Luke 20:9-16

English Standard Version

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

⁹^(A)And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted ^(B)a vineyard and ^(C)let it out to tenants and ^(D)went into another country for a long while. ¹⁰When the time came, he sent a servant^[a] to the tenants, so that ^(E)they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. ^(F)But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ¹¹^(G)And ^(H)he sent another servant. But they also beat and ^(I)treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. ¹²^(J)And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. ¹³Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my ^(K)beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ ¹⁴But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ^(L)‘This is the heir. ^(M)Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ ¹⁵And they ^(N)threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? ¹⁶^(O)He will ^(P)come and destroy those tenants and ^(Q)give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!”