Luke 20
English Standard Version
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
20 (A)One day, (B)as Jesus[a] was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, (C)the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up 2 and said to him, “Tell us (D)by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” 3 He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, 4 was the baptism of John (E)from heaven or from man?” 5 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, (F)‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was (G)a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
9 (H)And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted (I)a vineyard and (J)let it out to tenants and (K)went into another country for a long while. 10 When the time came, he sent a servant[b] to the tenants, so that (L)they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. (M)But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 (N)And (O)he sent another servant. But they also beat and (P)treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 (Q)And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. 13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my (R)beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, (S)‘This is the heir. (T)Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 And they (U)threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 (V)He will (W)come and destroy those tenants and (X)give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” 17 But he (Y)looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
18 (AA)Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls (AB)on anyone, it will crush him.”
Paying Taxes to Caesar
19 (AC)The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. 20 (AD)So they (AE)watched him and sent spies, who (AF)pretended to be sincere, that they might (AG)catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of (AH)the governor. 21 So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and (AI)show no partiality,[d] but truly teach (AJ)the way of God. 22 Is it lawful for us to give (AK)tribute to (AL)Caesar, or not?” 23 But he perceived their (AM)craftiness, and said to them, 24 “Show me (AN)a denarius.[e] Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar's.” 25 He said to them, “Then (AO)render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 26 And they were not able in the presence of the people (AP)to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.
Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection
27 There came to him (AQ)some Sadducees, (AR)those who deny that there is a resurrection, 28 and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us (AS)that if a man's brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man[f] must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second 31 and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.”
34 And Jesus said to them, (AT)“The sons of this age (AU)marry and (AV)are given in marriage, 35 but those who are (AW)considered worthy to attain to (AX)that age and to the resurrection from the dead (AY)neither marry (AZ)nor are given in marriage, 36 for (BA)they cannot die anymore, because they are (BB)equal to angels and (BC)are (BD)sons of God, being (BE)sons[g] of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, (BF)even Moses showed, in (BG)the passage about the bush, where he calls (BH)the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all (BI)live to him.” 39 Then some of the scribes (BJ)answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” 40 For (BK)they no longer dared to ask him any question.
Whose Son Is the Christ?
41 (BL)But he said to them, “How can they say that (BM)the Christ is (BN)David's son? 42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms,
(BO)“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
43 until I make your enemies (BP)your footstool.”’
44 David thus calls him Lord, so (BQ)how is he his son?”
Beware of the Scribes
45 (BR)And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and (BS)the places of honor at feasts, 47 (BT)who devour widows' houses and (BU)for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
Footnotes
- Luke 20:1 Greek he
- Luke 20:10 Or bondservant; also verse 11
- Luke 20:17 Greek the head of the corner
- Luke 20:21 Greek and do not receive a face
- Luke 20:24 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
- Luke 20:28 Greek his brother
- Luke 20:36 Greek huioi; see Preface
Luke 20
Wycliffe Bible
20 And it was done in one of the days, when he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the princes of priests and [the] scribes came together with the elder men;
2 and they said to him, [saying,] Say to us, in what power thou doest these things, or who is he that gave to thee this power?
3 And Jesus answered, and said to them, And I shall ask you one word; answer ye to me. [Forsooth Jesus answering said to them, I shall ask you one word; answer ye to me.]
4 Was the baptism of John of heaven, or of men?
5 And they thought within themselves, saying, For if we [shall] say, Of heaven, he shall say, Why then believe ye not to him?
6 and if we say, Of men, all the people shall stone us; for they be certain, that John is a prophet.
7 And they answered, that they knew not, of whence it was.
8 And Jesus said to them, Neither I say to you, in what power I do these things.
9 And he began to say to the people this parable. A man planted a vineyard [Some man planted a vineyard], and hired it to tillers; and he was gone in pilgrimage long time.
10 And in the time of gathering of grapes, he sent a servant to the tillers, that they should give to him of the fruit of the vineyard; which beat him, and let him go void.
11 And he thought yet to send another servant; and [also] they beat this, and tormented him sore, and let him go void.
12 And he thought yet to send the third, and him also they wounded, and casted [cast] him out.
13 And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I shall send my dear-worthy son; peradventure, when they see him, they shall dread [they shall be ashamed].
14 And when the tillers saw him, they thought within themselves, and said [saying], This is the heir, slay we him, that the heritage be [made] ours.
15 And they casted [cast] him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What shall then the lord of the vineyard do to them [What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do to them]?
16 He shall come, and destroy these tillers [and lose these tillers], and [he shall] give the vineyard to others. And when this thing was heard, they said to him, God forbid [Far be it].
17 But he beheld them, and said, What then is this that is written, The stone which men building reproved, this is made into the head of the corner?
18 Each that shall fall on that stone, shall be bruised, but on whom it shall fall, it shall break him all to pieces.[a]
19 And the princes of priests, and [the] scribes, sought to lay on him hands in that hour [sought to lay hands on him in that hour], and they dreaded the people; for they knew that to them he said this likeness.
20 And they espied, and sent spies, that feigned them[selves] just [which feigned themselves just], that they should take him in word, and betake him to the power of the prince, and to the power of the justice.
21 And they asked him, and said, Master, we know, that rightly thou sayest and teachest [And they asked him, saying, Master, we know, that thou sayest and teachest rightly]; and thou takest not the person of man, but thou teachest in truth the way of God.
22 Is it leaveful to us to give tribute to the emperor, or nay? [Is it leaveful to us for to give tribute to Caesar, or nay?]
23 And he beheld the deceit of them, and said to them, What tempt ye me?
24 Show ye to me a penny; whose image and superscription hath it? They answered, and said to him, The emperor's [They answering said to him, Caesar's].
25 And he said to them, Yield ye therefore to the emperor those things that be the emperor's [Yield ye therefore to Caesar those things that be Caesar's], and those things that be of God, to God.
26 And they might not reprove his word before the people; and they wondered in his answer, and held peace.
27 Some of the Sadducees, that denied the again-rising from death to life [that deny resurrection for to be], came, and asked him,
28 and said, Master, Moses wrote to us, if the brother of any man have a wife, and he be dead, and he was without heirs [saying, Master, Moses wrote to us, if the brother of any man having a wife died, and he was without free children], that his brother take his wife, and raise seed to his brother.
29 And so there were seven brethren. The first took a wife, and is dead without heirs; [There were therefore seven brethren. The first took a wife, and is dead, without free children;]
30 and the brother following took her [and the second took her], and he is dead without son;
31 and the third took her; also and all seven, and they left not seed [and left no seed], but be dead;
32 and the last of all the woman is dead. [the last of all and the woman is dead.]
33 Therefore in the rising again, whose wife of them shall she be? for seven had her to wife.
34 And Jesus said to them, Sons of this world wed, and be given to weddings;
35 but they that shall be had worthy of that world, and of the rising again from death [forsooth they that shall be worthy to that world, and rising again from dead men], neither be wedded, nor wed wives,
36 neither they shall be able to die more; for they be even with angels, and be the sons of God, since they be the sons of the rising again from death [since they be the sons of rising again].
37 And that dead men rise again, also Moses showed beside the bush, as he saith, The Lord God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob.
38 And God is not of dead men [Forsooth God is not of dead men], but of living men; for all men live to him.
39 And some of the scribes answering, said, Master, thou hast well-said.
40 And they durst no more ask him any thing.
41 But he said to them, How say men, Christ to be the son of David [How say men, 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 half,
43 till I put thine enemies a stool of thy feet?
44 Therefore David calleth him Lord, and how is he his son?
45 And in hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples,
46 Be ye ware of the scribes, that will wander in stoles, and love salutations in the market [and love salutations in the markets], and the first chairs in the synagogues, and the first sitting places in [the] feasts;
47 that devour the houses of widows, and feign long praying; these shall take the more damnation. [which devour the houses of widows, feigning long prayer; these shall take more damnation.]
Footnotes
- Luke 20:18 Each that shall fall upon that stone, shall be scattered, or broken; forsooth on whom it shall fall, it shall break him into small parts.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
2001 by Terence P. Noble