Luke 20

Controversy over authority

1 On one of the days when Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests, legal experts, and elders approached him.

2 They said, "Tell us: What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority?"
3 He replied, "I have a question for you. Tell me:

4 Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?"
5 They discussed among themselves, "If we say, ‘It’s of heavenly origin,’ he’ll say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’6 But if we say, ‘It’s of human origin,’ all the people will stone us to death because they are convinced that John was a prophet."

7 They answered that they didn’t know where it came from.

8 Then Jesus replied, "Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things."

Parable of the tenant farmers

9 Jesus told the people this parable. "A certain man planted a vineyard, rented it to tenant farmers, and went on a trip for a long time.10 When it was time, he sent a servant to collect from the tenants his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants sent him away, beaten and empty-handed.11 The man sent another servant. But they beat him, treated him disgracefully, and sent him away empty-handed as well.12 He sent a third servant. They wounded this servant and threw him out.13 The owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I’ll send my son, whom I love dearly. Perhaps they will respect him.’14 But when they saw him, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him so the inheritance will be ours.’15 They threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others."
When the people heard this, they said, "May this never happen!"
17 Staring at them, Jesus said, "Then what is the meaning of this text of scripture, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone? t18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be crushed. And the stone will crush the person it falls on."

19 The legal experts and chief priests wanted to arrest him right then because they knew he had told this parable against them. But they feared the people.

An attempt to trap Jesus

20 The legal experts and chief priests were watching Jesus closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They wanted to trap him in his words so they could hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor.21 They asked him, "Teacher, we know that you are correct in what you say and teach. You don’t show favoritism but teach God’s way as it really is.

22 Does the Law allow people to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

23 Since Jesus recognized their deception, he said to them, "Caesar’s," they replied.

24 "Show me a coin.t Whose image and inscription does it have on it?"
25 He said to them, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

26 They couldn’t trap him in his words in front of the people. Astonished by his answer, they were speechless.

Question about the resurrection

27 Some Sadducees, who deny that there’s a resurrection, came to Jesus and asked,28 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a widow but no children, the brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his brother .t29 Now there were seven brothers. The first man married a woman and then died childless.30 The second31 and then the third brother married her. Eventually all seven married her, and they all died without leaving any children.32 Finally, the woman died too.

33 In the resurrection, whose wife will she be? All seven were married to her."
34 Jesus said to them, "People who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage.35 But those who are considered worthy to participate in that age, that is, in the age of the resurrection from the dead, won’t marry nor will they be given in marriage.36 They can no longer die, because they are like angels and are God’s children since they share in the resurrection.37 Even Moses demonstrated that the dead are raised—in the passage about the burning bush, when he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob .t

38 He isn’t the God of the dead but of the living. To him they are all alive."
39 Some of the legal experts responded, "Teacher, you have answered well."

40 No one dared to ask him anything else.
41 Jesus said to them, "Why do they say that the Christ is David’s son?42 David himself says in the scroll of Psalms, The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right side 43  until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ t

44 Since David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be David’s son?"

Jesus condemns the legal experts

45 In the presence of all the people, Jesus said to his disciples,46 "Watch out for the legal experts. They like to walk around in long robes. They love being greeted with honor in the markets. They long for the places of honor in the synagogues and at banquets.

47 They are the ones who cheat widows out of their homes, and to show off they say long prayers. They will be judged most harshly."

Luke 20

The Authority of Jesus

1 Now onet day, as Jesust was teaching the people in the temple courtst and proclaimingt the gospel, the chief priests and the experts in the lawt with the elders came ups2 and said to him,t “Tell us: By what authorityt are you doing these things?s Or who it is who gave you this authority?”3 He answered them,t “I will also ask you a question, and you tell me:4 John’s baptisms – was it from heaven or from people?”ts5 Sot they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’6 But if we say, ‘From people,’ all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.”7 Sot they replied that they did not knows where it came from.

8 Thent Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell yous by whose authorityt I do these things.”

The Parable of the Tenants

9 Thent he began to tell the people this parable: “A mans planted a vineyard,s leased it to tenant farmers,s and went on a journey for a long time.10 When harvest time came, he sent a slaves to the tenants so that they would gives him his portion of the crop.t However, the tenants beat his slavets and sent him away empty-handed.11 Sot he sent another slave. They beat this one too, treated him outrageously, and sent him away empty-handed.s12 Sot he sent still a third. They even wounded this one, and threw him out.13 Thent the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my one dear son;ts perhaps they will respect him.’14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir; let’s kill him so the inheritance will be ours!’15 Sot they threw him out of the vineyard and killeds him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?16 He will come and destroys those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”s When the peoplet heard this, they said, “May this never happen!”s17 But Jesust looked straight at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?ts18 Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces,t and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.”ts

19 Thent the experts in the lawt and the chief priests wanted to arrestt him that very hour, because they realized he had told this parable against them. Butt they were afraid of the people.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

20 Thent they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere.t They wanted to take advantage of what he might sayt so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdictiont of the governor.21 Thust they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly,t and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.s22 Is it rightt for us to pay the tribute taxt to Caesart or not?”23 But Jesust perceived their deceitt and said to them,24 “Show me a denarius.ts Whose imagets and inscription are on it?”t They said, “Caesar’s.”25 Sot he said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”s

26 Thust they were unable in the presence of the people to trapt him with his own words.t And stunnedt by his answer, they fell silent.

Marriage and the Resurrection

27 Now some Sadduceess (who contend that there is no resurrection)s came to him.28 They asked him,t “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no children, that mantmust marrytthe widow and father childrentfor his brother.s29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a womant and died without children.30 The seconds31 and then the third married her, and in this same way all seven died, leaving no children.32 Finally the woman died too.

33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be?s For all seven had married her.”t
34 Sot Jesus said to them, “The people of this aget marry and are given in marriage.35 But those who are regarded as worthy to share int that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.s36 In fact, they can no longer die, because they are equal to angelss and are sons of God, since they aret sonst of the resurrection.37 But even Moses revealed that the dead are raisedt in the passage about the bush,s where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.s38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living,s for all live before him.”t39 Thent some of the experts in the lawt answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well!”s

40 For they did not dare any longer to asks him anything.

The Messiah: David’s Son and Lord

41 Buts he said to them, “How is it that they say that the Christts is David’s son?s

42 For David himself says in the book of Psalms,
‘The Lord said to myslord,
“Sit at my right hand,

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

44 If David then calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?”t

Jesus Warns the Disciples against Pride

45 Ast all the people were listening, Jesust said to his disciples,46 “Bewaret of the experts in the law.t Theyt like walking around in long robes, and they love elaborate greetingss in the marketplaces and the best seatss in the synagoguess and the places of honor at banquets.

47 Theyt devours widows’ property,t and as a show make long prayers. They will receive a more severe punishment.”