The Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Matthew 21:33–46; Luke 20:9–18)
1 AKJV And he began to speak to them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and dig a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to farmers, and went into a far country. BSB BSB: Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
2 AKJV And at the season he sent to the farmers a servant, that he might receive from the farmers of the fruit of the vineyard. BSB BSB: At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard.
3 AKJV And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. BSB BSB: But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
4 AKJV And again he sent to them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. BSB BSB: Then he sent them another servant, and they struck him over the head and treated him shamefully.
5 AKJV And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. BSB BSB: He sent still another, and this one they killed. He sent many others; some they beat and others they killed.
6 AKJV Having yet therefore one son, his well beloved, he sent him also last to them, saying, They will reverence my son. BSB BSB: Finally, having one beloved son, he sent him to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
7 AKJV But those farmers said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. BSB BSB: But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
8 AKJV And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. BSB BSB: So they seized the son, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 AKJV What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others. BSB BSB: What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.
10 AKJV And have you not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: BSB BSB: Have you never read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
11 AKJV This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? BSB BSB: This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
12 AKJV And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way. BSB BSB: At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.
Paying Taxes to Caesar (Matthew 22:15–22; Luke 20:19–26)
13 AKJV And they send to him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. BSB BSB: Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words.
14 AKJV And when they were come, they say to him, Master, we know that you are true, and care for no man: for you regard not the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? BSB BSB: “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?”
15 AKJV Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why tempt you me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. BSB BSB: But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.”
16 AKJV And they brought it. And he says to them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said to him, Caesar’s. BSB BSB: So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.
17 AKJV And Jesus answering said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marveled at him. BSB BSB: Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him.
The Sadducees and the Resurrection (Matthew 22:23–33; Luke 20:27–40)
18 AKJV Then come to him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, BSB BSB: Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him:
19 AKJV Master, Moses wrote to us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother. BSB BSB: “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.
20 AKJV Now there were seven brothers: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. BSB BSB: Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children.
21 AKJV And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. BSB BSB: Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise.
22 AKJV And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. BSB BSB: In this way, none of the seven left any children. And last of all, the woman died.
23 AKJV In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. BSB BSB: In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her.”
24 AKJV And Jesus answering said to them, Do you not therefore err, because you know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? BSB BSB: Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
25 AKJV For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. BSB BSB: When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.
26 AKJV And as touching the dead, that they rise: have you not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? BSB BSB: But concerning the dead rising, have you not read about the burning bush in the Book of Moses, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 AKJV He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: you therefore do greatly err. BSB BSB: He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”
The Greatest Commandment (Deuteronomy 6:1–19; Matthew 22:34–40)
30 AKJV And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment. BSB BSB: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
31 AKJV And the second is like, namely this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is none other commandment greater than these. BSB BSB: The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
32 AKJV And the scribe said to him, Well, Master, you have said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: BSB BSB: “Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there is no other but Him,
33 AKJV And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. BSB BSB: and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. This is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 AKJV And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that dared ask him any question. BSB BSB: When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any further.
Whose Son Is the Christ? (Matthew 22:41–46; Luke 20:41–44)
35 AKJV And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? BSB BSB: While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, He asked, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?
36 AKJV For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit you on my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool. BSB BSB: Speaking by the Holy Spirit, David himself declared: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’
37 AKJV David therefore himself calls him Lord; and from where is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly. BSB BSB: David himself calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?” And the large crowd listened to Him with delight.
Beware of the Scribes (Luke 20:45–47)
38 AKJV And he said to them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, BSB BSB: In His teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces,
39 AKJV And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: BSB BSB: and to have the chief seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
40 AKJV Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. BSB BSB: They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”
The Widow’s Offering (Luke 21:1–4)
41 AKJV And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. BSB BSB: As Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting money into it. And many rich people put in large amounts.
42 AKJV And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. BSB BSB: Then one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amounted to a small fraction of a denarius.
43 AKJV And he called to him his disciples, and says to them, Truly I say to you, That this poor widow has cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: BSB BSB: Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more than all the others into the treasury.
44 AKJV For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. BSB BSB: For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”