The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers(A)

Then He began to tell the people this parable: (B)“A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to [a]vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 20:9 tenant farmers

The Parable of the Tenants(A)

He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard,(B) rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time.(C)

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The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers(A)

33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner (B)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 (C)went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 (D)And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his (E)son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, (F)‘This is the heir. (G)Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 (H)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 (I)They said to Him, (J)“He will destroy those wicked men miserably, (K)and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will [a]render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

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

(L)‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

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

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

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 21:41 give
  2. Matthew 21:45 knew

The Parable of the Tenants(A)

33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted(B) a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower.(C) Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place.(D) 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants(E) to the tenants to collect his fruit.

35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.(F) 36 Then he sent other servants(G) to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir.(H) Come, let’s kill him(I) and take his inheritance.’(J) 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

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

41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,”(K) they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants,(L) who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

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

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’[a]?(M)

43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you(N) and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”[b](O)

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.(P)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 21:42 Psalm 118:22,23
  2. Matthew 21:44 Some manuscripts do not have verse 44.

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers(A)

12 Then (B)He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to [a]vinedressers and went into a far country. 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. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant, [b]and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, (C)beating some and killing some. Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those [c]vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and (D)killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

“Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not even read this Scripture:

(E)‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
11 This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12 (F)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.

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:1 tenant farmers
  2. Mark 12:4 NU omits and at him they threw stones
  3. Mark 12:7 tenant farmers

The Parable of the Tenants(A)

12 Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard.(B) He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all,(C) saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

“But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;(D)
11 the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’[a]?”(E)

12 Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd;(F) so they left him and went away.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:11 Psalm 118:22,23

God’s Disappointing Vineyard

Now let me sing to my Well-beloved
A song of my Beloved (A)regarding His vineyard:

My Well-beloved has a vineyard
[a]On a very fruitful hill.
He dug it up and cleared out its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
He built a tower in its midst,
And also [b]made a winepress in it;
(B)So He expected it to bring forth good grapes,
But it brought forth wild grapes.

“And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
(C)Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.
What more could have been done to My vineyard
That I have not done in (D)it?
Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes,
Did it bring forth wild grapes?
And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:
(E)I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned;
And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
I will lay it (F)waste;
It shall not be pruned or [c]dug,
But there shall come up briers and (G)thorns.
I will also command the clouds
That they rain no rain on it.”

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel,
And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.
He looked for justice, but behold, oppression;
For righteousness, but behold, [d]a cry for help.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 5:1 Lit. In a horn, the son of fatness
  2. Isaiah 5:2 Lit. hewed out
  3. Isaiah 5:6 hoed
  4. Isaiah 5:7 wailing

The Song of the Vineyard

I will sing for the one I love
    a song about his vineyard:(A)
My loved one had a vineyard
    on a fertile hillside.
He dug it up and cleared it of stones
    and planted it with the choicest vines.(B)
He built a watchtower(C) in it
    and cut out a winepress(D) as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
    but it yielded only bad fruit.(E)

“Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
    judge between me and my vineyard.(F)
What more could have been done for my vineyard
    than I have done for it?(G)
When I looked for good grapes,
    why did it yield only bad?(H)
Now I will tell you
    what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge,
    and it will be destroyed;(I)
I will break down its wall,(J)
    and it will be trampled.(K)
I will make it a wasteland,(L)
    neither pruned nor cultivated,
    and briers and thorns(M) will grow there.
I will command the clouds
    not to rain(N) on it.”

The vineyard(O) of the Lord Almighty
    is the nation of Israel,
and the people of Judah
    are the vines he delighted in.
And he looked for justice,(P) but saw bloodshed;
    for righteousness,(Q) but heard cries of distress.(R)

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The True Vine

15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. (A)Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He [a]takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear (B)more fruit. (C)You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. (D)Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much (E)fruit; for without Me you can do (F)nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, (G)he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words (H)abide in you, (I)you[b] will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (J)By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; (K)so you will be My disciples.

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Footnotes

  1. John 15:2 Or lifts up
  2. John 15:7 NU omits you will

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am(A) the true vine,(B) and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,(C) while every branch that does bear fruit(D) he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.(E) Remain in me, as I also remain in you.(F) No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;(G) apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.(H) If you remain in me(I) and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.(J) This is to my Father’s glory,(K) that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.(L)

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Footnotes

  1. John 15:2 The Greek for he prunes also means he cleans.

21 Yet I had (A)planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality.
How then have you turned before Me
Into (B)the degenerate plant of an alien vine?

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21 I had planted(A) you like a choice vine(B)
    of sound and reliable stock.
How then did you turn against me
    into a corrupt,(C) wild vine?

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You have brought (A)a vine out of Egypt;
(B)You have cast out the [a]nations, and planted it.
You prepared room for it,
And caused it to take deep root,
And it filled the land.
10 The hills were covered with its shadow,
And the [b]mighty cedars with its (C)boughs.
11 She sent out her boughs to [c]the Sea,
And her branches to [d]the River.

12 Why have You (D)broken down her [e]hedges,
So that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit?
13 The boar out of the woods uproots it,
And the wild beast of the field devours it.

14 Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts;
(E)Look down from heaven and see,
And visit this vine

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 80:8 Gentiles
  2. Psalm 80:10 Lit. cedars of God
  3. Psalm 80:11 The Mediterranean
  4. Psalm 80:11 The Euphrates
  5. Psalm 80:12 walls or fences

You transplanted a vine(A) from Egypt;
    you drove out(B) the nations and planted(C) it.
You cleared the ground for it,
    and it took root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
    the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 Its branches reached as far as the Sea,[a]
    its shoots as far as the River.[b](D)

12 Why have you broken down its walls(E)
    so that all who pass by pick its grapes?
13 Boars from the forest ravage(F) it,
    and insects from the fields feed on it.
14 Return to us, God Almighty!
    Look down from heaven and see!(G)
Watch over this vine,

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 80:11 Probably the Mediterranean
  2. Psalm 80:11 That is, the Euphrates

12 (A)Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.

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12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.

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The Parable of the Talents(A)

14 (B)“For the kingdom of heaven is (C)like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.

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The Parable of the Bags of Gold(A)

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey,(B) who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.

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(A)I planted, (B)Apollos watered, (C)but God gave the increase. So then (D)neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, (E)and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

For (F)we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are (G)God’s building.

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I planted the seed,(A) Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.(B) For we are co-workers in God’s service;(C) you are God’s field,(D) God’s building.(E)

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(A)“If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between degrees of guilt for bloodshed, between one judgment or another, or between one punishment or another, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the (B)place which the Lord your God chooses. And (C)you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and (D)to the judge there in those days, and inquire of them; (E)they shall pronounce upon you the sentence of judgment. 10 You shall do according to the sentence which they pronounce upon you in that place which the Lord chooses. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they order you. 11 According to the sentence of the law in which they instruct you, according to the judgment which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left from the sentence which they pronounce upon you. 12 Now (F)the man who acts presumptuously and will not heed the priest who stands to minister there before the Lord your God, or the judge, that man shall die. So you shall put away the evil from Israel. 13 (G)And all the people shall hear and fear, and no longer act presumptuously.

Principles Governing Kings

14 “When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, (H)‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you shall surely set a king over you (I)whom the Lord your God chooses; one (J)from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.

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Law Courts

If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge(A)—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults(B)—take them to the place the Lord your God will choose.(C) Go to the Levitical(D) priests and to the judge(E) who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict.(F) 10 You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the Lord will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you to do. 11 Act according to whatever they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left.(G) 12 Anyone who shows contempt(H) for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering(I) there to the Lord your God is to be put to death.(J) You must purge the evil from Israel.(K) 13 All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not be contemptuous again.(L)

The King

14 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession(M) of it and settled in it,(N) and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,”(O) 15 be sure to appoint(P) over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites.(Q) Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite.

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Justice Must Be Administered

18 “You shall appoint (A)judges and officers in all your [a]gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 16:18 towns

Judges

18 Appoint judges(A) and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.(B)

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