Luke 20

¹ On one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, the priests and scribes came to him with the elders.

² They asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?”

³ He answered them, “I also will ask you one question. Tell me:

⁴ the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?”

⁵ They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’

⁶ But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

⁷ They answered that they didn’t know where it was from.

⁸ Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

⁹ He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time.

¹⁰ At the proper season, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat him and sent him away empty.

¹¹ He sent yet another servant, and they also beat him and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.

¹² He sent yet a third, and they also wounded him and threw him out.

¹³ The lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that seeing him, they will respect him.’

¹⁴ “But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’

¹⁵ Then they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?

¹⁶ He will come and destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard that, they said, “May that never be!”

¹⁷ But he looked at them and said, “Then what is this that is written, ‘The stone which the builders rejected was made the chief cornerstone’? CCC

¹⁸ Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush whomever it falls on to dust.” CCC

¹⁹ The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people – for they knew he had spoken this parable against them.

²⁰ They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.

²¹ They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God.

²² Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

²³ But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test me?

²⁴ Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.”

²⁵ He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

²⁶ They weren’t able to trap him in his words before the people. They marveled at his answer and were silent.

²⁷ Some of the Sadducees came to him, those who deny that there is a resurrection.

²⁸ They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife and raise up children for his brother.

²⁹ There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless.

³⁰ The second took her as wife, and he died childless.

³¹ The third took her, and likewise the seven all left no children, and died.

³² Afterward the woman also died.

³³ Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife.”

³⁴ Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and are given in marriage.

³⁵ But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Fathers

³⁶ For they can’t die any more, for they are like the angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. CCC

³⁷ But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

³⁸ Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.” 1

³⁹ Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you speak well.” CCC

⁴⁰ They didn’t dare to ask him any more questions.

⁴¹ He said to them, “Why do they say that the Christ is David’s son?

⁴² 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 the footstool of your feet.”’

⁴⁴ “David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”

⁴⁵ In the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples,

⁴⁶ “Beware of those scribes who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts;

⁴⁷ who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

¹ AAnd it came to pass that on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, with the ancients, met together,

² And spoke to him, saying: Tell us, by what authority dost thou these things? Or, who is he that hath given thee this authority?

³ And Jesus answering, said to them: I will also ask you one thing. Answer me:

⁴ The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

⁵ But they thought within themselves, saying: If we shall say, From heaven: he will say: Why then did you not believe in him?

⁶ But if we say, of men: the whole people will stone us. For they are persuaded that John was a prophet.

⁷ And they answered that they knew not whence it was.

⁸ And Jesus said to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

⁹ And he began to speak to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen: and he was abroad for a long time.

¹⁰ And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard. Who, beating him, sent him away empty.

¹¹ And again he sent another servant. But they beat him also and, treating him reproachfully, sent him away empty.

¹² And again he sent the third: and they wounded him also and cast him out.

¹³ Then the lord of the vineyard said: What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be, when they see him, they will reverence him.

¹⁴ Whom, when the husbandmen saw, they thought within themselves, saying: This is the heir. Let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

¹⁵ So casting him out of the vineyard, they killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?

¹⁶ He will come and will destroy these husbandmen and will give the vineyard to others. Which they hearing, said to him: God forbid.

¹⁷ But he looking on them, said: What is this then that is written, The stone, which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? CCC

¹⁸ Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be bruised: and upon whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. CCC

¹⁹ And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him the same hour: but they feared the people, for they knew that he spoke this parable to them.

²⁰ And being upon the watch, they sent spies, who should feign themselves just, that they might take hold of him in his words, that they might deliver him up to the authority and power of the governor.

²¹ And they asked him, saying: Master, we know that thou speakest and teachest rightly: and thou dost not respect any person, but teachest the way of God in truth.

²² Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or no?

²³ But he, considering their guile, said to them: Why tempt you me?

²⁴ Shew me a penny. Whose image and inscription hath it? They answering, said to him: Caesar’s.

²⁵ And he said to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things, that are Caesar’s: and to God the things that are God’s.

²⁶ And they could not reprehend his word before the people: and wondering at his answer, they held their peace.

²⁷ And there came to him some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is any resurrection: and they asked him,

²⁸ Saying: Master, Moses wrote unto us: If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he leave no children, that his brother should take her to wife and raise up seed unto his brother.

²⁹ There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife and died without children.

³⁰ And the next took her to wife: and he also died childless.

³¹ And the third took her. And in like manner, all the seven: and they left no children and died.

³² Last of all the woman died also.

³³ In the resurrection therefore, whose wife of them shall she be? For all the seven had her to wife.

³⁴ And Jesus said to them: The children of this world marry and are given in marriage:

³⁵ But they that shall be accounted worthy of that world and of the resurrection from the dead shall neither be married nor take wives. Fathers

³⁶ Neither can they die any more for they are equal to the angels and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. CCC

³⁷ Now that the dead rise again, Moses also shewed at the bush, when he called the Lord: The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.

³⁸ For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live to him. 1

³⁹ And some of the scribes answering, said to him: Master, thou hast said well. CCC

⁴⁰ And after that they durst not ask him any more questions.

⁴¹ But he said to them: How say they that Christ is the son of David?

⁴² And David himself saith in the book of Psalms: The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand,

⁴³ Till I make thy enemies thy footstool.

⁴⁴ David then calleth him Lord. And how is he his son?

⁴⁵ And in the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples:

⁴⁶ Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes and love salutations in the market place and the first chairs in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts:

⁴⁷ Who devour the houses of widows, feigning long prayer. These shall receive greater damnation.