Luke 20
1 ONE DAY as Jesus was instructing the people in the temple [porches] and preaching the good news (the Gospel), the chief priests and the scribes came up with the elders (members of the Sanhedrin)2 And said to Him, Tell us by what [sort of] authority You are doing these things? Or who is it who gave You this authority?3 He replied to them, I will also ask you a question. Now answer Me:4 Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men?5 And they argued and discussed [it] and reasoned together with themselves, saying, If we reply, From heaven, He will say, Why then did you not believe him?6 But if we answer, From men, all the people will stone us to death, for they are long since firmly convinced that John was a prophet.7 So they replied that they did not know from where it came.8 Then Jesus said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.9 Then He began to relate to the people this parable (this story to figuratively portray what He had to say): A man planted a vineyard and leased it to some vinedressers and went into another country for a long stay. 10 When the [right] season came, he sent a bond servant to the tenants, that they might give him [his part] of the fruit of the vineyard; but the tenants beat (thrashed) him and sent him away empty-handed.11 And he sent still another servant; him they also beat (thrashed) and dishonored and insulted him disgracefully and sent him away empty-handed.12 And he sent yet a third; this one they wounded and threw out [of the vineyard].13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it is probable that they will respect him.14 But when the tenants saw him, they argued among themselves, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.15 So they drove him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?16 He will come and [utterly] put an end to those tenants and will give the vineyard to others. When they [the chief priests and the scribes and the elders] heard this, they said, May it never be!17 But [Jesus] looked at them and said, What then is [the meaning of] this that is written: The [very] Stone which the builders rejected has become the chief Stone of the corner [Cornerstone]? 18 Everyone who falls on that Stone will be broken [in pieces]; but upon whomever It falls, It will crush him [winnow him and scatter him as dust]. 19 The scribes and the chief priests desired and tried to find a way to arrest Him at that very hour, but they were afraid of the people; for they discerned that He had related this parable against them.20 So they watched [for an opportunity to ensnare] Him, and sent spies who pretended to be upright (honest and sincere), that they might lay hold of something He might say, so as to turn Him over to the control and authority of the governor.21 They asked Him, Teacher, we know that You speak and teach what is right, and that You show no partiality to anyone but teach the way of God honestly and in truth.22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not?23 But He recognized and understood their cunning and unscrupulousness and said to them,24 Show Me a denarius (a coin)! Whose image and inscription does it have? They answered, Caesar’s.25 He said to them, Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.26 So they could not in the presence of the people take hold of anything He said to turn it against Him; but marveling at His reply, they were silent.27 Also there came to Him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection.28 And they asked Him a question, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote for us [a law] that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife and no children, the man shall take the woman and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died without [having any] children.30 And the second31 And then the third took her, and in like manner all seven, and they died, leaving no children.32 Last of all, the woman died also.33 Now in the resurrection whose wife will the woman be? For the seven married her.34 And Jesus said to them, The people of this world and present age marry and are given in marriage;35 But those who are considered worthy to gain that other world and that future age and to attain to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage;36 For they cannot die again, but they are angel-like and equal to angels. And being sons of and sharers in the resurrection, they are sons of God.37 But that the dead are raised [from death]--even Moses made known and showed in the passage concerning the [burning] bush, where he calls the Lord, The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 Now He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all men are alive [whether in the body or out of it] and they are alive [not dead] unto Him [in definite relationship to Him].39 And some of the scribes replied, Teacher, you have spoken well and expertly [so that there is no room for blame].40 For they did not dare to question Him further.41 But He asked them, How can people say that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is David’s Son?42 For David himself says in [the] Book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand43 Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet. 44 So David calls Him Lord; how then is He his Son?45 And with all the people listening, He said to His disciples,46 Beware of the scribes, who like to walk about in long robes and love to be saluted [with honor] in places where people congregate and love the front and best seats in the synagogues and places of distinction at feasts,47 Who make away with and devour widows’ houses, and [to cover it up] with pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation (the heavier sentence, the severer punishment).
Luke 20
1-2 One day he was teaching the people in the Temple, proclaiming the Message. The high priests, religion scholars, and leaders confronted him and demanded, "Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to speak and act like this?"
3-4 Jesus answered, "First, let me ask you a question: About the baptism of John—who authorized it, heaven or humans?"
5-7 They were on the spot, and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, "If we say 'heaven,' he'll ask us why we didn't believe him; if we say 'humans,' the people will tear us limb from limb, convinced as they are that John was God's prophet." They agreed to concede that round to Jesus and said they didn't know.
8 Jesus said, "Then neither will I answer your question."
The Story of Corrupt Farmhands
9-12 Jesus told another story to the people: "A man planted a vineyard. He handed it over to farmhands and went off on a trip. He was gone a long time. In time he sent a servant back to the farmhands to collect the profits, but they beat him up and sent him off empty-handed. He decided to try again and sent another servant. That one they beat black-and-blue, and sent him off empty-handed. He tried a third time. They worked that servant over from head to foot and dumped him in the street.
13 "Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'I know what I'll do: I'll send my beloved son. They're bound to respect my son.'
14-15 "But when the farmhands saw him coming, they quickly put their heads together. 'This is our chance—this is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all to ourselves.' They killed him and threw him over the fence.
16 "What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? Right. He'll come and clean house. Then he'll assign the care of the vineyard to others."
Those who were listening said, "Oh, no! He'd never do that!"
17-18 But Jesus didn't back down. "Why, then, do you think this was written:
That stone the masons threw out— It's now the cornerstone!? "Anyone falling over that stone will break every bone in his body; if the stone falls on anyone, it will be a total smashup."
19 The religion scholars and high priests wanted to lynch him on the spot, but they were intimidated by public opinion. They knew the story was about them.
Paying Taxes
20-22 Watching for a chance to get him, they sent spies who posed as honest inquirers, hoping to trick him into saying something that would get him in trouble with the law. So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you're honest and straightforward when you teach, that you don't pander to anyone but teach the way of God accurately. Tell us: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
23-24 He knew they were laying for him and said, "Show me a coin. Now, this engraving, who does it look like and what does it say?"
25 "Caesar," they said.
Jesus said, "Then give Caesar what is his and give God what is his."
26 Try as they might, they couldn't trap him into saying anything incriminating. His answer caught them off guard and left them speechless.
All Intimacies Will Be with God
27-33 Some Sadducees came up. This is the Jewish party that denies any possibility of resurrection. They asked, "Teacher, Moses wrote us that if a man dies and leaves a wife but no child, his brother is obligated to take the widow to wife and get her with child. Well, there once were seven brothers. The first took a wife. He died childless. The second married her and died, then the third, and eventually all seven had their turn, but no child. After all that, the wife died. That wife, now—in the resurrection whose wife is she? All seven married her."
34-38 Jesus said, "Marriage is a major preoccupation here, but not there. Those who are included in the resurrection of the dead will no longer be concerned with marriage nor, of course, with death. They will have better things to think about, if you can believe it. All ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God. Even Moses exclaimed about resurrection at the burning bush, saying, 'God: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob!' God isn't the God of dead men, but of the living. To him all are alive."
39-40 Some of the religion scholars said, "Teacher, that's a great answer!" For a while, anyway, no one dared put questions to him.
41-44 Then he put a question to them: "How is it that they say that the Messiah is David's son? In the Book of Psalms, David clearly says,
God said to my Master, "Sit here at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." "David here designates the Messiah as 'my Master'—so how can the Messiah also be his 'son'?"
45-47 With everybody listening, Jesus spoke to his disciples. "Watch out for the religion scholars. They love to walk around in academic gowns, preen in the radiance of public flattery, bask in prominent positions, sit at the head table at every church function. And all the time they are exploiting the weak and helpless. The longer their prayers, the worse they get. But they'll pay for it in the end."