The Life of Jesus

John’s baptism—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me!”

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

But if we say, ‘From men’...” they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John truly was a prophet.

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 harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard.

But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.

Then he sent them another servant, and they struck him over the head and treated him shamefully.

He sent still another, and this one they killed. He sent many others; some they beat and others they killed.

Finally, having one beloved son, he sent him to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

So they seized the son, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.

Have you never read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

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:

“Teacher, 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.

Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children.

Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise.