1. And it happened that, on one of the days when he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Gospel, the leaders of the priests, and the scribes, gathered together with the elders,
2. and they spoke to him, saying: "Tell us, by what authority do you do these things? Or, who is it that has given you this authority?"
3. And in response, Jesus said to them: "I will also question you about one word. Respond to me:
4. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?"
5. So they discussed it among themselves, saying: "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?'
6. But if we say, 'Of men,' the whole people will stone us. For they are certain that John was a prophet."
7. And so they responded that they did not know where it was from.
8. And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
9. Then he began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, and he loaned it to settlers, and he was on a sojourn for a long time.
10. And in due time, he sent a servant to the farmers, so that they would give to him from the fruit of the vineyard. And they beat him and drove him away, empty-handed.
11. And he continued to send another servant. But beating him and treating him with contempt, they likewise sent him away, empty-handed.
12. And he continued to send a third. And wounding him also, they drove him away.
13. Then the lord of the vineyard said: 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Perhaps when they have seen him, they will respect him.'
14. And when the settlers had seen him, they discussed it among themselves, saying: 'This one is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance will be ours.'
15. And forcing him outside of the vineyard, they killed him. What, then, will the lord of the vineyard do to them?"
16. "He will come and destroy those settlers, and he will give the vineyard to others." And upon hearing this, they said to him, "Let it not be."