The Life of Jesus

the baptism of John--from heaven was it? or from men? answer me.'

And they were reasoning with themselves, saying, `If we may say, From heaven, he will say, Wherefore, then, did ye not believe him?

But if we may say, From men,' --they were fearing the people, for all were holding John that he was indeed a prophet;

and answering they say to Jesus, `We have not known;' and Jesus answering saith to them, `Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.'

And he began to speak to them in similes: `A man planted a vineyard, and put a hedge around, and digged an under-wine-vat, and built a tower, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad;

and he sent unto the husbandmen at the due time a servant, that from the husbandmen he may receive from the fruit of the vineyard,

and they, having taken him, did severely beat him , and did send him away empty.

`And again he sent unto them another servant, and at that one having cast stones, they wounded him in the head, and sent away--dishonoured.

`And again he sent another, and that one they killed; and many others, some beating, and some killing.

`Having yet therefore one son--his beloved--he sent also him unto them last, saying--They will reverence my son;

and those husbandmen said among themselves--This is the heir, come, we may kill him, and ours shall be the inheritance;

and having taken him, they did kill, and cast him forth without the vineyard.

`What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others.

And this Writing did ye not read: A stone that the builders rejected, it did become the head of a corner:

from the Lord was this, and it is wonderful in our eyes.'

And they were seeking to lay hold on him, and they feared the multitude, for they knew that against them he spake the simile, and having left him, they went away;

and they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they may ensnare him in discourse,

and they having come, say to him, `Teacher, we have known that thou art true, and thou art not caring for any one, for thou dost not look to the face of men, but in truth the way of God dost teach; is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not? may we give, or may we not give?'

And he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, `Why me do ye tempt? bring me a denary, that I may see;'

and they brought, and he saith to them, `Whose is this image, and the inscription?' and they said to him, `Caesar's;'

and Jesus answering said to them, `Give back the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God;' and they did wonder at him.

And the Sadducees come unto him, who say there is not a rising again, and they questioned him, saying,

`Teacher, Moses wrote to us, that if any one's brother may die, and may leave a wife, and may leave no children, that his brother may take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.

`There were then seven brothers, and the first took a wife, and dying, he left no seed;

and the second took her, and died, neither left he seed, and the third in like manner,