The Parable of the Two Sons

²⁸ “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my ^(A)vineyard.’ ²⁹ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. ³⁰ Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?”

They said to Him, “The first.”

Jesus said to them, ^(B)“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. ³² For ^(C)John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; ^(D)but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward ^[a]relent and believe him.

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers^(E)

³³ “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner ^(F)who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and ^(G)went into a far country.

² Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. ³ And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

¹¹ Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.

⁵ And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, ^(A)beating some and killing some.

¹³ “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’

³⁸ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ^(A)‘This is the heir. ^(B)Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ ^39 (C)So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

⁴⁰ “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”

^41 (D)They said to Him, ^(E)“He will destroy those wicked men miserably, ^(F)and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will ^[a]render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

¹⁶ He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to ^(A)others.”

And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!”

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

⁴³ “Therefore I say to you, ^(B)the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. ⁴⁴ And ^(C)whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, ^(D)it will grind him to powder.”

⁴⁵ Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they ^[a]perceived that He was speaking of them. ⁴⁶ But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they ^(E)feared the multitudes, because ^(F)they took Him for a prophet.

^12 (A)And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.