Matthew 21:18-22:14
English Standard Version
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
18 (A)In the morning, as he was returning to the city, (B)he became hungry. 19 (C)And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.
20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, (D)“Truly, I say to you, (E)if you have faith and (F)do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, (G)‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And (H)whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, (I)if you have faith.”
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
23 (J)And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him (K)as he was teaching, and said, (L)“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, (M)from where did it come? (N)From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, (O)‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ (P)we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was (Q)a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 (R)“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in (S)the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he (T)changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, (U)the tax collectors and (V)the prostitutes go into (W)the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you (X)in the way of righteousness, and (Y)you did not believe him, but (Z)the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward (AA)change your minds and believe him.
The Parable of the Tenants
33 (AB)“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted (AC)a vineyard (AD)and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and (AE)leased it to tenants, and (AF)went into another country. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants[a] to the tenants (AG)to get his fruit. 35 (AH)And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and (AI)stoned another. 36 (AJ)Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, (AK)‘This is the heir. Come, (AL)let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and (AM)threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 (AN)When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, (AO)“He will put those wretches to a miserable death and (AP)let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, (AQ)“Have you never read in the Scriptures:
(AR)“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;[b]
this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God (AS)will be taken away from you and given to a people (AT)producing its fruits. 44 And (AU)the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and (AV)when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”[c]
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And (AW)although they were seeking to arrest him, (AX)they feared the crowds, because they held him to be (AY)a prophet.
The Parable of the Wedding Feast
22 And again Jesus (AZ)spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 (BA)“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave (BB)a wedding feast for his son, 3 and (BC)sent his servants[d] to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 (BD)Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my (BE)dinner, (BF)my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But (BG)they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, (BH)treated them shamefully, and (BI)killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and (BJ)destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not (BK)worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and (BL)gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there (BM)a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, (BN)‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and (BO)cast him into the outer darkness. In that place (BP)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are (BQ)called, but few are (BR)chosen.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 21:34 Or bondservants; also verses 35, 36
- Matthew 21:42 Greek the head of the corner
- Matthew 21:44 Some manuscripts omit verse 44
- Matthew 22:3 Or bondservants; also verses 4, 6, 8, 10
Matthew 21:18-22:14
New King James Version
The Fig Tree Withered(A)
18 (B)Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 (C)And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree(D)
20 (E)And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, (F)if you have faith and (G)do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, (H)but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And (I)whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Jesus’ Authority Questioned(J)
23 (K)Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and (L)said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The (M)baptism of (N)John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we (O)fear the multitude, (P)for all count John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”
And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my (Q)vineyard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”
They said to Him, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, (R)“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32 For (S)John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; (T)but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward [a]relent and believe him.
The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers(U)
33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner (V)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 (W)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 (X)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 (Y)son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, (Z)‘This is the heir. (AA)Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 (AB)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 (AC)They said to Him, (AD)“He will destroy those wicked men miserably, (AE)and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will [b]render to him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
(AF)‘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, (AG)the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And (AH)whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, (AI)it will grind him to powder.”
45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they [c]perceived that He was speaking of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they (AJ)feared the multitudes, because (AK)they took Him for a prophet.
The Parable of the Wedding Feast(AL)
22 And Jesus answered (AM)and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; (AN)my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them [d]spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out (AO)his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not (AP)worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and (AQ)gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there (AR)who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was (AS)speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, [e]take him away, and cast him (AT)into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 (AU)“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 21:32 regret it
- Matthew 21:41 give
- Matthew 21:45 knew
- Matthew 22:6 insolently
- Matthew 22:13 NU omits take him away, and
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
