7.
And it happened that on one of the days that he was teaching the people in the temple and telling them about the good news, the chief priests and the scribes as well as the elders came upon him. They spoke out saying to him "Tell us by what authority you do these things. Who is the one who has authorised this?" And answering he said to them. "I will ask a word from you. Tell me. The baptism of John. was it from heaven or was it from men?" They debated amongst themselves saying "If we say it was from heaven then he will say "Why then did you not believe him?" And if we say from men, the people will stone us. They were persuaded that John was a prophet." And so they answered that they did not know. And Jesus said to them . "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these
|
things." And he began to tell the people this parable. "There was a man who planted a vineyard. He let it out to husbandmen and went away for a long time. And eventually he sent a slave to the husbandmen so that they would
give him the fruit of the vineyard. But the husbandmen beat him and sent him away empty- handed. He sent another slave. But they also
beat that one and insulted him and sent him away empty-handed. He (the husbandman) sent a third.
But they threw this one out also, wounding him. The owner of the vineyard said. "What can I do? I will send my beloved son.
Perhaps they will have regard for him." But on seeing him the husbandmen debated with one another saying.
"This is the heir. Let us kill him that we may have the inheritance." And
|
throwing him outside the vineyard they killed him. Now what will the owner of the vineyard therefore do to them.? He will come and destroy these husbandman and give the vineyard to others." And hearing this they (the priests etc ) said "May this not be." And he looking at them said "Consider what has been written. "The stone which is rejected by the ones doing the building - this came to be the head cornerstone. And everyone falling on that stone will be broken to pieces. But on whoever it falls, it will crush him to powder." And the scribes and the chief priests wanted to lay their hands on him at that time. But they feared the people. They knew that he had told this parable as something being aimed at them (the priests and scribes and elders).
20:1-19
|
