Jesus

They deliberated among themselves what they should answer: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.

At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.

Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words.

“Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?”

But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.”

So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.

Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him.

Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him:

Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?

Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

“Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there is no other but Him,

and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, which is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any further.

While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, He asked, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?

Speaking by the Holy Spirit, David himself declared: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’

David himself calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?” And the large crowd listened to Him with delight.

In His teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces,

As Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting money into it. And many rich people put in large amounts.

Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more than all the others into the treasury.

As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look at the magnificent stones and buildings!”

“Do you see all these great buildings?” Jesus replied. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”