New Testament in a Year
The Question of Jesus’ Authority(A)
20 One day, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up to Him, 2 and said to Him, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Who is he who gave You this authority?”
3 He answered them, “I will also ask you one thing. Answer Me: 4 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?”
5 They debated with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.
8 Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
The Parable of the Vineyard and the Vinedressers(B)
9 He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to vinedressers, and went to a distant country for a long time. 10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the vinedressers so they might give him some fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 Again, he sent another servant. But they beat him also, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 Once again, he sent a third. And they wounded him also and drove him out.
13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him when they see him.’
14 “But when the vinedressers saw him, they debated among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 So they drove him out of the vineyard and killed him.
“What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and kill these vinedressers and will give the vineyard to others.”
When they heard this, they said, “May it not be so!”
17 He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’[a]?
18 Whoever falls on that stone will be broken. But he on whom it falls will be crushed to powder.”[b]
19 The chief priests and the scribes tried to lay their hands on Him that same hour, but they feared the people. For they perceived that He had told this parable against them.
The Question of Paying Taxes(C)
20 They watched Him and sent out spies who pretended to be righteous men, that they might seize Him in His words to hand Him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 So they asked Him, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach rightly. And You do not show partiality, but You truly teach the way of God. 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
23 He perceived their craftiness and said to them, “Why do you test Me? 24 Show Me a denarius.[c] Whose image and inscription does it have?”
They said, “Caesar’s.”
25 He said to them, “Then render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
26 They could not catch Him in His words before the people. And they marveled at His answer and were silent.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.