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:

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.

¹⁷ And if ^(A)some of the branches were broken off, ^(B)and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and ^[a]fatness of the olive tree, ^18 (C)do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ Well said. Because of ^(D)unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. ²² Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, ^[b]goodness, ^(E)if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise ^(F)you also will be cut off. ²³ And they also, ^(G)if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?