1. On one of the days when Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests, legal experts, and elders approached him.
2. They said, "Tell us: What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority?"
3. He replied, "I have a question for you. Tell me:
4. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?"
5. They discussed among themselves, "If we say, ‘It’s of heavenly origin,’ he’ll say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
6. But if we say, ‘It’s of human origin,’ all the people will stone us to death because they are convinced that John was a prophet."
7. They answered that they didn’t know where it came from.
8. Then Jesus replied, "Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things."
9. Jesus told the people this parable: "A certain man planted a vineyard, rented it to tenant farmers, and went on a trip for a long time.
10. When it was time, he sent a servant to collect from the tenants his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants sent him away, beaten and empty-handed.
11. The man sent another servant. But they beat him, treated him disgracefully, and sent him away empty-handed as well.
12. He sent a third servant. They wounded this servant and threw him out.
13. The owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I’ll send my son, whom I love dearly. Perhaps they will respect him.’
14. But when they saw him, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him so the inheritance will be ours.’
15. They threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to them?