The Parable of the Tenants

^33 (A)“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted ^(B)a vineyard ^(C)and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and ^(D)leased it to tenants, and ^(E)went into another country.

The Vineyard of the Lord Destroyed

The Parable of the Tenants

12 ^(A)And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted ^(B)a vineyard ^(C)and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and ^(D)leased it to tenants and ^(E)went into another country. ² When the season came, he sent a servant^[a] to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. ^3 (F)And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ^4 (G)Again ^(H)he sent to them another servant, and ^(I)they struck him on the head and ^(J)treated him shamefully. ^5 (K)And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. ⁶ He had still one other, ^(L)a beloved son. ^(M)Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ⁷ But those tenants said to one another, ^(N)‘This is the heir. Come, ^(O)let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ And they took him and killed him and ^(P)threw him out of the vineyard. ⁹ What will the owner of the vineyard do? ^(Q)He will ^(R)come and destroy the tenants and ^(S)give the vineyard to others. ^10 (T)Have you not read ^(U)this Scripture:

¹² And ^(W)they were seeking to arrest him ^(X)but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they ^(Y)left him and went away.

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

^9 (A)And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted ^(B)a vineyard and ^(C)let it out to tenants and ^(D)went into another country for a long while. ¹⁰ When the time came, he sent a servant^[a] to the tenants, so that ^(E)they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. ^(F)But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ^11 (G)And ^(H)he sent another servant. But they also beat and ^(I)treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. ^12 (J)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 ^(K)beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ ¹⁴ But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ^(L)‘This is the heir. ^(M)Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ ¹⁵ And they ^(N)threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? ^16 (O)He will ^(P)come and destroy those tenants and ^(Q)give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” ¹⁷ But he ^(R)looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

^18 (T)Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls ^(U)on anyone, it will crush him.”

Paying Taxes to Caesar

^19 (V)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.

I Am the True Vine

15 “I am the ^(A)true vine, and my Father is ^(B)the vinedresser.

⁴ So shall you know that I have sent ^(A)this command to you, that ^(B)my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. ⁵ My covenant with him was one of life and ^(C)peace, and I gave them to him. ^(D)It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. ^6 (E)True instruction^[a] was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he ^(F)turned many from iniquity. ⁷ For ^(G)the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people^[b] should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. ⁸ But you have turned aside from the way. ^(H)You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted ^(I)the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, ⁹ and so ^(J)I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but ^(K)show partiality in your instruction.”

The Lord Accuses Israel

¹² He said therefore, ^(A)“A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.