Jesus’ Authority Challenged
(Matthew 21:23–27; Mark 11:27–33)

1And it came to pass on one of the days, in His teaching the people in the temple† and proclaiming the gospel, that the chief priests† and the scribes came up with the elders, 2and they spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority You do these things? Or who is the one having given You this authority?”

3And answering, He said to them, “I also will ask you⁺ a word,† and you⁺ tell Me: 4The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

5And they reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we should say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why† did you⁺ not believe him?’ 6But if we should say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John is a prophet.”

7And they answered that they did not know from where.

8And Jesus said to them, “Neither do I tell you⁺ by what authority I do these things.”

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
(Matthew 21:33–46; Mark 12:1–12)

9And He began to speak to the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, and he rented it out to farmers and traveled abroad a long time. 10And in the season, he sent a servant to the farmers, so that they will give to him from the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers sent him away empty-handed, having beaten him.

11And he proceeded to send another servant, but having beaten and having dishonored that one also, they sent him away empty-handed.

12And he proceeded to send a third, and having wounded this one also, they cast him out.

13Then the lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.†’

14And having seen him, the farmers were reasoning with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let us kill† him, so that the inheritance might become ours.’ 15And having cast him out of the vineyard, they killed him.

What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and will destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.”

And having heard it, they said, “Never may it be!”

17But having looked at them, He said, “What then is this that has been written:

‘The stone that those building rejected,

this became into the head of the corner’†?

18Everyone having fallen on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it might fall, it will grind him into powder.”

Paying Taxes to Caesar
(Matthew 22:15–22; Mark 12:13–17)

19And the scribes and the chief priests† sought to lay hands on Him in that hour, and they feared the people.† For they knew that He spoke this parable against them.

20And having closely watched Him, they sent spies, feigning themselves to be righteous, so that they might catch Him in His word, so as to deliver Him to the rule and to the authority of the governor. 21And they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach rightly and do not receive any person, but teach the way of God on the basis of truth. 22Is it lawful for us to give tax to Caesar or not?”

23But having perceived their craftiness, He said to them,† 24“Show Me a denarius.† Whose image and inscription does it have?”

And they said, “Caesar’s.”

25And He said to them, “Therefore give back the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God.”

26And they were not able to catch Him in His saying before the people. And having marveled at His answer, they were silent.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection
(Matthew 22:23–33; Mark 12:18–27)

27And some of the Sadducees, the ones denying there is a resurrection, having come, questioned Him, 28saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us if anyone’s brother should die having a wife, and he should be childless, that his brother should take the wife and should raise up seed for his brother.† 29Therefore there were seven brothers. And the first, having taken a wife, died childless; 30and the second† 31and the third took her; and likewise also the seven did not leave behind children and died. 32Finally the woman also died. 33Therefore in the resurrection, the woman, of which of them does she become wife? For the seven had her as wife.”

34And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35But those having been considered worthy to obtain that which is to the age and the resurrection that is out from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36For neither are they able to die anymore, for they are like angels, and they are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

37But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, as he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob.’† 38Now He is not God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”

39And answering, some of the scribes said, “Teacher, You spoke well!” 40For† no longer did they dare to question Him anything.

Whose Son Is the Christ?
(Matthew 22:41–46; Mark 12:35–37)

41And He said to them, “How do they say the Christ is Son of David? 42For† David himself says in the book of Psalms:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at My right hand

43until I place Your enemies

as a footstool for Your feet.”’†

44David therefore calls Him ‘Lord,’ and how is He his son?”

Beware of the Scribes
(Mark 12:38–40)

45And in all the people's hearing, He said to His disciples,† 46“Beware of the scribes, who are wanting to walk in long robes, and loving greetings in the marketplaces and first seats in the synagogues and first places in the suppers, 47who devour the houses of widows† and pray at great length as a pretext. These will receive more abundant judgment.”

Footnotes:

1 Or the temple courts
1 BYZ the priests
3 BYZ and TR one word
5 TR and GOC Why then
13 BYZ and TR include when they see him.
14 BYZ and TR come, let us kill.
17 Psalm 118:22
19 BYZ and TR chief priests and scribes
19 BYZ does not include the people.
23 BYZ and TR include Why do you test Me?
24 A denarius was customarily a day’s wage for a laborer; see Matthew 20:2.
28 Deuteronomy 25:5
30 BYZ and TR include took her as wife, and he died childless.
37 Exodus 3:6
40 BYZ and TR And
42 BYZ and TR And
43 Psalm 110:1
45 SBL and WH the disciples
47 Or They defraud widows of their houses