Luke 20

Jesus’ Authority Is Challenged

1One day while Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and announcing the good news, the chief priests and scribes came with the elders 2and said, “Tell us: By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority?” 3He answered, “I also will ask you a question. Tell me: 4John’s baptism—was it from heaven or from people?” 5They reasoned among themselves, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why did you not trust him?’ 6But if we say, ‘From people,’ all the people will stone us, because they are convinced John was a prophet.” 7So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The Wicked Tenants

9He began telling the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenants, and went away for a long time. 10At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the vineyard’s fruit. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11He sent another servant, but they beat and dishonored that one too and sent him away empty-handed. 12He sent a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. 13The owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him.’ 14But when the tenants saw him, they reasoned together, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him so the inheritance will become ours.’ 15They threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come, destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “May it never happen!” 17But Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what does this Scripture mean:
‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’? 18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” 19The scribes and chief priests wanted to lay hands on him that very hour, but they were afraid of the people, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them.

Caesar and God

20They watched Jesus closely and sent spies who pretended to be righteous so they could catch him in something he said and hand him over to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. 21They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly and show no partiality but teach God’s way truthfully. 22Is it lawful for us to pay tribute to Caesar or not?” 23But Jesus recognized their craftiness and said, 24“Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” 25He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26They could not catch him in anything he said before the people. Amazed by his answer, they became silent.

Resurrection and the Living God

27Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came and questioned him: 28“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother should take the wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 29There were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died childless. 30The second 31and then the third took her, and in the same way all seven died without leaving children. 32Finally the woman also died. 33In the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.” 34Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35but those considered worthy to attain that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36They cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. 37But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38He is not God of the dead but of the living, because to him all are alive.” 39Some scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” 40And no one dared ask him anything else.

David’s Son and Lord

41Then Jesus said to them, “How can people say that the Christ is David’s son? 42David himself says in the book of Psalms:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit at my right hand 43until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ 44David calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”

Beware of the Scribes

45While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46“Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. 47They devour widows’ houses and, for appearance, make long prayers. They will receive greater condemnation.”