Jesus’ Authority Challenged (Matthew 21:23–27; Mark 11:27–33)
1 DBY And it came to pass on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and announcing the glad tidings, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up, BSB BSB: One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, came up to Him.
2 DBY and spoke to him saying, Tell us by what authority thou doest these things, or who is it who has given thee this authority? BSB BSB: “Tell us,” they said, “by what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”
3 DBY And he answering said to them, I also will ask you one thing, and tell me: BSB BSB: “I will also ask you a question,” Jesus replied. “Tell Me:
4 DBY The baptism of John, was it of heaven or of men? BSB BSB: John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?”
5 DBY And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we should say, Of heaven, he will say, Why have ye not believed him? BSB BSB: They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why did you not believe him?’
6 DBY but if we should say, Of men, the whole people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet. BSB BSB: But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”
7 DBY And they answered, they did not know whence. BSB BSB: So they answered that they did not know where it was from.
8 DBY And Jesus said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. BSB BSB: And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Matthew 21:33–46; Mark 12:1–12)
9 DBY And he began to speak to the people this parable: A man planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen, and left the country for a long time. BSB BSB: Then He proceeded to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenants, and went away for a long time.
10 DBY And in the season he sent to the husbandmen a bondman, that they might give to him of the fruit of the vineyard; but the husbandmen, having beaten him, sent him away empty. BSB BSB: At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed.
11 DBY And again he sent another bondman; but they, having beaten him also, and cast insult upon him, sent him away empty. BSB BSB: So he sent another servant, but they beat him and treated him shamefully, sending him away empty-handed.
12 DBY And again he sent a third; and they, having wounded him also, cast him out. BSB BSB: Then he sent a third, but they wounded him and threw him out.
13 DBY And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: perhaps when they see him they will respect him . BSB BSB: ‘What shall I do?’ asked the owner of the vineyard. ‘I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him.’
14 DBY But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may become ours. BSB BSB: But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
15 DBY And having cast him forth out of the vineyard, they killed him . What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do to them? BSB BSB: So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16 DBY He will come and destroy those husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it they said, May it never be! BSB BSB: He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” And when the people heard this, they said, “May such a thing never happen!”
17 DBY But he looking at them said, What then is this that is written, The stone which they that builded rejected, this has become the corner-stone? BSB BSB: But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?
18 DBY Every one falling on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder. BSB BSB: Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
Paying Taxes to Caesar (Matthew 22:15–22; Mark 12:13–17)
19 DBY And the chief priests and the scribes sought the same hour to lay hands on him, and they feared the people; for they knew that he had spoken this parable of them. BSB BSB: When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.
20 DBY And having watched him , they sent out suborned persons, pretending to be just men, that they might take hold of him in his language, so that they might deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor. BSB BSB: So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.
21 DBY And they asked him saying, Teacher, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest no man's person, but teachest with truth the way of God: BSB BSB: “Teacher,” they inquired, “we know that You speak and teach correctly. You show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
22 DBY Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not? BSB BSB: Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23 DBY But perceiving their deceit he said to them, Why do ye tempt me? BSB BSB: But Jesus saw through their duplicity and said to them,
24 DBY Shew me a denarius. Whose image and superscription has it? And answering they said, Caesar's. BSB BSB: “Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.
25 DBY And he said to them, Pay therefore what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God. BSB BSB: So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
26 DBY And they were not able to take hold of him in his expressions before the people, and, wondering at his answer, they were silent. BSB BSB: And they were unable to trap Him in His words before the people. And amazed at His answer, they fell silent.
The Sadducees and the Resurrection (Matthew 22:23–33; Mark 12:18–27)
27 DBY And some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is any resurrection, coming up to him , BSB BSB: Then some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to question Him.
28 DBY demanded of him saying, Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If any one's brother, who has a wife, die, and he die childless, his brother shall take the wife and raise up seed to his brother. BSB BSB: “Teacher,” they said, “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.
29 DBY There were then seven brethren: and the first, having taken a wife, died childless; BSB BSB: Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a wife but died childless.
30 DBY and the second took the woman, and he died childless ; BSB BSB: Then the second
31 DBY and the third took her: and in like manner also the seven left no children and died; BSB BSB: and the third married the widow, and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children.
32 DBY and last of all the woman also died. BSB BSB: And last of all, the woman died.
33 DBY In the resurrection therefore of which of them does she become wife, for the seven had her as wife? BSB BSB: So then, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her.”
34 DBY And Jesus said to them, The sons of this world marry and are given in marriage, BSB BSB: Jesus answered, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.
35 DBY but they who are counted worthy to have part in that world, and the resurrection from among the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; BSB BSB: But those who are considered worthy to share in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.
36 DBY for neither can they die any more, for they are equal to angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. BSB BSB: In fact, they can no longer die, because they are like the angels. And since they are sons of the resurrection, they are sons of God.
37 DBY But that the dead rise, even Moses shewed in the section of the bush, when he called the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob; BSB BSB: Even Moses demonstrates that the dead are raised, in the passage about the burning bush. For he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
38 DBY but he is not God of the dead but of the living; for all live for him. BSB BSB: He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.”
39 DBY And some of the scribes answering said, Teacher, thou hast well spoken. BSB BSB: Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, You have spoken well!”
40 DBY For they did not dare any more to ask him anything. BSB BSB: And they did not dare to question Him any further.
Whose Son Is the Christ? (Matthew 22:41–46; Mark 12:35–37)
41 DBY And he said to them, How do they say that the Christ is David's son, BSB BSB: Then Jesus declared, “How can it be said that the Christ is the Son of David?
42 DBY and David himself says in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand BSB BSB: For David himself says in the book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand
43 DBY until I put thine enemies as footstool of thy feet? BSB BSB: until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’
44 DBY David therefore calls him Lord, and how is he his son? BSB BSB: Thus David calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?”
Beware of the Scribes (Mark 12:38–40)
45 DBY And, as all the people were listening, he said to his disciples, BSB BSB: In the hearing of all the people, Jesus said to His disciples,
46 DBY Beware of the scribes, who like to walk about in long robes, and who love salutations in the market-places, and first seats in the synagogues, and first places at suppers; BSB BSB: “Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.
47 DBY who devour the houses of widows, and as a pretext make long prayers. These shall receive a severer judgment. BSB BSB: They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.