Mark 12:1-17

1Then He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.

2Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.

3And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

4Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.

5And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.

6Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

7But those vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

8So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

9“Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.

10Have you not even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.

11This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

13Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words.

14When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

15Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.”

16So they brought it. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

17And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at Him.