Matthew 21:28-44

28“But what do you think? A man had two 1sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘2Son, go work today in the 3vineyard.’ 29And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. 30The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that 4the tax collectors and prostitutes 5will get into the kingdom of God before you. 32For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but 6the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.

33“Listen to another parable. 7There was a 8landowner who 9planted a 10vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to 11vine-growers and 12went on a journey. 34When the 13harvest time approached, he 14sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. 35The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. 36Again he 15sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them. 37But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40Therefore when the 16owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” 41They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and 17will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”

42Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘18The stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone; This came about from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a 19people, producing the fruit of it. 44And 20he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”