Luke 20:1-19

1Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him

2and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”

3But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me:

4The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

5And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

6But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

7So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

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

9Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.

10Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

11Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.

12And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.

13“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’

14But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’

15So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

16He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.” And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!”

17Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone’?

18Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

19And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people —for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.