Luke 20 — EMTV

Jesus' Authority Questioned

20Verse 1Now it came to pass on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him,^{Verse 2}and they spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”^{Verse 3}But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and so tell Me:^{Verse 4}The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”^{Verse 5}And they debated among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’^{Verse 6}But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”^{Verse 7}So they answered that they did not know where it was from.^{Verse 8}And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

^{Verse 9}Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to farmers, and went on a journey for a long time.^{Verse 10}Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the farmers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers flogged him and sent him away empty-handed.^{Verse 11}And again he sent another servant; and they flogged him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.^{Verse 12}And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and threw him out.^{Verse 13}“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Perhaps when they see him they will respect him.’^{Verse 14}But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’^{Verse 15}And casting him out of the vineyard, they killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?^{Verse 16}He will come and destroy those farmers and give the vineyard to others.” And when they heard it they said, “May it never be!”^{Verse 17}Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this which is written:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone’?^{Verse 18}Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”^{Verse 19}And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on Him that very hour, but they were afraid—for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them.

The Question of Paying Taxes

^{Verse 20}And having watched Him closely, they sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor.^{Verse 21}Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth:^{Verse 22}Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”^{Verse 23}But perceiving their craftiness, He said to them, “Why do you test Me?^{Verse 24}Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They answered and said, “Caesar's.”^{Verse 25}And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”^{Verse 26}But they could not catch Him in His words in front of the people. And marveling at His answer, they kept silent.

The Question About the Resurrection

^{Verse 27}Then some of the Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, coming to Him and asked Him,^{Verse 28}saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and this man dies childless, that his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.^{Verse 29}Now there were seven brothers. And the first, having taken a wife, died childless.^{Verse 30}And the second took her as wife, and this man died childless.^{Verse 31}Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and they died.^{Verse 32}Last of all the woman died also.^{Verse 33}Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”^{Verse 34}And Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.^{Verse 35}But those who have been counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;^{Verse 36}nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.^{Verse 37}Now even Moses revealed that the dead are raised, in the burning bush passage, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’^{Verse 38}For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all are alive to Him.”^{Verse 39}Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.”^{Verse 40}But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

The Question About the Son of David

^{Verse 41}And He said to them, “How is it that they say the Christ is the Son of David?^{Verse 42}Even David himself said in the Book of Psalms,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
^{Verse 43}till I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” ’^{Verse 44}Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”

Beware of the Scribes

^{Verse 45}And as all the people listened, He said to His disciples,^{Verse 46}“Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk about in long robes, and love greetings in the market places, and the first seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at dinners,^{Verse 47}who devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”