Luk 20 | BSB | STEP | One day [as Jesus] was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, came up [to Him] .

Luke 20

Jesus' Authority Challenged

1 One day [as Jesus] was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, came up [to Him] . 2 “Tell us,” they said, “by what authority are You doing these things, [and] who gave You this authority?” 3 “I will also ask you a question,” [Jesus] replied. “Tell Me: 4 John’s baptism— was it from heaven, or from men?” 5 They deliberated among themselves [and] said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced [that] John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered [that] they did not know where [it was] from. 8 And Jesus replied, “Neither {will} I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

9 Then He proceeded to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it {out} to [some] tenants, and went away for a long time. 10 At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect [his share] of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat [the servant] [and] sent him away empty-handed. 11 [So] he sent another servant, but they beat [him] and humiliated him, sending [him] away empty-handed. 12 Then he sent a third, but they wounded him [and] threw [him] out. 13 ‘What shall I do?’ asked the owner of the vineyard. ‘I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw [the son] , they discussed it among themselves [and] said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, [and] the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard [and] killed [him] . What then {will} the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.” And [when the people] heard [this] , they said, “vvv May such a thing never happen!” 17 But [Jesus] looked directly at them [and] said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘ [The] stone the builders rejected has become [the] cornerstone’? ^{▼▼Psalm 118:22} 18 Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

Paying Taxes to Caesar

19 [When] the scribes and chief priests realized that [Jesus] had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people. 20 So they watched [Him] closely [and] sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch [Him] in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor. 21 “Teacher,” they inquired, “we know that You speak and teach correctly. You show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 23 But [Jesus] saw through their duplicity [and] said to them, 24 “Show Me a denarius. ^{▼▼A denarius was customarily a day's wage for a laborer (see Matthew 20:2)} Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they answered. 25 So [Jesus] told them, “Give to Caesar what [is] Caesar’s, and to God what [is] God’s.” 26 And they were unable to trap Him in His words before the people; and amazed at His answer, they fell silent.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

27 Then some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to question Him. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies [and] leaves a wife but no children, [the man] is to marry [his brother’s] [widow] and raise up offspring for [him] . 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first [one] married a wife, [but] died childless. 30 Then the second ^{▼▼BYZ and TR include married the widow, and he also died} 31 and the third married [the widow] , and in the same way [all] seven died, leaving no children. 32 And last of all, the woman died. 33 So then, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For [all] seven were married to her.” 34 Jesus answered, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy to share in the age [to come] and in the resurrection from [the] dead {will} neither marry nor be given in marriage. 36 In fact, they can no longer die, because they are like [the] angels. And since they are sons of the resurrection, they are sons of God. 37 Even Moses demonstrates that the dead are raised, [ in the passage ] about the [ burning ] bush. For he calls [the] Lord ‘the God of Abraham, [the] God of Isaac, and [the] God of Jacob.’ ^{▼▼Exodus 3:6} 38 He is not [the] God of [the] dead, but of [the] living, for to Him all are alive.” 39 Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well!” 40 And they did not dare to question Him any [further] .

Whose Son is the Christ?

41 Then [Jesus] declared, “How can it be said that the Christ is [the] Son of David? 42 For David himself says in [the] book of Psalms: ‘ [The] Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand 43 until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’ ^{▼▼Psalm 110:1} 44 So if David calls Him Lord, how can He be [David’s] son?”

Beware of the Scribes

45 In the hearing of all the people, [Jesus] said to His disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love [the] greetings in the marketplaces, [the] chief seats in the synagogues, and [the] places of honor at banquets. 47 [They] defraud widows [of their] houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These [men] will receive greater condemnation.”