Luke Chapter 20 (NIV)

undefined The Authority of Jesus QuestionedOne day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him.
undefined “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”
undefined He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me,
undefined John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?”
undefined They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
undefined But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
undefined So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”
undefined Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
undefined The Parable of the TenantsHe went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time.
undefined At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
undefined He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed.
undefined He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.
undefined “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’
undefined “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
undefined So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.“What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
undefined He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”When the people heard this, they said, “May this never be!”
undefined Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:“‘The stone the builders rejectedhas become the capstone’?
undefined Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
undefined The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
undefined Paying Taxes to CaesarKeeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
undefined So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
undefined Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
undefined He saw through their duplicity and said to them,
undefined “Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?”
undefined “Caesar’s,” they replied.He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
undefined They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
undefined The Resurrection and MarriageSome of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question.
undefined “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.
undefined Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless.
undefined The second
undefined and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children.
undefined Finally, the woman died too.
undefined Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”
undefined Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.
undefined But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage,
undefined and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.
undefined But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
undefined He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
undefined Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!”
undefined And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
undefined Whose Son Is the Christ?Then Jesus said to them, “How is it that they say the Christ is the Son of David?
undefined David himself declares in the Book of Psalms:“‘The Lord said to my Lord:“Sit at my right hand
undefined until I make your enemiesa footstool for your feet.”’
undefined David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”
undefined While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples,
undefined “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
undefined They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.”

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