approached him.
2. 2They demanded, "Tell us — by what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority?"
3. 3He answered them, “I will also ask you one thing. Answer me:
4. 4Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men?
5. 5They debated among themselves, saying, "If we say 'from heaven,' he'll ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?'
6. 6But if we say 'from humans,' the whole crowd will stone us, because they're convinced John was a prophet."
7. 7So they answered that they didn't know where it came from.
8. 8Jesus said to them, "Then I won't tell you by what authority I do these things either."
9. 9He then told the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenant farmers, and left for a distant country for a long time.
10. 10When harvest season came, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect his share of the vineyard's produce. But the farmers beat the servant and sent him away with nothing.
11. 11So the owner sent another servant. They beat him too, humiliated him, and sent him away with nothing.
12. 12He sent a third servant, and they wounded him and threw him out.
13. 13Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What should I do? I'll send my beloved son. Surely they'll respect him.'
14. 14“But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him so that the inheritance may be ours.’”
15. 15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16. 16He will come and destroy those farmers and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "God forbid."
17. 17But Jesus looked straight at them and said, "Then what does this Scripture mean: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'?
18. 18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken, and anyone it falls on will be crushed to powder.
19. 19The chief priests and scribes wanted to arrest him at that very hour, but they were afraid of the people because they realized he had spoken this parable against them.
20. 20They watched him and sent out spies who pretended to be righteous men so they could trap him in his words and hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
21. 21These spies said, "Teacher, we know you speak and teach what is right. You don't show favoritism but truly teach God's way.
22. 22So tell us — is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"
23. 23But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, 'Why do you tempt me?'
24. 24Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?" They answered, "Caesar's."
25. 25He told them, "Then give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God."
26. 26They couldn't trap him with his words in front of the people. Amazed by his answer, they fell silent.
27. 27Then some Sadducees — who deny that there is any resurrection — came to him with a question.
28. 28saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies while having a wife but no children, his brother should take her as his wife and raise up children for his brother.
29. 29Now, there were 7 brothers. The first married a woman and died without children.
30. 30The second brother married her, and he also died without children.
31. 31The third married her, and so on through all 7 — none of them had children, and all of them died.
32. 32Finally, the woman died too.
33. 33So in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? All 7 brothers were married to her."
34. 34Jesus answered, "People in this present age marry and are given in marriage.
35. 35But those who are counted worthy to reach the age to come and the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.
36. 36They can never die again — they are like the angels. They are children of God, because they are children of the resurrection.
37. 37Even Moses showed that the dead are raised. At the burning bush, he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'
38. 38He is not the God of the dead but of the living, because to him everyone is alive."
39. 39Some of the scribes responded, "Teacher, you have spoken well."
40. 40After that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
41. 41Then Jesus asked them, "Why do people say that the Christ is David's son?
42. 42David himself says in the book of Psalms: 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand,
43. 43until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."'
44. 44David calls him 'Lord' — so how can he be David's son?"
45. 45While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples,
46. 46Watch out for the scribes. They love to walk around in long robes, enjoy greetings in the marketplaces, and seek the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets.
47. 47They devour widows' houses and make long prayers for show. They will receive greater damnation.