Parable of the Landowner

³³ “Listen to another parable. ^(A)There was a ^[a]landowner who ^(B)planted a ^(C)vineyard and put a ^[b]fence around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and he leased it to ^[c]vine-growers and ^(D)went on a journey. ³⁴ And when the ^[d]harvest time approached, he ^(E)sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his fruit. ³⁵ And the vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. ³⁶ Again, he ^(F)sent other slaves, more than the first; and they did the same things to them. ³⁷ But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸ But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let’s kill him and take possession of his inheritance!’ ³⁹ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. ⁴⁰ Therefore, when the ^[e]owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” ⁴¹ They *said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and ^(G)lease the vineyard to other vine-growers, who will pay him the fruit in the proper seasons.”

⁴² Jesus *said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,

⁴³ Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a ^[g]people producing its fruit. ⁴⁴ And ^(I)the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and on whomever it falls, it will crush him.”

⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. ⁴⁶ And although they sought to arrest Him, they ^(J)feared the crowds, since they considered Him to be a ^(K)prophet.

Instructions to Those Who Minister

6 ^(A)All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor ^(B)so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be ^[a]spoken against. ² Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are ^(C)brothers or sisters, but must serve them all the more, because those who ^[b]partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. ^(D)Teach and ^[c]preach these principles.

³ If anyone ^(E)advocates a different doctrine and does not ^[d]agree with ^(F)sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine ^(G)conforming to godliness, ⁴ he is ^(H)conceited and understands nothing; but he ^[e]has a sick craving for ^(I)controversial questions and ^(J)disputes about words, from which come envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction between ^(K)people of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who ^(L)suppose that ^[f]godliness is a means of gain. ^6 (M)But godliness actually is a means of ^(N)great gain when accompanied by ^(O)contentment. ⁷ For ^(P)we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it, either. ⁸ If we ^(Q)have food and ^[g]covering, with these we shall be content. ^9 (R)But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and ^(S)a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For ^(T)the love of money is a root of all ^[h]sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have ^(U)wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many ^[i]griefs.

¹¹ But ^(V)flee from these things, you ^(W)man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, ^(X)faith, ^(Y)love, ^[j]perseverance, and gentleness. ^12 (Z)Fight the good fight of ^(AA)faith; ^(AB)take hold of the eternal life ^(AC)to which you were called, and for which you made the good ^(AD)confession in the presence of ^(AE)many witnesses. ^13 (AF)I direct you in the presence of God, who ^[k]gives life to all things, and of ^(AG)Christ Jesus, who testified the ^(AH)good confession ^(AI)before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴ that you keep the commandment without ^[l]fault or reproach until the ^(AJ)appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which He will ^[m]bring about at ^(AK)the proper time—He who is ^(AL)the blessed and ^(AM)only Sovereign, ^(AN)the King of ^[n]kings and ^(AO)Lord of ^[o]lords, ^16 (AP)who alone possesses immortality and ^(AQ)dwells in unapproachable light, ^(AR)whom ^[p]no one has seen or can see. ^(AS)To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

Instructions to Those Who Minister

6 ^(A)All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor ^(B)so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be ^[a]spoken against. ² Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are ^(C)brothers or sisters, but must serve them all the more, because those who ^[b]partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. ^(D)Teach and ^[c]preach these principles.

³ If anyone ^(E)advocates a different doctrine and does not ^[d]agree with ^(F)sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine ^(G)conforming to godliness, ⁴ he is ^(H)conceited and understands nothing; but he ^[e]has a sick craving for ^(I)controversial questions and ^(J)disputes about words, from which come envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction between ^(K)people of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who ^(L)suppose that ^[f]godliness is a means of gain. ^6 (M)But godliness actually is a means of ^(N)great gain when accompanied by ^(O)contentment. ⁷ For ^(P)we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it, either. ⁸ If we ^(Q)have food and ^[g]covering, with these we shall be content. ^9 (R)But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and ^(S)a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For ^(T)the love of money is a root of all ^[h]sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have ^(U)wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many ^[i]griefs.

¹¹ But ^(V)flee from these things, you ^(W)man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, ^(X)faith, ^(Y)love, ^[j]perseverance, and gentleness. ^12 (Z)Fight the good fight of ^(AA)faith; ^(AB)take hold of the eternal life ^(AC)to which you were called, and for which you made the good ^(AD)confession in the presence of ^(AE)many witnesses. ^13 (AF)I direct you in the presence of God, who ^[k]gives life to all things, and of ^(AG)Christ Jesus, who testified the ^(AH)good confession ^(AI)before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴ that you keep the commandment without ^[l]fault or reproach until the ^(AJ)appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which He will ^[m]bring about at ^(AK)the proper time—He who is ^(AL)the blessed and ^(AM)only Sovereign, ^(AN)the King of ^[n]kings and ^(AO)Lord of ^[o]lords, ^16 (AP)who alone possesses immortality and ^(AQ)dwells in unapproachable light, ^(AR)whom ^[p]no one has seen or can see. ^(AS)To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.