Matthew 21:23-46

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

23 aAnd when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him bas he was teaching, and said, cBy what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25The baptism of John, dfrom where did it come? eFrom heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, fWhy then did you not believe him?’ 26But if we say, ‘From man,’ gwe are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was ha prophet.” 27So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

28 iWhat do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in jthe vineyard today.’ 29And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he kchanged his mind and went. 30And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, Truly, I say to you, lthe tax collectors and mthe prostitutes go into nthe kingdom of God before you. 32For John came to you oin the way of righteousness, and pyou did not believe him, but qthe tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward rchange your minds and believe him.

The Parable of the Tenants

33 sHear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted ta vineyard uand put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and vleased it to tenants, and wwent into another country. 34When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants
Greek bondservants; also verses 35, 36
to the tenants yto get his fruit.
35 zAnd the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and aastoned another. 36 abAgain he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, acThis is the heir. Come, adlet us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39And they took him and aethrew him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 afWhen therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41They said to him, ag“He will put those wretches to a miserable death and ahlet out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

42Jesus said to them, ai“Have you never read in the Scriptures:

aj“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
Greek  the head of the corner

this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God alwill be taken away from you and given to a people amproducing its fruits. 44And anthe one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and aowhen it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
Some manuscripts omit verse 44


45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46And aqalthough they were seeking to arrest him, arthey feared the crowds, because they held him to be asa prophet.

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